‘Ugly Sweater Elf’ placing free gifts in random spots around Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Keep an eye out for something shiny when you're out and about in Colorado Springs, and you might just find yourself with an early Christmas gift.

A local resident who calls themselves the "Ugly Sweater Elf" is on a mission to "make a difference in our great community and beyond," and they're leaving gifts in random spots around town.

In an interview, the anonymous Santa's Helper said he plans to give even greater gifts.

“You will start seeing a lot of those more and more with higher amounts of money but then you will start seeing things like flat-screen TVs, laptops, iPods, or even iPhones,” he said.

One KRDO viewer, Adam Sanchez, alerted us to the random acts of charity Tuesday morning after seeing a wrapped gift on a gas pump at a local Kum & Go station. Another viewer told KRDO they found a similar wrapped gift at a 7-Eleven gas pump.

So who exactly is the Ugly Sweater Elf and what does he do? Well, his identity is a secret, but the motive behind his gift-giving isn't.

“I think that if we all treat each other kind and share that, we can create a whole movement. You know this is what Christmas is all about, it is about giving,” he said.

Inside the gift, the note encourages the giftee to "pay it forward by doing a good deed for someone else."

How does it make him feel you might ask?

“Alive; it feels great," he said. "I can tell you there is nothing more fulfilling than giving and actually making someone's day.”

If you find one of the gifts, let us know in a comment!