New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson Pays Off Hundreds of Walmart Layaway Orders

Published: 12/5/2018, 11:43:20 AM EST

New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson Pays Off Hundreds of Walmart Layaway Orders — Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, reacts before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Nov. 22, 2018. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson paid off hundreds of layaway orders at Walmart ahead of Christmas.

Benson paid off 408 orders at the Walmart on Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans, the store told the New Orleans Advocate. A Saints spokesman confirmed the gift with The Times-Picayune.

The orders totaled nearly $100,000.

Walmart spokeswoman Zena Williams hailed the move.

"They're coming in, and they're calling their friends and family," Williams said. "They're very excited. It's a good thing. It's a good thing for the community. It's a good thing for the store. I'm glad that we can participate and help bless so many people for the holidays."

Benson, 70, took over the Saints and New Orleans Pelicans after her husband Tom Benson died on March 15.

"The New Orleans native is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community and who is dedicated to contributing to the growth and enhancement of the Gulf South region," according to the Saints website.

Paying for strangers' layaways at Walmart has become a tradition in the United States.

Last week, a generous person walked into a Pennsylvania Walmart and paid off every single item on layaway for $29,000.

Also last week, a Secret Santa paid nearly $45,000 to erase all layaway debt at a Walmart in Colorado, reported 9 News. The Secret Santa also opted to stay anonymous after buying the items at a Longmont Walmart.

And in New York, a Secret Santa anonymously paid off dozens of shoppers’ layaway accounts. Shopper Vanessa Rodriguez said she found out when a woman in line started crying tears of joy.

“A few minutes later the cashier told everyone in line that the same donor had paid off everyone’s account. We were all really surprised and happy but just so, so very grateful,” she told Newsday.

A customer pushes a shopping cart at a Walmart store in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 23, 2016. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters/File Photo) — A customer pushes a shopping cart at a Walmart store in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 23, 2016. Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters/File Photo

Christmas Spending

Nine in 10 Americans and 95 percent of Christians celebrate Christmas, according to a Pew Research Survey.

A critical part of Christmas is buying gifts for loved ones.

This year, consumers said they were planning on spending an average of $1,007.24 during the winter holiday season, with $215.04 of that planned for food, decorations, flowers, and greeting cards, according to the National Retail Foundation.

Adults told Gallup that they planned on spending an average of $885 on Christmas gifts in 2018, the highest holiday spending projection since the 2007 to 2009 recession. That included 33 percent of respondents who said they planned on spending at least $1,000 on Christmas gifts.

A 2017 survey from the Lincoln Financial Group found that millennials typically spend more on the holidays versus other age groups, at an average of $1,400. That was $500 more than boomers and Generation Xers.

Experts said people should save up throughout the year if planning to spend big for the holidays, and plan ahead and make a budget.

“It’s tempting to splurge at this time of year, but it’s important to ensure that holiday spending doesn’t derail your finances,” said Jamie Ohl, president at Lincoln Financial Group, in a statement. “As with all financial matters, planning is a good way to stay on track, even when you’re tempted by sales and impulse buys.”