Hide-N-Seek Santa returns to Cape Coral

Secret Santa with a twist is back in Southwest Florida. Cape Coral’s Hide-N-Seek Santa is back again for the second year in a row with the hope of bringing the community closer together.

It is hide-and-seek, holiday style. Santa’s helpers in Cape Coral are hiding new, unwrapped gifts around the city, taking photos of where they are, and posting them to Facebook with hints as to where to find them.

Genelle Bennet, better known as Mrs. Clause, started this scavenger hunt last year.

“Having fun and giving from your heart. It can’t get any better than that,” said Bennet.

Bennett needs people to “Give” so others can “Find.” Her goal every year is for more people to join in on the fun. What better way to do that than to give back to people in your own community?

“It makes me feel good. If, you know, maybe a child couldn’t get a gift this Christmas, and we can make that happen for him,” Bennet said.

WINK News tagged along as Bennet went to hide a gift, and it didn’t take long before someone found it.

“Looks like we got us here. Sweet Little Live Pets in a cage or guinea pig, check that baby out,” said Shawn Erb, who found the hidden gift.

Erb was the first person to snatch it up, and he plans to re-gift the toy to someone from his church in need this Christmas.

“It’s something that we’ve been wanting to do more of with our kids, especially having them experience that to give back to people maybe less fortunate. So this is a good opportunity for us to pass this on to somebody else,” said Erb.

Along with giving from the heart, Bennet said she hopes Hide-N-Seek Santa brings the Cape Coral community together.