A secret St. Petersburg Santa is brightening the holiday season for 20 servers in downtown.

Busy restaurants in downtown St. Petersburg are in the height of the holiday season.

Christmas is around the corner, diners are enjoying great food and even better company, but all that as good as it is took a back seat to a very special moment Tuesday.

“So instead of ordering, we have a little something special for you Nycolette,” said one customer to a server at BellaBrava.

An unsuspecting server, a single mom who could use a pick me up this Christmas started her shift the best possible way.

“We just wanted to give this to you as a little thank you for the holidays, you can go ahead and open it,” that customer said to the server.

She was shocked, thankful, and she didn’t even know yet what was inside the envelope.

“It’s a thousand dollars, it’s a gift for the holidays,” said the customer.

Immediately the server’s eyes welled up.

The tears began to flow, and there were hugs all around.

“Thank you so much that means the world to me, you have no idea,” said Nycolette Danner, the lucky server.

Secret Santa is hidden on the 12th floor of a downtown tower.

Squaremouth Travel Insurance is delivering 20 envelopes to 20 different servers in downtown St. Petersburg this Christmas.

The company is thanking them for their hard work.

“It’s the best, it’s the best feeling every single time we do it,” said Megan Singh, Marketing Director for Squaremouth.

And in the end…

“Wow thanks, I’m like shaking,” said Danner.

That real, raw emotion is all the thank you the secret Santa’s will ever need.

In January, one of the 20 recipients will be chosen to receive an additional $10,000 in cash as well as $1,000 for the place where they work.