Whether you like her music or not, you have to give Swift props for her generosity. Swift notoriously goes above and beyond for her fans. We can't think of any other superstars who mail care packages to their fans. One fan (dealing with a depressing life transition) recently received a heartwarming barrage of gifts from Swift, along with a thoughtful, handwritten letter that said:
“Ally – I've been thinking about you a lot lately and all I want is for you to have a life that you love. I can't begin to understand what you're going through, but if it helps you at all to know that I'm pulling for you, you should know that I am. I check in on you all the time because you're smart and hysterically funny and beautiful. You deserve to be happy and I just hope these presents make you smile… Because you make me smile. -Tay”
Here's your guide to Swift's most generous acts of kindness this year.
See also: What It's Like to Be Taylor Swift, in Illustrated Form
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Taylor Swift: Not-So-Secret Santa
Swift has been playing Santa Claus with her fans by sending them gifts from around the world. Some gifts included make-up, clothing, embroidered pillows, tea sets and kimonos from Japan and all arrive with thoughtful, handwritten notes. She even personally delivered a toy Mercedes to a little boy in Connecticut!
Taylor Swift: Pretty Philanthropist
Last month, during an appearance on 'The View,' Swift announced she is donating all of the proceeds from her hit single “Welcome to New York” to New York City public schools. Swift has a history of generous donations. In 2012, the songstress donated $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville to fund an exhibit and classroom space. “The center will also give the museum the opportunity to add new programs and workshops for teens and senior citizens,” MTV reported.
Taylor Swift: Guidance Counselor
This may be our favorite example of Swiftness. In September, Swift responded to a teenage fan named Hannah who asked the songstress for advice on being bullied at school.
“Taylor, why are people at school so mean? Why do they always try to bring me down?” Hannah asked via Instagram. “I'm sitting here crying while I write this. I don't know what to do anymore. No matter what I do, it's never good enough…”
Instead of delivering a clever one-liner or sappy quotation about self love, Swift wrote three paragraphs of encouraging advice to the teen.
Taylor Swift: Candy Striper
In August, Swift made a stop at Boston Children's Hospital to visit Jordan Nickerson, a 6-year-old who is being treated for leukemia. When Swift found out she was Nickerson's favorite singer, she stopped by the hospital. The pair played air hockey, took photos together, sang and danced. “She's an amazing person that brightened our sunshines day!!!” Nickerson's parents posted on Facebook.
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Taylor Swift: Party Crasher
In August, Swift flew from NYC to Ohio to surprise a fan named Gena by attending her bridal shower. She also brought gifts: a KitchenAid mixer, Barefoot Contessa cookbook and handmade watercolor she painted. “There's this girl named Gena who's been coming to my shows for years, and she's been really, really dedicated and very loyal,” Swift explained in a video diary she posted about the trip on her YouTube channel. “I was at the management office the other day, and we were going through fan mail and invitations and stuff. And I got this wedding invitation, and I noticed I couldn't make it to the wedding. But in the wedding invitation, there was a bridal shower invitation. And I've never been to a bridal shower. So we're going to fly to Ohio today.”
“Driving home I started thinking about @taylorswift13 & I started crying. I wish the world gave her the same respect she gives the world,” Gena recently tweeted.
Taylor Swift: Love Coach
Swift routinely answers cries for help from her teenage fan base. In July, Swift gave relationship advice to a lovesick teenage fan who reached out to the star on Instgram.
“You have no idea how much this means to me, thank you,” the teenage fan wrote. “You understand and that means so much. I feel like you're the big sister I don't have. Thank you, I really did need to hear that from you.”
Taylor Swift: Dinner Donor
In July, Swift was talking to a Rolling Stone reporter in New York City's Central Park, when a fan interrupted (in a row boat, no less) the interview. In a brief exchange, Swift learned it was the girl's birthday and she had planned on eating at Chipotle for her “birthday dinner.” Swift handed her $90 to go somewhere nicer.
Taylor Swift: Your New BFF
Recently Swift pulled off the ultimate gift to her most loyal fans: she bused fans to her personal homes in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville (and into a hotel in London), and invited them into her living room for a private listening party of her new album, 1989. Swift took Polaroids with every fan, let them play with her kitten, and baked cookies.
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