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MANSFIELD - Ann Marie Weineck does not drive a sleigh or wear a red suit.

But thanks to her, Christmas will be celebrated with cheer and presents at the Pawtucket home of Collette Martino.

Weineck, 54, a Mansfield resident, found an envelope containing $770 cash outside Toys R Us in North Attleboro while Christmas shopping Wednesday night.

Rather than keep the cash, Weineck, who certainly could have used it - she is out of work recovering from surgery - turned the money over to police that night in the spirit of Christmas. And just simple honesty.

After some investigation, North Attleboro Detective John Reilly returned the money to Martino, 48, Thursday morning at the police station. "I'm flabbergasted," Martino said Thursday, fighting tears. "I'm so grateful what she did for me. I've been saving that money all year."

Martino lost the envelope while Christmas shopping with her boyfriend Wednesday night, but did not notice she had lost the money until after the stores closed.

Heartbroken, Martino said she had to break the news to her 16-year-old daughter.

"I had to tell my daughter to forget Christmas," she said.

On Thursday morning, in a desperate attempt to find the money, Martino called Toys R Us and was told someone had found it, and turned it over to police.

Martino said Weineck's good deed saved Christmas for her and her family and revived her faith in humanity.

She said she spoke to Weineck and plans to send a card with some money to her.

In an interview, Weineck, a registered nurse who has been out of work since September recovering from orthopedic surgery, said she briefly thought about buying a high-definition TV with the found cash.

"I thought, 'This could come in handy.' But I wasn't brought up that way," said Weineck, a widow with two sons and a daughter.

"It's tough times for everybody," she added. "The bottom line is you have to live with yourself." Weineck said she initially took the money into the store and spoke to the manager. She said the manager told her the store would turn it over to police or she could do it herself.

Weineck said she does not expect any reward. It was the right thing to do.

Reilly, a veteran police officer who often deals with the underbelly of society, said it is rewarding to see a person act selflessly for a total stranger.

"Sometimes, kindness and honesty has more power than compulsion," Reilly said, adding that Weineck has "got a lot of character."

"You can really judge somebody by how they treat people they don't even know," the detective said. "It's revived my faith in humanity a little bit."