Some are calling him “Texas Santa,” while others chipped in hundreds for his cause.

For Justiss Elementary School custodian Davis Harris, the smiles he generated from nearly 600 students at the Northeast Texas school this week made all of his efforts worthwhile.

Harris told KWTX he was inspired after watching the fallout from a school shooting last year.

“I watch the evening news every day and all that trouble going on, and then it was before Thanksgiving last year, I’m watching and something just hit me about the kids and school shootings and tears started running out of my eyes and I just wanted to do something for my kids,” he said.

So the grandfather of three, known for singing Happy Birthday with puppets for each student at Justiss, approached Principal Renee Elmore with his plan to buy every one of them a Christmas present this year.

“I was like ‘okay, that’s great but how are we going to afford this?’” Elmore said. “’You know I’m willing to do whatever you want to do, Mr. Harris.’”

The response from Harris, Elmore said: “I’m going to get the money.”

Following his daily shift at ends at 1 p.m., Harris spent his afternoons soliciting donations from businesses in Paris, Texas.

“I was looking for a dollar a kid,” Harris said. “I told them what I was wanting to do and they loved the idea.”

Before long, he raised enough to spend $4 per student, KWTX reports.

“That man started bringing money in and he had almost all the money within a couple of weeks,” Elmore said. “He had sponsors who donated $200, $300, $150 at a time. He’d go in and tell them the story and they’re like, ‘How much do you need?’ He was amazing.”

Elmore told the news site it’s not the first time Harris has gone above and beyond to put students first, recalling how he’s thrown ice cream parties for every fourth-grader on their last day of school, offered his change to students at the snack bar, and made other gestures of kindness since coming to Justiss in 2008.

“One time, we were out on the playground, and we had to run in to get a lockdown and he beat every administrator and our school resource officer out to the playground to protect our children,” she said. “That man would take it for any student on this campus.”

This year, Harris worked with “elves from around the school” to select the perfect gifts for each student, then dressed as Santa to haul them through school with a sleigh to hand out each one in person.

“Just seeing the kids when you sent in there and then they ask, ‘can I open my present?’ And I said, ‘yeah go on and open them’ and then when they open them and then you see their eyes light up, that’s from kindergarten to fourth grade, they’re like, ‘thank you. I wanted that,’” Harris said. “Yeah, that puts your heart at ease and your mind at rest. It’s just a good feeling.”

The generosity did not go unappreciated. Harris called out Paris Chevrolet, Liberty National Bank, First Federal Community Bank, Justiss staff members and others for helping to make it happen.

Students and parents reciprocated, as well.

“What’s so great about it is the kids,” Harris said. “They went home and told their mom and dad that Mr. Harris gave everybody a present and this morning several kids came to me with bags and were giving me presents.”

Harris told KWTX he’s planning to make the giveaway an annual tradition.

“I just love my kids,” he said. “I take care of every child.”