The Literate Platform moved quietly through the northern streets of Alicante, carrying a quiet mission that echoed the generosity of a season. Four members of the youth association—Adrián Mazón, Marina Pérez, Thais Peñalver, and Ariadna Vega—stepped into the John XXIII neighborhood and drifted toward Lomorant Park with a simple goal: to surprise local residents with a thoughtful gift book. They planned the act in advance, knowing that a small, unexpected book can spark a smile and brighten a winter day. The group wanted the moment to feel like a modern fairy tale, a discreet gesture that could brighten many faces without drawing attention to the donors themselves.
“We wanted to bring happiness and a moment of wonder when someone opens a gift book,” explained Adrián Mazón. The initiative unfolded between 00:30 and 2:30 in the early hours of Thursday, with the intention of moving as quietly as a Christmas elf and letting the books speak for themselves. The aim was to reach people who might not expect a literary surprise and to create a gentle sense of community right where they live.
There were countless copies donated, carefully chosen by the platform members who wanted to share the joy of reading with the inhabitants of the northern district. The books came from the day-before contributions of friends and acquaintances, assembled with a shared hope that literature could light up small corners of Alicante. Mazón and Pérez had floated the idea last August, envisioning an action that would place emphasis on literature for those most in need, so that no one in the city would be without a book this Christmas season.
Each copy was perfectly wrapped, wrapped like a present and laid on pavements in front of the mayor, the John XXII Neighborhood Association, the neighborhood reading center, and Lo Morant Park. The collection of books covered a wide range of interests: novels and children’s stories, essays, poetry, drama, cookbooks, and educational volumes. Classics sat beside contemporary favorites, with Don Quixote appearing in a children’s edition, and a favorite Teo collection sitting alongside newer titles such as There is Nothing to Lose by Susana Fortes. Other featured works included None of Us Will Be Merciful from Alicante Sun Castello and God’s Crooked Lines by Torcuato Luca de Tena. The distribution included works in several languages, with copies in Spanish, Valencian, French, and English.
Throughout the operation, members of the Literate Platform contributed their own collections, expanding the goodwill beyond the original group. Notable donations came from Sonia Martín, Silvia Cárceles, Carlos Arcaya, and Miquel Hernandis, who joined Adrián Mazón, Marina Pérez, Thais Peñalver, and Laura Sánchez to ensure that residents in northern Alicante received a meaningful cultural gift at Christmas. The collaborative effort reflected a broader community spirit, a shared belief that books can cross boundaries and bring people together in moments of quiet reflection and joy.