It was a gift meant to spread joy.

“Dad gave me a gift card to go and get some presents and things for the holidays, and I wasn't sure how much it was for, so I called the number on the back of the card. And [they] said it was $100. So I was like, ‘yes, sweet,’ ” said Liverpool resident Elizabeth Schoolcraft.

Schoolcraft went to the Cicero Walmart and bought about $75 worth of items with the card.

"I left thinking I've got $25 to figure out whatever else we've got to get for the holidays, come back later," she said. "A couple days later, I come back in, go to swipe the card and there's nothing on it."

She says a cashier pulled up the card history "and it shows that it had taken off $25 at 5 a.m. the following day from the first purchase. So I was asleep, and the card was still in my pants," said Schoolcraft.

Schoolcraft says she contacted Walmart's corporate headquarters and police, and she's put her message out to the Facebook community as well.

A spokesperson for Walmart told Spectrum News they hate to hear for this to happen to any of their customers. They add customers should call the customer service number on the back of the gift card if they encounter any issues like this.

Meanwhile, Schoolcraft says she wants others to be aware of the incident.

“I want people to know this can happen and this did happen. It's not someplace else, it's right here,” she said.

After Spectrum News contacted Walmart, a spokesperson said the company is working to refund the $25 that vanished off Schoolcraft's gift card balance.