by Jason Wright and it touched me in a way that not many books have.
Amazon says: Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to the someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others more needy than I…Her reporter’s intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page. Rising newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the secret behind the “Christmas Jars” – glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously given to people in need. But Hope discovers much more than she bargained for when some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness and brings above a Christmas Eve wish come true.
It is an endearing and inspiring story that will surely bring you to tears. It was the first thing on our family’s list for our Let Your Life Change the World adventure in 2015, and giving our jar away that Christmas Eve was, again, something we will never forget.
I encourage you to read the book, as I cannot retell the story so beautifully. But the premise behind the Christmas Jar is that you contribute to it throughout the year. Your pocket change. A few spare dollars. And every time you do so, your spirits are lifted. On Christmas eve, you anonymously give the jar to someone in need.
I’m sharing this now because it is a journey to travel all year long. You will be amazed at just how much you can collect in your jar, and I promise that giving it away at Christmastime will be humbling and memorable.
We keep our Christmas Jar in a drawer from my grandfather’s old sewing table. It’s right in the mudroom and where we enter and exit the house many times each day.
I continue to be so moved by Christmas Jars
1. Sign up for the Dixie Delights email. If you’re already signed up, just leave a comment saying so.
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2. Share your favorite idea for a random act of kindness.
I will pick a winner next week!
Let your life change the world…
I live in a large city with many people on the street corners asking for help. When I go through a drive thru, I buy twice….and give one of the meals away to the next person I see asking for help. I always include dessert for the give away…..because who doesn’t appreciate a little something sweet?
That is so sweet. Daddy-O used to always do the same thing when we were little. <3
We have become aware of several families in need at our daughter’s elementary school, so several times a year we send in gift cards to local grocery stores and clothing stores for the school counselor to distribute anonymously to those students’ families who could use a little extra help.
The Christmas Jar does indeed sound like a great idea. Thank you for this wonderful post.
I do subscribe to your blog.
Wasn’t sure if I was to post only once or twice. We try each year at Christmas to to invite an elderly person (through our church) to spend Christmas dinner with us. Several years ago, both parents were in nursing homes and it broke my heart to see so many lonely elderly people. Now I try to go to one close to us often and just visit, read, and during the holidays, I take small bags of cookies when I visit. I know this doesn’t sound like much, but it is very rewarding to the heart to see their eyes light up and a smile from them. Just taking time to visit with conversation is something that is so easy and they so enjoy having someone to talk with or read to them.
I love this idea a friend of mine shared. Their family goes to Walmart or Target and pay off someones layaway items. They ask the associate to make sure the items are toys because they want to ensure it is a gift for a child.
Please enter me in your drawing, I am already receiving your e-mails.
love reading this for good ideas – sometimes no matter what we do, it isn’t enough. i try to find the unloved angel tree options (usually underwear for big kids) and fulfill that every year. i also subscribed to your newsletter.
I subscribe to your blog and receive your emails. Please enter me in the drawing. We have 4 kids and are catholic (not that that matters) but we are always trying to do service. I try to tell my kids to do the service WITHOUT letting anyone know they are doing it- because we are supposed to be humble. I now realize I am going to tell you some of the things we have done, and I feel funny saying them because I don’t want it to sound like I am bragging- but to give some ideas for random acts of kindness… adopting a family (every Christmas), bring donuts to the police station a few times a year, write nice notes to teachers, have a bake sale and gave the money to children’s cancer, volunteer at Must Ministries and serve food, etc.
That book sounds so inspirational. I’m an email subscriber.
My random act is to be more intentional about those I see out. For instance, one morning at McDonalds I saw a woman who seemed needy. I offered to buy her breakfast and extra food. Later that month, I saw her at Krispy Kreme and did the same. Last week, I saw two young men at Bojangles. One ordered food, but the other said he was just along for the ride. I went up to him and asked him quietly if he needed some money for food. (He didn’t.)
Thanks for the chance to win. If I should win, I’ll read it and pass it on to someone else.
This sounds like a wonderful book! I do receive your posts through email. I am a teacher and each year at Christmas my school has an “Adopt a Dolphin” campaign where teachers and families can “adopt” children from my school (our mascot is a dolphin) for whom to purchase gifts. We buy outfits, shoes, pajamas, cold weather gear, and of course, toys. This is all done anonymously. The families who receive these items for their children are just so overjoyed that their kids will have a Christmas that they might not otherwise have. It makes your heart feel so good to help others in need.
Oh – I want in!!! I subscribe and follow on Instagram. One thing we enjoy doing is leaving coins in a baggy taped to a machine in the laundry mat. A few years ago, my washing machine broke and it took a few days to get fixed so I went to the local laundry mat. As I left, I decided I would come back and leave a bag of money to a machine with a note attached for the person who found it. Come to think of it, it’s time to go by again.
I love you emails and look forwarding to reading each one. I would love the opportunity to read the book. I love finding out about new family tradiitions.
I subscribe to your emails!
My husband and I enjoy helping a single mother from my rural elementary school at Christmas. We contact the principal and it is done anonymously. ( we are both retired educators!). The help at that time of the year is sincerely appreciated.
Already a subscriber! :)
We live outside of Philadelphia and when we go into the city we love to get pizza at Rosa’s. Not only is the pizza good, but once you order for yourself, you have the option of paying it forward and buying a slice or two for someone in need. They give you post it notes to hang on the wall for each slice you buy forward. When someone in need comes in, they take the post it note to the counter and they get their food which is already paid for. The walls are filled with inspirational post its. It’s amazing! The pizza shop was even featured on Ellen!
I have two small children so, I purchase cards that tell the True meaning of Christmas and put candy canes with the cards (Oriental Trading had them inexpensive with the candy canes this year) and we give them to the mail person, UPS, at the grocery, to strangers,etc. It gives my kids something to take with them when we are out and they enjoy telling people Merry Christmas. We go to a local nursing home and take treat bags each year as well….
I am a subscriber as well.
This sounds like a book I would enjoy. I will look for it the next time I go to the library. I read your blog and am a subscriber. I cook for a neighbor in need; it isn’t a big issue to make one more serving and he is very grateful.
I subscribe! I put a plate of candy canes by the front door – loved watching my kids pick them up to give to neighbors, coaches, friends
I have been reading Dixie Delights for several years now. Enjoy it greatly. Am glad when I see the tag in my inbox. Would enjoy reading this book and think that the idea of a Christmas Jar is a true sharing hope.
I receive your emails and subscribe. What an awesome idea. My church hands out baby bottles and for several weeks you put. Change checks or bills on it. Then take back to church for taking to our local pregnancy center for those in need. All kinds of ways to help
Each day when I leave my home to run errands I make it a point to leave with a pleasant outlook. I try hard to show kindness, friendliness, and appreciation towards the strangers that I encounter or engage with. So many people push through life without regard for others. I woke up today thinking I need to remind my 20 something sons that they should remember that holding a door can really make someone feel special, particularly someone their mothers age.
I so enjoy being a subscriber to your blog! Our family likes to adopt a children on our church’s Living Tree and provide Christmas gifts for them. Personally, I like pay it forward by buying a meal for the person in line behind me which I hope brightens their day in some small way.
At a boutique I was recently in, I actually saw a “Giving Jar”. I immediately thought of you and this wonderful idea and book. I have unfortunately not purchased the book yet so I would love to win a copy. It is definitely something I am going to implement this year. Due to my husband’s job, he knows of many in need and we try to help out throughout the year. Unfortunately, that helping is not anonymous as they definitely know the help comes from us. Many times when I am out and about and stop in fast food joints, if I see an officer, military person, etc then I will buy their meal as a small token of appreciation. Always makes me feel good and they seem to appreciate the deed. Love reading all of the suggestions!! And as the mother of someone who has battled cancer (almost 2 years remission), THANK YOU to those that help out in cancer centers or donate to fight cancer!
And I am a long time subscriber of Dixie Delights!
I am a subscriber and LOVE your blog and Instagram posts. I hope to win but will be buying my own copy if I don’t. It sounds amazing. When my kids were young, we always adopted a family from church every year, and dropped off Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner and presents. I wanted them to know that not everyone had the advantages that they did. I’m very lucky that all three of them have grown up to be empathetic giving adults. Two years ago my son stopped off at the local Kmart on his way home from work and paid off two layaways of toys and we only found out because his wife found the receipts and was so moved she told us,, Since then I help with that and this year we were able to pay off 3 large layaways. Thank you for the giveaway and for reminding us about what is really important.
I am a subscriber and would love to win the book to read to my daughter. We have a Christmas eve tradition of reading a new Christmas book and this would be perfect. I am trying to teach her empathy so it sounds like just the right book! thank you!
I am signed up! Our family loves to buy the person’s coffee behind us. We don’t go out to coffee a ton, so it’s nice to share the treat when we do!
I am a subscriber and would enjoy reading this book.
I am already a subscriber. Thanks for the opportunity.
I keep extra golden books in my car so when I’m shopping at Target or grocery stores and I see a mom with kids in a cart I like to hand the kids a book to enjoy and hopefully give the mom a few extra minutes of concentration time to finish up shopping.