Christmas Jars {Giveaway + Gift Idea}

UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed.  Congrats Sherry B. on winning the book!

If you’ve been around here for a while you will know that I have a great deal of love for the Christmas Jars book, story and “movement”.  This book touched me in a way that not many others have and, for the last three years, we have made and given away a Christmas Jar ourselves (Mother and Daddy-O do too).

I encourage you to read the book as I cannot retell the story as beautifully as it has already been written.  But, the premise behind the Christmas Jar is that you contribute to it throughout the year.  Your pocket change (we exclude only pennies).  A few spare dollars.  And every time you do so, your spirits are lifted.  You don’t have to have a lot of extra money or time or experience and even the smallest children can contribute.  During the Christmas season, you anonymously give the jar to someone in need.  Some years ours has been a random person that we encountered during our day, and others it has been someone we noticed earlier in the year that could use a little extra love and help.

In the spirit of spreading the joy that comes along with a Christmas Jar, this year I gave my two next door neighbors copies of the book and their very own jars.  These ladies have huge hearts and I think (hope?) it would be something they would want to do with their own families.

And, as I have done the last few years, I also want to give a copy away to one of you!!  The giveaway is open to US mailing addresses.  Leave a separate comment for each of the following and include your email address if you aren’t linked to a blog where I can find you.  There are TWO ways to enter per person!!

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!

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51 thoughts on “Christmas Jars {Giveaway + Gift Idea}

  1. How have I not heard of this book? Can’t wait to read it and start my Christmas jar. One of my closest girlfriends has started a rock painting group where we get together and paint rocks with messages of cheer or inspiration and place them randomly around our town for someone to find.

    I think the jar along with a painted rock would go get together! I am also getting the book/jar for each of the ladies in our group.

    I am subscribing right now!

  2. Lovely giveaway! I keep meaning to purchase this book but completely forget until we are well into Christmas.

    Long time subscriber to Dixie Delights blog email! A highlight of my day!!!

  3. Two of my fave RAKs is of course just thanking and shaking hands of our military and police. (I appreciate EMTs and firefighters as well. My SIL is a fireman. ) And I also love buying their meals if I catch them in a restaurant.

    I need to pay more attention to those who are truly in need.

    1. Yes, I love to do this too. One of my besties really inspired me on this front. I was with her twice when she literally bolted across the restaurant to pay for a serviceman. Once was in NYC in November. The restaurant literally went quiet and the police officers said they had never had anyone do that. I decided then and there to be more like her. <3

  4. Love the idea of the Christmas jar and think it would be a great new tradition for our family!

    Three “Random Acts of Kindness” I love doing the most are really easy, but can truly bless a person’s day!

    1) Paying the road toll for the car behind me.

    2) Paying for the drive-thru order behind me.

    3) Paying for a meal of someone in the military.

  5. Every time you post this, I think I really need to read this book! Maybe this will be the year!! I am subscribed.

  6. I hadn’t heard of this book/movement, but think it is a great idea and my grandkids could benefit from this. I like to help someone in line at the store who doesn’t have enough money for what they are buying. I have never posted, but enjoy hearing about all the things you do and about your family. You are a blessing and are blessed.

    1. I saw this too often at our old house. My heart ached for people that didn’t have enough for what they were buying and I helped as much as I could. <3

  7. I’m already subscribed and love your blog. I also love the idea of the Christmas jar and would be a great tradition.

    As for an act of kindness, I buy meals for homeless when I see them and I always donate to the Thanksgiving Meals and Christmas meals given out at these holidays in Atlanta.

  8. The ways I like to do RAK are giving books away to kids or libraries (public or neighborhood) in my sons honor (he was an avid reader even as a young young child); pay for a serviceman’s, police or fireman’s order; going with my grandkids during Christmas time to the store and hand out candy canes wishing everyone Merry Christmas and having kindness bags in my car to hand out to the homeless (granola bars, McDonald’s gift cards, socks, water bottles, etc). Thanks for the opportunity.

    1. I thought about you over the holidays and love that you give books in your son’s memory. How wonderful <3

  9. I love this idea and am already a subscriber! I like the idea of putting the money jar towards my local homeless shelter on Christmas. Especially any little ones there! I hope to read his book soon and start this with my little family! Thanks for sharing and for have a caring heart yourself!

  10. A lovely way to share the joy of kindness and giving with your family.
    I have been a subscriber for several years and look forward to each post.
    Thank you

  11. I already subscribe to your email newsletter. Love it btw.

    Paying the drivethru at Starbucks. I would love a copy of the Christmas Jars book. I think it is a great idea. Perfect gift also. My family gives each other small random things occasionally and I can see this being a perfect gift.

  12. I would love this book! I’m a subscriber :) so enjoy your blog.
    I sometimes pay for the person in front of me at the grocery. We bring dog treats to the shelter. We adopt a family each yeAr at Christmas and always drop off canned food at church. I feel funny saying these things as no one knows we do this… saying it seems like bragging. I hope it does not come across that way though…

    1. It doesn’t at ALL. I feel the same way. When I share some of the things we do as a family here on the blog I always hope that it doesn’t sound braggy and that readers know my intention is to inspire, not get a pat on the back. I asked all of YOU what you do only so the rest of us can read them and get ideas. So thank you!!! The dog treats is a great idea that I had never thought of. We contribute to the church pantry often and I think throwing in some dog treats would be a nice touch.

  13. I am already a subscriber to your blog. I love the idea of Christmas Jars. Looking forward to reading the book.

  14. Already a subscriber and I really love to pay for the person behind me at Chick-fil-a. Especially if it’s a (slightly harried) mom with little ones in the car. I remember those days well. I really enjoy the ‘anonymous’ aspect. I also think your idea of gifting neighbors with the book and a jar is wonderful. I mean, how many cookies can you eat? Well, maybe that’s not a good example…..

    1. Haha. I do love Christmas cookies… Yes, I remember those days too. I miss those days as well. They were crazy but fleeting.

  15. My husband and I sponsor children at a local school and church at Christmastime. We also help others throughout the year when we see a need. Would love to have a copy of this special book!

  16. I already subscribe and love reading. My favorite random act of kindness is paying for someone’s groceries.

    1. That is so kind. I’ve never paid for groceries for someone because I am always in sticker shock over my own. <3

  17. I am and have been a devoted DD reader. I love this idea! I would love to read the book and then make it a plan to gift the book and a jar to everyone on my Christmas list next year. What a great idea. Thank you for reminding me of this gift. Happy New Year!

  18. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of this book. I am already a subscriber. As a military wife I was so humbled and grateful when someone anonymously paid for our meal at a restaurant. My favorite random act of kindness was when my husband paid for ice cream for a young military family at one of the ice cream shops near a college we were visiting with our son. They were behind us in line with a few little ones and he did it so secretly that I didn’t find out until we’d left. The military member was not in uniform but my mister spied some giveaways- takes one to know one, I guess. I picked a good one and I think I need to tell him :)

  19. Signed up for email but you were already at the top of my old school blog roll! I love the idea of a Christmas jar! I love to pay for the person behind me in the drive through! I did this a few days before Christmas at the local donut place and the person behind me ordered for his whole office, but I had committed to paying it forward so I had to pull out the debit card for that one, ha!

  20. I love this! I feel like with all of the excess that can come with Christmas, this is the perfect way to teach my young kiddos about giving.

    My favorite random act of kindness is to give away umbrellas when its raining. I’ll keep a few in small umbrellas in my car and when it’s raining (which has been a lot in the Houston area in 2017) I give them out to people who are out and don’t have one. It’s usually someone at a bus stop or walking on a sidewalk who was caught without one. It always bring a smile to their face and mine.

  21. My favorite RAK is leaving uplifting notes with $5 tucked into children & tween books at the library. Love to think about how surprised the reader is when they discover their treat!

  22. I love simple acts of kindness! We adopt a family and two people in senior living facilities each year for Christmas and try to fulfill their wish lists. I try to choose families who have children the same age as ours, as I think that’s more relatable for our daughters and helps our girls to truly appreciate their blessings. In January, I’ll buy some gift cards (like Target, Walmart, grocery store, etc), tuck them into an envelope with a Happy New Year/Best Wishes note and leave them on the windshield of a few cars in the lot. Our next door neighbor is gravely ill, so we shoveled their driveway and sidewalks the last time it snowed. At the end of summer, we help with a back to school backpack drive and fill a couple of backpacks with necessary school supplies for kids in our community.

    Anyway, it’s pretty easy to find ways to anonymously help people in your community. Just keep your eyes, ears and heart open.

  23. I’m already subscribed, but think this is an awesome sounding book and idea! I’m thinking with our first grandchild this would be awesome to do. Our Sunday school class does a secret Santa type thing. We each get $50 from our class treasury to bless someone with at Christmas. Each person gives it to someone they encounter along the way. For example last year on a 5 degree day and in a poorer area of town, my husband and I spotted a young family with two little ones at a laundramat and decided they were the ones! We all share our stories after we return to class in the new year. I would love to read this book! Love the idea of gifting it with a jar to start a new tradition. Thank you! Love your blog. Kim Mawhiney

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