Blessing Jar

There were several jars on the Christmas dinner table at our house. Homemade jelly from Aunt Sue, a jar of olives for a special treat, a jar of salsa, and others had their place. But the most amazing jar was an unexplained Christmas gift left on our doorstep by anonymous neighbors. We received a ‘Christmas jar.’ If you have never heard of them, you will love the story. I wanted the chance to share it, and to tell of the joy it brought us to find it left for us mysteriously.

Bestselling author Jason Wright wrote the fictional account of the chain reaction created in a small town when a neighbor saved spare change and leftover pocket money all year long in a glass jar. The jar was then secretly given to a neighbor in need of a blessing. The jar’s recipient, appropriately named Hope, is a reporter who dives in to discover that more intriguing than the money in the jar was the message and meaning behind it. The book was a smash hit that created a movement. Now, Christmas jars are lovingly started in the new year by many to be joyfully given at Christmas time, and sequels to the book tell of the impact they have made.

I know of at least three Christmas jars that were gifted to POC residents this holiday season. Maybe a neighbor was laid off? Is a coworker struggling with health problems? Did your friend lose a loved one? Jar givers would gift their jars to those they see in need of that little extra. It is not a great deal of money usually. Some are as little as $40 while others might be a few hundred. They are not meant to pay their bills or end their debt. They are meant to impart happiness. They have been pickle jars, mason jars or even decorative storage jars. There is no right or wrong way to give a special gift of joy, encouragement and cheer. Any way is the right way. It makes the receiver feel very special.

I can tell you that I had never read the book or heard of Christmas jars before I received one. It was not how much money the jar contained that mattered. It was the gift of caring and concern, the feeling of richness that comes from knowing someone thought of us this Christmas, it was the special warmth and extraordinary feeling of knowing that to someone you matter. They see you and care. I do not know who gave us our jar, but I wanted to thank them. They will never know how much it meant to us to get such a gift. After we cried a little, laughed a little and read the book they left next to the jar, we too were inspired to start our own Christmas jar for next year. We will be looking for someone who needs a little love in their holiday and we will leave them a Christmas jar of their own. Thank you to whomever left us the Christmas jar this year. Bless you and I hope the tradition continues.

-Author Wishes to Remain Anonymous