Christmas Jar Story: Amazing story proves you don't need to wait until Christmas to give out your Christmas Jar

(Name withheld)

This year, I gave my jar early, I gave it today. I met a wonderful lady at a new job I started in March 2008, we quickly became fast friends. In September of that same year she was fired because "she was too slow in fullfilling her duties." This woman was at the end of the seventh month of her pregnancy, of course she slowed down, they didn't care.

This September I was fired from the same company because "I expected too much from the others when I was the Charge Nurse for the day." Actually I was due for a large bonus to be paid if I was still there on a certain date. They made sure I wasn't.

So needless to say, I wasn't sure I would be able to pass out that jar this year. Well I did today, my friend called me in tears, she was being evicted if she didn't have full rent by Monday. So I crawled a little further down into the center of my saftey net and found a little more, you see, the only thing my friend wanted for Christmas, was a roof over her children's head on Christmas morning. As of today, she can relax a little knowing for at least this month, they will be safe and warm.

Nets are ment to catch those who have fallen, but you know what happens everytime someone hits that net? They bounce back up. I hope that during that trip back up, my friend will get a glimpse of the brighter days to come.

God Bless and Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Jar Story: Would you keep filling your jar if this happened to you?

One of the most touching Christmas Jar stories I've heard. What a wonderful person to stay so dedicated to their jar in the face of such adversity!

(name withheld)

This past January we started our Christmas jar, and the end of January while on my way to work I was involved in a freak auto accident. I had not worn a seat belt in the 44 years of my life. but that morning I had strong prompting to do so, and I buckled up. 15 minutes later I was struck and totaling my pick up, breaking my knee and femur in multiple places. It laid me up pretty good and I lost my job. But I had good insurance, and we had some money to start with and my parents are in a position to help when our money runs out, at least some. So we have been blessed and continued to put our change in the jar.

There is an individual that struggles but does all that she can to take care of her family and provide for them all. We were able to have a dear friend deliver the Christmas jar for us. We are thankful for that opportunity and pray it will bring as much relief and joy to them, as it has to us.

Christmas Jar Story: Getting in the Thanksgiving mood

Received moments ago via email.

(Name withheld)

One cold Saturday in December of 2008, my two nieces, Kaitlin and Tess, and I set out on our Christmas Jar mission.

Inspired by the book and with the help of my sister who worked with the St. Vincent DePaul Society, we identified a local needy family. As we were told, the young mother had suffered a stroke leaving her physically dependent. Her husband was left to care for her and their young children. They were enduring some real financial hardship. They lived in a small but tidy home.

On that Saturday morning, the girls waited in the car as I made my way to the strangers' house with our Mason jar and a copy of the book. The plan was to ring the doorbell & leave the jar anonymously in keeping with the scripted theme of the book. Unbeknownst to me, the father heard my boots clomp along on the wooden wheelchair ramp that lead to a side door entrance to the house. Just as I rang the bell, the door swung open and a large, imposing figure looked down at me.

I quickly & awkwardly handed him the jar and said, "Merry Christmas."

He returned a warm, appreciative smile and returned a similar greeting "...and the same to you ma'am...thank you so very much."

It was such a brief and personal exchange, and I was moved to tears, overwhelmed with the joy of the season and the happiness that I received in this simple act of giving. My nieces agreed that this was "very cool" and a new tradition was born.

As important, this family gave me an intangible gift that would be revealed to me in the ensuing weeks. I lost my own job shortly after Christmas. As I mourned my personal loss, I reflected upon the many gifts that I did have in my own life, and the struggles of this family helped me to keep things in perspective.

I hope to carry the spirit of the season with me year after year thru the the gift of many more Christmas Jars.