Operation 1,001 - Empty Jars to Christmas Jars

(Well, she did it! My dear friend Laurie Paisley, without poking, prodding or help from me, met her goal of placing 1,001 empty Christmas Jars on counters all across the country. With the support of friends and family, Laurie spearheaded the effort to not just find homes for 1,001 jars, but to place at least one in every state! Below is her account of the journey. I know you'll enjoy.)

OPERATION 1,001 - EMPTY JARS TO CHRISTMAS JARS

October 14, 2009

I stand here in my kitchen as I did five months ago, wondering what just happened!! Five months ago I had this incredible feeling to share the Christmas jar tradition with a 1,001 people. Today I mailed jar #1,001!! 

If I’m honest....I never thought I could find 1,001 people to fill an empty jar by Christmas! I don’t know 1,001 people!! I have an amazing family, incredible friends and very patient co-workers at Barnes and Noble. 

They’ve all had to put up with me since I discovered the book, Christmas Jars, by Jason F. Wright, four years ago. I say “put up with” because they have endured thousands of conversations I’ve had with friends and customers and every year they’ve helped me achieve numerous sales goals for the book. Of course I’ve dealt with a lot of jokes, eye rolling and “whatevers” from them too! However, everyone of them has a jar! Each year I promise them I’m going to move on to another book, but somehow it always comes back to “the jar”.  

May 4th, 2009 - Journal Entry
Wow! I just finished reading the advance reader copy of Christmas Jars Reunion. After finishing, I got this ridiculous idea that I could collect and distribute 1,001 empty jars by December. I’ve really tried hard to dismiss the idea but for some reason it continues to linger in the back of my mind. It’s like a very loud voice or an overall incredibly warm feeling. This is something that has never happened to me before. 

I finally sat down at the computer and fired off an email to my family requesting their help in gathering 1,001 jars.  As usual, they are willing to help, however, like me, they have their doubts about the lofty goal. My sister said it best, “Laur, You’re always getting me involved in these crazy ideas of yours, but I’ll help!"

May 5th, 2009 - Journal Entry
This crazy idea is keeping me awake at night!  I’m not sure where to begin. To make myself feel better I went to Walmart and purchased 48 mason jars!! Then off to Office Max to purchase labels that will go on the bottom of each jar - www.christmasjars.com . Now if I can only find someone to give a jar to I’d be on my way!

May 12th, 2009 - Journal Entry
Jars #11-15 found homes today. Jar #15 went to the 10 year old boy next door.  We sat on his steps while I explained the Christmas jar to him.  He asked a lot of questions and we agreed to donate his jar together.  He immediately ran upstairs and brought down his piggy bank and emptied it into the jar and it was 3/4 full!  He was so excited he asked his mom how much money he had in his bank account.  I told him he could only put change in the jar and he responded, “I’ll take the dollars and turn them into change so I can put it in the jar”! What a kid!

May 22nd, 2009 - Journal Entry
I had my first argument with a very good friend over my Christmas jars project.  I got a very nasty email from her. She assumed that because I was tracking the jars by putting a number on the sticker on the bottom of the jar that I was going to get some kind of credit if the person receiving the jar sent a note to Jason.  She gave me a lecture that giving was supposed to be anonymous - to which I responded that the Christmas jars were given that way.  Anyway, 60 jars up....one friend down! Oh, I’m no longer putting numbers on the bottoms of the jars....just tracking them in a little black book!

And so it went over the next few months. As more and more people asked for jars and books I started to realize how far reaching this project could be. How much fun would it be to get a jar filled in all 50 states?

Once again, I don’t know people in all 50 states so I again requested the help from friends and family!  The response was amazing and we soon had all 50 states with a jar along with Italy, Ukraine, Thailand, Canada, England, Taiwan, Ireland, Holland, France and China. Most went to American families living in those countries.

This project has more than exceeded my expectations. I have met some amazing people, I have reconnected with many of my high school friends who I haven’t seen or talked to in 27 years, and I have heard so many “thank yous” from so many people.  I can sit back on Christmas Eve and smile knowing that so many people will be receiving a jar! I won’t need any Christmas present this year...mine came early. It came on October 14th when I mailed out jar #1,001!

I’ve learned that you can do anything you set your mind to.  No matter how mind boggling it may seem at the beginning, if you can dream it you can achieve it.  It just takes a little bit of heart, some passion for the cause and a lot of determination!!

Now......I’m not focusing on the 1,001...but "the one"...the one jar I plan to give away this Christmas that will change someone's life!