Christmas Jars

http://christmasjars.com/index.html

A link to the back story since most are probably not yet familiar with the story.
Very cute and thoughtful idea.

I saw a video interview with the author, and he said something along the lines of  " the money will only last for a little while, but those memories, they're going to remember that day for the rest of their lives"

So true.
I have just today for the first time heard about this new trend. And have never been on the receiving or giving end of this... yet. I think it is a wonderful thing to do, to teach your family to remember God's grace and generosity all year long, and to spread that love with a gift, one that there is no glory from, no Thank you, no I got this from so & so... just pure love and knowing that you made a difference, even if no one else knows it.

It reminds me of when I was a child, perhaps about 3 or 4? I am not sure how old I was, but to me it is a very similar story... Our family has always been "less fortunate" in monetary wealth. It was definitely hard at times. Very hard. Especially around Christmas I am sure for my parents.
Five kids, and rent and all the other necessities, my parents struggled that they could not afford a Christmas Tree. Trivial, and foolish to some I am sure. But it was tradition in our house to have a REAL Christmas Tree. The smell of that pine, the rustle of the needles, it was something that my parents always tried to do.
I have actually tried to do the same for my family, unfortunately with how expensive real trees have become, it is just ... sadly not likely to ever become reality in my household. Makes me sad.

But, as the author of The Christmas Jars' statement, I will never forget the day from my story here.
I couldn't tell you for sure WHAT day it was, it may have been Christmas Eve that this occurred on, forgive me, I was only 4, maybe.
But, as I said, we could not afford a tree that year, and we were all pretty bummed about it.
We were coming to terms with it.
But that morning when my parents were in the kitchen for their morning coffee, they happened to see a strange sight out the kitchen window in the back yard... A tree that certainly had not been there before, and was in fact, a gift from a stranger.
Our own little Christmas miracle.
It had snowed the night before (living in northern WI, it snowed plenty, and often) The tree most assuredly was not there the night before.
We searched for footprints, but there was none to be found... the tree had not a flake of snow on it, so it could not have been placed there before the storm had come through, so... it was even more strange to not see any foot prints in the snow... I thought for sure for years and years that my parents had come up with the money and placed the tree there themselves, but just brought it through the house and placed it out the back door while us kids were asleep...
But I have talked to them about it as an adult, and they still hold true to their having no involvement other than seeing it when they were getting their morning caffeine fix...
It was as if an Angel had hovered over that spot and made it magically appear.
No foot prints, no note, no nothing... no indication that it had been brought through the house, and no indication that footprints had been wiped away in the snow either... I am still stumped by it today over 20 years later (wow that makes me feel old) and I still remember it like it was just last Christmas, if not yesterday.
I couldn't tell you one single toy or present that myself or anyone else received that year, but the gift of that tree I will remember when I am senile.

A lesson learned early in my life, and I have always tried to carry out myself, random acts of kindness, are worth so much more than you know.  You touch the lives of those affected by it forever.
So, in conclusion, teach your family the tradition of kindness. Not just at Christmas. But always.
I can tell you from experience too, it feels just as good to be the one giving the blessing as it does receiving it.

I love that this book has started the trend of something that we as a people have long forgotten, do onto others... and that kindness isn't something that you do for kindness in return. Kindness is something that we do because it's who we SHOULD be. Always.