Lewisville, Texas:

This was our third year to do our Christmas Jar. I have shared the idea with my book club members, college sorority sisters, and a group of women that do charity work for a local organization. Hopefully many jars were shared this year!!

By the middle of Dec. the past 2 years I have already known where our jar would be delivered. This year was different as the answer had not come to me yet. We had one family in mind, but on Sun. the 19th we discovered who would be the recipient of our jar this year! Our family was working at the CCA toy store that allows parents to come and select gifts for their children. A lady came in for her apmt and I volunteered to work with her.

What a surprise when I found out she was shopping for NINE children, ages infant to teenagers. Another worker and I quickly realized this lady was truly an angel when we heard her story. She and her husband have four children of their own, but recently took in five additional children that were in an unpleasant foster care situation. Of these five additional children, one was an infant and two were twin teen-age boys, both in wheelchairs!!

As I shopped with this lady and realized the care and concern she had for all of these children, I realized this is where our jar was going this year! She made careful selections for each of the children and was so grateful for the items she was able to get. I joked with her that getting away to do this shopping was actually a break for her and and she laughed and said yes. I can’t even begin to imagine what their lives have become with the addition of five extra people.

The next day I was able to visit with the social worker who works with this family and told her what we wanted to do.

She said this Mom was so special to many of them because of the selfless thing she and her husband were doing for these children. We made arrangements to deliver the jar and I will not forget this experience.

My husband and I drove to their house – small even for their family before the extra bodies. This was the first time I have gotten to hand deliver our jar to someone and
it made my day. She remembered me from our time together when she was shopping and could not believe that we were doing this for them. I met some of the children and you could tell they were in a good place. We had also received a LARGE box of candy from friends, so that was also eagerly shared with the family.

What an experience for my husband and me to get to share. Our jar for 2011 looks rather empty right now with only a few coins rattling around in the bottom,
but I know by the middle of Dec. next year it will be full and once again the contents will be shared with someone else. This has really become one of our favorite Christmas traditions!!!