Elizabeth, IL:
Christmas without a Dad.
I hosted my family’s Christmas dinner last night, and when my mother left she came back to the door a moment later. She had a blue gift bag in her hand and told me she found it hanging on our fence. I pulled out the jar full of money and the lovely little book. We looked for a tag or a note, but the gift was left anonymously. I shouted to my Mom, “Oh my God Mom…there are 20s in the jar too!” I stayed up all night to read the story Christmas Jars.
I cried tears of happiness and joy as I turned each page. Some anonymous stranger has helped our family understand Christmas in a whole new way.
I was very sad last night as I was preparing the Christmas meal for my family, because my boyfriend and son’s father has just passed away in November. We used to make this meal for the family together every year, and his death has made Christmas a little sad for all of us. I tried to hang on to the hope and happiness, but really struggled all day to keep my spirits up. Losing the emotional and parental partnership has been difficult this last few weeks, but losing the financial partnership was making Christmas difficult too. Now with my Christmas Jar, it is as if our angel in heaven has helped me to give our children another Christmas gift from their Dad even though he is no longer here with us.
I am pledging to begin my own Christmas Jar for next year. Because a stranger touched us with this gift, we will Christmas in our hearts all year long.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! This experience has not only saved Christmas for our entire family, it has given us a purpose to fullfill this wish for someone else in need next year.