Bismarck, North Dakota—

One year ago, Christmas 2017 my friend handed me a Christmas bag and wanted me to open it. It was a beautiful large, empty glass jar with a huge Christmas ribbon tied around the brim. Also in the gift bag was a book entitled, “Christmas Jars.” She told me I would understand the meaning of the jar once I read the book. I immediately went home that night and my curiosity kept me from not picking up the book. Before I knew it I had completed the whole thing. Tears swelled in my eyes several times as I read the book. I was reminded that I could do so much more to bless the lives of others. I called my friend the next day and told her I had finished the book and that I could not wait to fill my jar and give it away. To my surprise my jar was filled within a few months and I had plenty of time to try and figure out who I could give my jar to. A few names came to mind but I thought I would wait till closer to Christmas 2018 to give my jar away. It sat on my dresser for months filled to the brim. Everytime I looked over at it my eyes would fill with tears thinking about the miracle that it would be to someone in need. The empty jar meant so much to me that I decided early summer of 2018 that I was going to go to second hand stores and thrift stores to see if I could pick up some beautiful empty jars and copies of the book, “Christmas Jars” so that I could give others the same gift that my friend had given me. So, I found 8 copies of the book at thrift stores (in mint condition) and 8 beuatiful glass jars and tied beautiful Christmas ribbon around the brim of each jar. I then placed the jar in a Christmas Gift bag and tucked the book inside the bag. I gave the gift to 8 of my friends and inside the front cover of the book I tucked in the following little note: 

Last Christmas a friend gave me the best Christmas gift I have every received. It was a beautiful empty, glass jar with a Christmas ribbon tied around the brim of the jar and a book entitled, “Christmas Jars.” I read the book and quickly came to know what the meaning of the empty jar was. I hope you will trust me and for now just start throwing your spare change in the jar. You will soon come to know the meaning of the jar as you read this beautiful book. Love, Carmela

So, I gave 8 empty Christmas Jars away this year for Christmas. My hope is that they will get filled and be given away to those in need. 

Now, going back to my filled jar sitting on my dresser. A dear friend of mines husband fell ill in October with West Niles and Meningitis. He was in and out of the hospital 3 times and was very ill. He was out of work for 3 months. It was at the beginning of December that I was prompted to give my Christmas Jar to her. I already had arranged a gift bag for her with an empty jar and book for her Christmas gift. She is one of the most spiritual giving people I have ever met. I called her one evening and asked if I could pop over. Her husband had been released from the hospital a few days before. I walked in her garage that was opened and quickly set my filled Christmas Jar on the workbench and then knocked on the door going into her house. They told me to come in and in my hand I had her Christmas Gift Bag. There in the kitchen sat her daughter and husband. I looked at my friend and explained to her that this was one of her Christmas gifts and I wanted her to open it. She looked at the book and the jar and said thank you. I then explained to her that she would have to read the book to know the true meaning of the empty jar. Then, I told her that last Christmas a friend had given me the same gift. I looked at her and her husband with tears in my eyes and said hold on a minute. I went out to her garage, quickly put my Christmas Jar in my arms and with tears streaming down my face I looked at her and said I want you to have my Christmas Jar this year. She cried uncontrollable and her husband had tears as well. I told her it was my hope that she would find as much joy as I did in filling and giving the jar away to someone that needed it far more than me. What a wonderful experience that was. My friend filled her jar in December and they gave it away the same month. I can tell you that my 2nd Christmas Jar is on my dresser already half full and everytime I toss my spare change in it my eyes tear up. I am always looking in jacket pockets and always using bills at the stores just so I can get some change. If I have 2 or 3 dollars coming back I have even asked the cashier if I could get extra quarters. Oh yeah, and I have been known to go to the bank and get a roll of quarters to throw in the jar. What a blessing it has been to me to fill the jar with spare change. What a blessing it was to give the gift bags to 8 of my dearest friends in hopes that they will love it as much as I have. I went to the thrift store yesterday and guess what I found. I found two hard cover mint condition “Christmas Jars” books for the coming Christmas. I will continue to give the book and jar to as many people as I can. Also, filling an empty glass jar will be a yearly tradition that I will hold dear to my heart all the days of my life. I look forward to giving my jar away this coming Christmas to someone I don’t even know, or if I do know them to do it anonymously. Knowing that I had the gift bag for my friend already it just felt right to do it the way it went this year. Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience with me and allowing me to bless the lives of others.

—Carmela Ballantyne