The Christmas Jars

The Marchbanks Christmas Jars!

This year for Christmas we are trying something New and a bit scary!
Everytime I went out shopping... I couldn't find anything that seemed special enough for all these wonderful little grandkids....(with my price range.) I kept feeling like I needed to do something different. I talked to Jenny about it and she said that I should do "something memorable". Yikes ... that put the pressure on... It is much easier to wrap up a cool present that I know they would love and watch them open it!! Well that comment really got me thinking (and stressing ) and I remembered a darling story I found years ago called "An Adventure With Grandma" and I had saved it thinking that maybe the kids would appreciate it more when they were older. It kept coming back to me and I got it out to read it. Sure enough it was the answer I was looking for. Hal and I decided that if we could get kids (especially the older ones) to think about someone else for Christmas we could help make this Christmas extra special for them.

Here is the story...

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous, cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about every-thing. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. 'Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of the store.



I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out or recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!
I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes," I re-plied shyly. "It's .... for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and write, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it -- Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.
I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95.

I LOVED this story the minute I read it and it gave me some great ideas! I decided we would give them "their" money to do with as they chose. Hopefully telling them a few stories and talking about those that don't have a lot this Christmas might steer them in a fun direction.
We still weren't sure how to present the idea to the kids ... but one evening as we were on our way out to Jen's we heard Jason Wright the author of the "Christmas Jar" telling the story of his book. As he talked...I knew that we finally had a way to present the idea to the grandkids! We bought jars for each of the kids and put $20.00 inside. That was their present. We tied some ribbon on the jars and had a fun FHE with each of the families that are here. The money in the jar is for this year... and the day after Christmas they will start to fill their jars again for next Christmas. (read the Christmas Jars..it is an amazing little book!)
Each of the little kids got their jar and we explained that it was their job this year to use the money to buy themselves a gift or to use it to "change someone's life." Preston (7 years old) cracked me up... he said "So Grandma... I can buy myself something with this money...or use it for someone else..Right? I said that's right... He held up one hand with his wallet in it and said "Wallet...or service... Wallet or Service.... hmmm? Big Decision" ....(trying to weigh the options. ) Jaxson had a great idea as well and I can't wait to see how it turns out... Oaks and Preston took their jars to school and they enlisting all their friends as they collect for "something special".
It has been really fun to hear what they are doing or planning to do with their money. Next Saturday evening we are having our family Christmas party and they will each tell what they have done or are working on. Usually it is nicer to do it in secret... but they are pretty excited to tell us... so this year we have them share their stories! I am not sure how it will go when there aren't any other presents under the tree for them...but so far they are loving it! Their parents are all awesome and have been helping them feel the spirit of this project! They are or have been reading the Christmas Jar to them... and that has helped as well!


Nate emailed me this picture...of Mason sleeping with his jar! That made me have tears for sure!
I think the thing I have noticed so far is the fact that I have always spent way more on them at Christmas...and they never knew or even cared. But seeing that $20.00 in the jar has been way more exciting to them.
Who knew?