Over Christmas break I read the novels The Christmas Jars and The Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright. They are truly inspiring books about the power of giving and selflessness. The premise is to start a jar every Christmas and add spare change to it throughout the year. At the next Christmas, pass the filled jar along anonymously to someone in need.
I didn't get my jar started this past Christmas, but figured it's never too late to start. During lent our church and school hand out "rice bowls" which was the second inspiration for this project.
I started with a pasta sauce jar. I made the rice bowl, chopsticks, bamboo, and Kanji words God and love with the Pagoda Cricut cartridge. I had the panda material left over from my daughter's Hundred Wishes Quilt and the ribbon came from my scrapbooking supplies.
Glossy Modge Podge was used to adhere and coat the paper cuttings and the glue gun was used to keep the fabric in the lid.
Encourage the kids to add their spare change to jar along with yours. Also let them help make the decision as to where the money is most needed. They are never too young to learn the joy of giving.
"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."
-Mother Teresa
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