Christmas Jars
by Jason F. Wright
Published by Shadow Mountain Publishers
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Reviewed by Bob Pike CSP, CPAE-Speakers Hall of Fame
Hope Jensen is a young reporter on the rise. She's always known (at least since fifth grade!) that she'd either be president of the United States or a famous reporter--and it looks like she's taking what her mother laughingly called "the more respectable route."
Then her world gets turned upside down. Her mother, who adopted her when she was found at a diner, has cancer. And then she dies. And then Hope's home is robbed, cleaned out of the few things she had of value. And then she finds a bag on her doorstep--and in the bag is a jar filled with change and small bills--a Christmas Jar.
As Hope does everything she can to move up the ladder at the newspaper, she begins a project. She's going to learn about the Christmas Jar left anonymously at her doorstep.
This leads her to the Maxwell family, who years ago started the tradition. Posing as a college student working on a journalism project, Hope slowly learns the story of the Christmas Jar, and why it's so important that it be anonymous.
She learns the stories of others who have received Christmas Jars--and started to give Jars of their own. This is the story that will definitely put her squarely on the star reporter track. But it's a story the Maxwell's don't want told. And she's lied to them. They don't even know that she's a reporter.
The family Hope meets, the choices she makes, the forgiveness and reconciliation that many people find, the surprise Christmas gift Hope receives will all will leave you with a warm feeling that there is and can be peace on earth and good will to all men.
Armchair Interviews ways: Nice story for the Christmas season.