Christmas Jars

Christmas Jars, by Jason F. Wright (2005)

Wright has written a tender, slim novel about the triumph of the spirit. The story begins with the discovery of an infant girl, who has been abandoned in a restaurant. The woman who finds the child winds up adopting her and in the face of unforeseeable events the new mother sees a fresh beginning for herself and for the infant child. The young girl receives the name Hope.

Hope Jensen proves to be a remarkably smart young woman with a strong work ethic. She desires nothing more than to make her way to the top of the newspaper business. Upon graduation she takes a job at the local paper and while she is not well to do, she is on her way.

Hope's life takes a turn when one Christmas Eve her apartment is burgled. In the hours after the theft she finds a jar filled with money outside her doorstep. She becomes consumed with her desire to know who is behind the random act of generosity. What she finds in the course of chasing the big story will change her forever.

There are a few minor problems with the book but the story unfolds well and does what it sets out to do: to illustrate that giving is better than receiving since one's gifts are ultimately returned to them in greater measure. Secular readers will appreciate the fact the book makes its point without getting too preachy. This is a modern holiday tale that should appeal to a wide array of readers.