Once there was a man who enjoyed the spirit of Christmas that he decided to keep it always. So he put it in a large jar and set it on the mantelpiece, where it gave a lovely glow all through the Christmas season.

Soon after, however, there was quite a to-do, what with packing away the lights and ornaments and the manger scene, and getting the tree out of the house without it shedding too many needles.

Somewhere along the line, the jar with the Christmas spirit disappeared, and no one seemed to know where it had gone.

Months later, when rummaging about the attic, the man discovered the jar once more; and he was shocked to find the glow was gone. All gone! All that remained was a small, hard, black clinker that rattled thinly as he shook it.

The man brought the jar downstairs and regarded it thoughtfully for a long time. Then, he decided to do something about it. Before he went to bed that night, he got a little brown paper bag and filled it with some odds and ends he hadn't used for months.

During the days that followed, he distributed these odds and ends as he went about his daily duties: A pinch of Good Cheer here; a wish of Good Will there; some Charity, some Thoughtfulness - some Love.

And lo! One night he came home to find his jar of Christmas spirit glowing brightly as ever, shedding its radiance throughout the home and into the dark night beyond.

And ever since, he has kept the spirit of Christmas glowing.

~Author Unknown~
Submitted by Harry Updegraff, Jr.