Glass Jar Hospitality

A few years ago while shopping at my local Sam's Club around Christmas, I discovered a glass jar with mini candy canes inside for around $10.00.  I immediately grabbed it and placed it in my cart.  The candy canes were appropriately festive for the season, but what I really wanted was that big glass jar.  I had plans for it; when I saw it I knew I wanted to use it to minister to my family and friends who visited our home.

So home it came with me, and when the last candy cane was gone, I began to personalize it.  I went to Michael's and bought some pretty ribbon and tied it around the middle in a big bow. And then I filled it with homemade cookies and placed it right in the middle of the coffee table so people could help themselves to some homemade hospitality....and, over the years, they have!

Children and mommies and grandparents and bachelor friends and teenagers....everybody loves to "visit" the big glass goodie jar!

At one point it was my goal to never let the glass jar get empty.

It has held all kinds of goodies:

Toll House Cookies
Pumpkin Cookies
Candy Corn mixed with Salted Peanuts
Sugar Cookies
Party Mix
Popcorn
Lemon Whippersnappers

My mother had her own kind of glass jar, often filled with peppermint and cinnamon and clove sticks, that sat on the coffee table in the family room of my childhood home.  Everyone loved her glass jar too...or at least the neighbor children did.  They even made a visit to the jar one day when nobody was home!

There's just something about a glass jar filled with something good to eat sitting out on the coffee table that says...

"...come on in and make yourself at home..."   

....and people really do!    

Comments

[Dawn]

What a nice idea....I can remember that candy dishes were always placed about in homes...when I was a child. I received four or five of them as wedding gifts. I no longer have those dishes..(hmmm...wonder what happened to them?) but I DO have a chicken feed jar that is perfect for little candies. I try to keep it full of little yummies when the grands are visiting. When the kids were all at home, I know that I would not have been able to keep it full....with three..no, make that FOUR boys in the house...Keeping cookies in the jar was a major feat!
:o)
My MIL keeps a jar full of jellied candies...green ones. They never leave her house without a visit to the jar..even now!

[Cindy]

I've always loved your glass jar. I especially enjoyed the popcorn that was in it when I visited in April. I'm keeping my eye out for one! At my house, I just have a little jar that is on my kitchen counter. I fill it with prunes. And so that's what my grandkids always want. "Nana, can I have a "pwoon"?" Can you imagine little kids begging for prunes?

[Mom]

That glass jar is part of your household, for sure! How I would miss it if it wasn't on your coffee table full of goodies. In fact, I would be disappointed if it wasn't. It's one thing I always check out when visiting you. (You didn't know that, did you?) I have one that I try to keep animal cookies in. Not only do the grandchildren and great grandchildren take advantage of it, but I have a son-in-law that especially enjoys it.

I had forgotten about the one we had when you were a kid. I just wonder who that might have been that helped themselves when we were not home?????

[Debi D]

Dawn--yeah, I didn't have any boys to feed...I can imagine!

CindY--I've seen these jars since at Target and Pier 1

Mom--Don't you remember when the Terez and Richard B. from across the lane paid your candy jar a visit?

[aggiejenn]

What a great idea. You have taught me so much about hospitality!

[Gail]

What a wonderful idea, lovely photo too! You do a great job with your pictures. I will have to look for one of these; wish I had thought of it years ago!