I love to gift soup. It’s like a little hug in jar when you get it. Maybe that’s because whenever I’m sick my mom will drop off some homemade chicken soup. But it’s always the perfect gesture of love and exactly what I need. Wintertime is when I try to use up what’s in the freezer in my house. This often means I am making big batches of soup. So, I will jar up portions to hand out to the family. My mothers and father love to reap this benefit. You can never go wrong with gifting soup.

A friends dad does a Christmas Orphan Christmas every year. He welcomes people with nowhere to go for Christmas. He gathers his group of friends around a table and has a communal hot pot. A tradition of eating and sharing with friends and strangers in a way where the experience is just as nourishing as the meal. He’s hosted this gathering for years. Unfortunately for 2020 quarantine, he was unable to have this event and was totally bummed about it. He looked forward to this event every year. It filled his bucket in ways nothing else could.

So, we decided to make a drive by hot pot in jars to go where he can still see his loved ones safely and send them on their way with warm (and safe) hug in jar! It’s a beautiful gesture and a reminder of what the season is about. Humanity isn’t lost. You can find it in these small acts.