What's a jar of notes?
It's an old idea. Notes folded up in a jar, meant to be opened one at a time, whenever the person needs it. People usually make them by hand, as a going-away gift for a boyfriend or girlfriend moving abroad, someone deployed, or a friend headed off to college.
The problem is it only works once. You hand the jar over and that's it. If you think of something to add a month later, there's no way to get it in.
The Note Jar is the same idea, digital
Mine came from my girlfriend. The day she flew out she handed me a jar full of folded notes, one to open whenever I missed her. It's one of the best gifts anyone's given me. I wanted to send her the same thing back, so I built this: a jar you and one other person share. Either of you can drop a note in whenever something crosses your mind, a memory, a joint question you both answer, a doodle instead of words, and the other opens it whenever they want. Nothing about it runs out the way the physical one did.
There's a countdown too, for whatever date you're counting toward, a flight home, a visit, whatever it is for you. Everything you've opened stays in a scrapbook so you can look back through it later. And if you ever do want a physical one after all, there's an export option that prints your notes out.
Questions
What is a jar of notes?
A jar filled with folded notes for someone to open one at a time. Usually a keepsake gift for someone moving away, studying abroad, or otherwise going to be far from home for a while.
Is there such a thing as a digital jar of notes?
Yes, that's what this is. You and your boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner get a shared jar online. Either of you can add a note whenever, and the other opens it whenever they want, without needing to be in the same place.
Is there a jar of notes app?
Not one you download from a store. It runs in your browser, but you can add it to your phone's home screen and open it like an app if you want.
Do I need to pay, or give an email address?
No to both. It's free to start, and you don't need an email to create a jar or invite your partner.
Can I still make a physical jar out of it later?
Yes. There's an export option that prints your notes out, if you ever want the paper version too.
How is this different from "open when" letters?
Open-when letters are usually written all at once, upfront, then handed over as a finished set. A jar keeps going. You can add to it any time, indefinitely, instead of writing everything in one sitting.
