The History of the Red Kettle

In 1891, a Salvation Army captain in an Fransisco resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner to the area's poor.
From his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, the captain remembered a large pot, displayed on the Stage Landing, called" Simpson's Pot," where passerby would toss charitable donations. The captain presented his idea to the city authorities and received permission to place a similar pot at the Oakland ferry landing at the foot of San Fransisco's Market Place. In its conspicuous position, the pot drew the attention of people going to and from the ferry boats. Another urn, in the ferryboat waiting room, also attracted donations. Thus, Captain Joseph McFee launched a tradition that spread throughout the United States and then the world.
By Christmas 1895, thirty Salvation Army corps in the West Coast area used the kettle. That year, The Sacramento Bee published a description of the Army's Christmas activities and mentioned the contributions. Two young Salvation Army officers, William A. McIntyre and N.J. Lewis, instrumental in the original use of the kettle, took the idea to the East Coast. In 1897, McIntyre prepared his Christmas plans for Boston around the kettle.
Other Army officers did not want to participate for fear of " making spectacles of themselves."
Nevertheless, McIntyre, with his wife and sister set up three kettles on Washington Street in the heart of the city. That year the kettle effort in Boston and other locations nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy.
In 1898, the New York World hailed the Salvation Army kettles as "the newest and most novel device for collecting money. The newspaper also observed, "There is a man in charge to see that contributions are not stolen."
In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today, families are often given grocery checks or food baskets so they can prepare dinner at home. The homeless poor are still invited to share holiday dinners and festivities at hundreds of Salvation Army centers.
Kettles now are used around the world, including Korea, Japan, Chile and Europe.