Christmas Kettle

[1] Captain McFee, resolving to provide a free Christmas dinner to the poor of San Francisco, remembered a sight he saw in Liverpool, England.

Taking this idea, McFee asked for permission from San Francisco city authorities to place a crab pot and tripod at the Oakland ferry landing.

Innovations from the crab pot have included self ringing kettles, booths that play Christmas music, and Credit Card capabilities.

Under NFL rules such celebrations result in league fines, which players pay without objection, often donating an equal amount to the Salvation Army.

A tradition has developed in the United States where, in some places, gold coins are anonymously inserted into the kettles in which the bell ringers collect donations.