jquery content()

jquery_contents.js

$('.container').contents().filter(function() {
  return this.nodeType == 3;
})
  .wrap('<p></p>')
.end()
.filter('br')
  .remove();

#http://api.jquery.com/contents/

#This code first retrieves the contents of <div class="container"> and then filters it for text nodes, which are wrapped in paragraph tags. This is accomplished by testing the .nodeType property of the element. This DOM property holds a numeric code indicating the node's type; text nodes use the code 3. The contents are again filtered, this time for <br /> elements, and these elements are removed.