Any suggestions?

FourMs

I have a predicament. I was wondering how to go about telling neighbors that I am now going to celebrate the holidays. This time last year (when we were still new in our subdivision) it seemed to be one birthday after another here in my neighborhood. I was saying no left and right to everyone that invited my kids. As much as I felt stupid even at the time (still a witness) my neighbors respected my decision and the topic has never come up again. Nowadays, I would like to inform my neighbors that I am part of the real world now and wouldn’t reject their kind invites to their kids birthdays or any other celebration for that matter. I just wondered if anyone had suggestions, if they have gone through the same thing, as to how to even approach the whole thing.

Anyways, look forward to hearing from y’all…
FourMs

BrentR

"I would like to inform my neighbors that I am part of the real world now and wouldn’t reject their kind invites to their kids birthdays or any other celebration for that matter."

Just say what you allready posted here!

What-A-Coincidence

Never been there before but I would probably send an Invitation saying at the same time ... "I was test driving a faith that didn't permit many holidays thus I had not accepted your past invites... I apologize for that .. that 'faith' wasn't for me... so anyways ... you guys are invited to X"

i dunno

wac on wac off "x-Elder x-Bethelite"

AlmostAtheist

Agreed! Just let them know you were wrong about the holidays. That's not a crime, and they will respect you for it. Couldn't hurt if you make it coincide with some other celebration that you invite THEM to, such as your kids birthday party.

Good luck!

Dave

Balsam

The best way to do it is to decorate outside your house for the Holidays. They will get the message quickly and might even ask you about it. No JW decorates their home for holidays. Try it see what happens.

Ruth

JWdaughter

I think the idea to invite them to your home for parties is a good one. You may need to have a lot of holiday parties for the next year or so to drive the message home (all holidays are now celebrated!) and when they ask you why, a simple explanation in your own style will suffice. You might also want to pay attention to other gatherings that are going on and while not exactly inviting yourself to them, offer to help your neighbors with their family parties, they will soon get the message. Have a great 4th of July party. Just because they are very fun and festive and involve lots of excellent food and exploding things (depending on the laws of your locale:) )

mimimimi

Just a thought, but if you did not let your kids go to their kid's birthday parties, don't start out inviting their kids to birthday parties for your kids or you are liable to get people thinking that you are just fishing for gifts for your kids, but didn't want to buy any for theirs. Start with other holiday events, then as you get to know people better, put the word out that you are now open to invitations for your kids to go to their kid's birthday parties because you have changed in your beliefs. Once you have that established, you can issue birthday party invitations.

Does that make sense to you? I just know how people are sometimes.