Be honest, Do you really Enjoy Christmas? (page 3)

sweetstuff

I love everything about Xmas, from decorating the tree to baking cookies with my kids. I don't use credit to purchase gifts, but budget out what I can afford for presents and make due with that, which is what most people I know do, they don't go running up a huge credit bill to pay off for the rest of the year. If you start buying early its not as difficult.

I don't envy the dubs for not having to buy anything, I feel sorry for them, for missing out on such a great time of year, presents aside, decorating the tree with your family, cooking, listening to holiday music, all that good stuff.

Seeing the faces of my kids at Xmas brings tears of joy to my eyes everytime, knowing they will never know what it is like to not have the holidays, seeing their eyes light up and filled with excitement is the best gift of all.

undercover

As others have noted, growing up without Xmas has made me fairly unemotional about it. I don't look forward to it, I don't celebrate it as most people would, but I no longer hide from it as I did as a JW.

I enjoy the parties, the spirit and joy that seems to come with the season. I like the lights and decorations around town. If someone wishes me Happy Holidays or Merry Xmas, I wish it right back. If someone sees fit to give me a gift, which usually happens in the office, I gladly accept it and try to reciprocate in some way.

But by the time its over, I'm glad its done.

MikeA

Yes, very much so. The first one I really celebrated was well after being an apostate. It was with my then-girlfriend (now my wife) and her delightful family. Had a ball and learned what it was really all about. Family togetherness........and of course lots of food and drink for good measure. Love the lights, love the songs, love the movies, hate the shopping (but love the ones I am shopping for, so it makes it all worth the trouble).

AudeSapere

Is Christmas a stress making hell that you could well do without? or a lovely family occasion?

I think that's part of the beauty of free-will and being out of a high-control group - where conformity reigns.

You really can make Christmas be whatever you want it to be. You can go full-tilt or keep it simple or (like one ex-jw I know) print out a picture of a christmas tree and tape it to your living room wall.

(OK. I have to admit, that picture taped to the wall was very, very lame - but still his perogative.)

I know some people go overboard with presents but I really don't think the majority of people set out to compete with their friends or neighbors or try to put them to shame.

Or maybe I'm just naive.

Last year I decorated quite a bit inside my house and had a few lights outside. This year I won't get to do much decorating at all. But presents were bought and I'm almost done. Now on to those cards...

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays Everyone!

-Aude.

WTWizard

In fact, I like the lights and stories. Now, I am enjoying the music without any Watchtower bias. And, even though Santa Claus is abused at times (used to threaten children into obeying), I still like the story lines that they come up with about how the presents are supposedly delivered around the world in a single night. No matter how outrageous they are, they are nothing more than stories and not something you are supposed to live by.

And, Santa Claus never threatens children with a horrible destruction if they do not follow everything to the letter. He doesn't make unreasonable demands of time and money. The worst Santa Claus threatens people with is not being left anything, or being left with a stocking full of coal. Which is far better than what Ted Jaracz threatens them with.

I hope Jaracz gets a stocking heaping full of coal.

AudeSapere

Oh yeah. I wanted to comment on this:

Okiesooner1966 wrote: I have no emotional attachment to it. I wish I could have the same fun as everyone else, but being raised jdub takes all the fun out of it.

I tried to explain this to a boyfriend who chose not to understand. It's bad enough that there are no warm cozy fuzzy memories attached to this holiday but it's actually got strong negative feelings attached to it.

Christmas was evil. Jehovah hates it.

Christmas is a time for exclusion for JW kids.

Christmas is a time of rejection.

I have really only celebrated 3 or 4 Christmas's as an adult. I'm happier when I participate. Otherwise I'm on shaky emotional ground with very strong feelings of isolation and rejection.

I wish I had fun memories to wrap my heart around. But I don't.

So each year I try to create a few traditions for myself and enjoy what's there without racking up huge debt. So far, so good.

-Aude.

carla

From a non dub point- I always loved Christmas and so did my husband, until of course he became jw. He was worse than the kids! 'can we open just one present tonight?' 'wait till you see what I got you! want a hint?' 'when are you making....?' There are many years I make most of my gifts, some years out of neccessity and some years for fun. I make ornaments and the kids looked forward to making a new one each year. Our tree is filled with memories of 'remember when'. There are certain food traditions that I had best not forget or I will have a mutiny on my hands! Christmas was a time when all family members knew we would be together and could plan accordingly. Games, food, music and laughter. yep, sounds pretty evil to me.

Now, there is a big fat pink elephant that takes up a whole hell of a lot of space in our house. I still go all out and maybe more so to make up for the jw who tries not to look like he is enjoying himself. But who has no problem gobbling my Christmas cookies that are gifts so I have to hide them! Who also steals candy from Christmas stockings! shame, shame, bad jw! Santa has decided he does not qualify for a stocking anymore so he has resorted to stealing! Maybe I should alert NY?

purplesofa

I grew up celebrating Christmas, It was an awesome special BIG time for us. We saw family, my mom was nice. we got heaps of presents.

After I had kids, I made it big for them, renting Mr and Mrs Claus suits to pass out stockings and presents. Decorated big time.....I had a huge snowman collection. Beautiful handmade ornaments that were collected through the years .....handmade stockings etc etc. I loved getting something special and buying all those thought out special gifts.

I got baptised and the first year I did not celebrate Xmas, my ex-husband kicked me out of the house. The elders in my congo visited with him and I got to come back home.

Now after 20 years out........I am detached. Last year I got a bit excited as I exchanged gifts with some here at JWD and put out a few little decorations.

This year I would like to do things but It is expensive and seems a waste of money. I don't want to get all those emotions going for some reason.

I feel like a heel for denying myself and my kids their childhood of Xmas memories. Maybe that is what is wrong with me this year.

purps

edited to add: I threw out all those Xmas decorations........It was what we were supposed to do.........F*(&(&ing crap, it ticks me off thinking about what a dumba$$ I was.

AudeSapere

Carla wrote: Our tree is filled with memories of 'remember when'.

Oh! This is one of those cozy, warm, fuzzy memories that I would have loved.

Same boyfriend I mentioned earlier has those silly blow up reindeer that he's set out every year since he was 5 years old. He'll be 54 in January.

-Aude.

Homerovah the Almighty

As for myself being born a JW it never was much of a big thing, the parents still put on a turkey dinner for the family and we had get togethers

As goes the rest I don't like Christmas music, it bugs me when people say merry Christmas to myself, it's well intended so I usually greet them back

The commercialization of the event is annoying as hell, they seem to start playing the X-mas music in the malls right after Halloween which is 2 months

before the day, maybe Dec. 25 should be called Commercialization Day instead.

If it wasn't for the time off from work that I usually take, it would really be annoying as hell.

In reality it's an old institution brought out by Christendom that since it does have such a great monetary value attached to it , it's going to remain for along time

Be honest, Do you really Enjoy Christmas?

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