How did you feel when you first celebrated Halloween or Christmas

trujw

With the holidays amongsts us how did you feel the first time you celebrated the holidays? The first time I felt like I was in North Korea trying to slip pass the secret police. How weird a wonderful family holiday and I was acting like I just stole the Mona Lisa.

cobaltcupcake

My first Christmas I bought a wreath and carried it around my arm as I walked home, glancing around furtively to see if any Dubs were passing by.

http://scottleblog.wordpress.com

The Odd Life of Jehovah's Witnesses

NewChapter

I was bored. I think I'm ruined for life.

Emma

I really loved them both! We were shunned when first simply missing meetings and becoming inactive. (My family are uber-righteous). Since we were already completely shunned, we weren't worried about being found out. The kids loved it; me too.

This is where shunning backfires for the borg. If my mom would have been in contact with us, it would have been harder to leave.

maninthemiddle

I confess it felt weird at first, but quickly began to feel normal. Having normal friends makes all the difference.

panhandlegirl

I was afraid. This is how I celebtated my first Christmas.My daughter had made a large ornament at school, a foam ball pierced with tooth picks and sprayed with fake snow, that we decorated with lights. We placed it on a table and placed our gifts around it. I was afraid to bring a tree into the house to use as a Christmas tree. I also told my family that we should celebrate the holiday without including Jesus; just celebrate it as a worldly holiday. I was afraid to dishonor Jesus. How dumb of me, but it takes a while to discard long held beliefs. After I became a Catholic, I wanted to celebrate Chistmas as a Christian holiday. I even celebrated it by helping at a dinner for the poor. My family and I ate dinner with the poor and not at home. Now I celebrate it as most people do, with gifts, Chistmas dinner and parties with friends. When I can, I attend Chistmas Mass which I find a beautiful thing; I love singing the Chrismas songs at the Mass and during Christmas. I play Christmas music right after Thanksgiving is over, I like to listen to Kenny G play Christmas songs and of couse, Jose Feliciano's "Felic Navidad."

DarioKehl

Not sure yet, but I'll tell you all about it before new years! :D

mrsjones5

I got my first Christmas tree shortly after I married my hubby. I realized that I could do it and have fun with it. Hubby was bemused by my enthusiasm. When the kids came along the enjoyment increased. We have family traditions and good memories of the holidays now. I don't regret a second of it.

Emma

One of my first traditions was to buy each of my children an ornament as a Christmas present. My daughter will have her first Christmas with her new husband and I'll give her the ornaments that have been collected for her over the years for their tree.

Our first tree was decorated with those inexpensive, colored glass balls and I still have a few left, along with felt ornaments the kids made for that first tree. We didn't have a tree-topper so my daughter used a cookie cutter to trace a star out of yellow felt and I've been using it ever since. I would not replace it for any fancy tree topper!

Chariklo

I am going to be so glad to be able to celebrate Christmas again for the first time for two years.

Yes, my JW life was very short compared with most of you, but it caused heartreak to my family as they watched me tie myself in knots to comply with the through brainwash and indoctrination I was receiving.

It has been lovely to celebrate family birthdays again. Lovely to be able to allow my children to enjoy Mothering Sunday. And it is going to be so wonderful once gain to have a Christmas tree, and lights, and decorations, and to have a turkey and all the trimmings and to watch my grandchildren open their presents, without knowing that there is a sour-faced indoctrinatress watching my every move.

I am so looking forward to being fully part of my own family once again at that very special season!

How did you feel when you first celebrated Halloween or Christmas

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