It was highly enjoyable for my non JW family and my 4 children. It was theraputic for me and them. As a born in I felt I was recapturing some of the childhood I lost. I also enjoyed watching current JWs drive by my home rubbernecking at the decorations with disgust and jealousy at the same time. Its funny, the holidays are pretty lame when scrutinized and dissected, but let me tell you, the laughter and happiness and joy expressed by children at these occasions is all that matters. To me. It is a joy upon little faces that I promise you I have never seen in the years I spent as a Watchtower Clone. I did it for my children but found it was even more beneficial for myself. If it is a question of guilt, no, I felt no guilt. But I had spent 40 years developing a resistance to the effects of guilt at the hands of a very indoctrinated mother and others.
How did you feel when you first celebrated Halloween or Christmas
by trujw 42 Replies latest jw experiences
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nuthouse escapee
So glad you asked! lol
The first one in 2004 went all out cuz I thought I was doomed anyway, so may as well go down in flames.
Then realized there is nothing wrong if I want to celebrate. So I follow in the footsteps of Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation, and go all out. My hubby (never a JW) loves all the decor and seeing my enthusiasm. I am like a little kid. Love the lights, prezzies, and most of all the big X-mas dinner with friends. I love X-mas music and now have a collection of CD's.
My hubby and I donate to the local Food Drive and have a family that we help with $ so they can give the kids a great X-mas. I wear my Santa hat around X-mas and try to spread as much joy as I can. It feels fantastic.Leslie
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trujw
Nuthouse how dare you say that people are actually happy having a great wonderful time with there families, children and loved ones with presents. Helping the Poor and liking Christmas music? You are sentenced to read 8 watchtowers in row to help re-educate you.
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breakfast of champions
I loved Christmas when I first celebrated it - BECAUSE I WAS 1-5 YEARS OLD WHEN I FIRST CELEBRATED IT, before my newly converted JW mother started guilting me into feeling horrible about it.
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nuthouse escapee
TruJw: ROFLMAO! I know, where are all those miserable unhappy Christmas celebrators. Oh please don't ask me to read 8 Wt's to re-educate myself, I'd rather poke my eyes out or find a priest and agree to 10 Hail Mary's. -Leslie
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ShirleyW
Althought a born in my father didn't get baptized until I was twenty years old, so the wives with unbelieving mates were told to still cook a meal for the mates. I have fond memories of Christmas and Thanksgiving either at my house or relatives houses, I always got gifts, but never had an Xmas tree, which was really no big deal to me. As a kid, which would you rather have, toys or a tree ?
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WuzLovesDubs
I returned to Christmas after 13 years a Dub and it was like coming home...to warm hugs, my own bed, my family, to love and to life.
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finally awake
This year will be the first Halloween and first Christmas for my kids. I'm going all out and I hope they really enjoy it.
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NeverKnew
Wow, this feels good. :)
To all who have experienced Christmas and other holidays? Welcome! *HUGE GRIN*
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Quendi
Last year was the first time I celebrated either the American Thanksgiving or Christmas since 1973. I was living in Colorado then and insisted on preparing the Thanksgiving feast for my housemates and guests. I was in a bad economic plight at the time and felt that preparing the feast was the very least I could do to show my appreciation. I absolutely loved it! All the preparation was a real joy and I’m looking forward to doing the same this year.
Christmas was spent with those same friends, and wouldn’t you know it, that was a white Christmas. I helped with the decorations, some of the cooking, and even received some presents—something totally unexpected. It brought back to me the fact that the holidays are meant to celebrate love and there never should have been any objection to that. Compared to the cheerless existence of most Witnesses, a holiday celebration is absolutely fantastic.
Now I am living in Alabama, so there certainly won’t be a white Christmas this year. I have told my family that I will prepare the Thanksgiving feast and they are very excited about that prospect. Christmas is something I don’t have any plans for yet as that will depend on my financial situation, but if all goes well I should be able to give gifts to my nieces and nephews. I am making up my gift list and am hoping I will be able to get something for everyone I love both here as well as some I left behind in Colorado.
I understood the organization’s attitude toward the holidays and supported it for many years. But when I looked more deeply into the question and saw how pagan origins should never have been a reason for banning their observance and celebration, I realized that I needed an attitude adjustment. After all, the WTS has seen nothing wrong with keeping other “pagan” customs such as wearing wedding rings. So I have gone back to observing birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I still steer clear of patriotic holidays but Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are back in good graces with me once more and I feel all the better for that.
Quendi