This will be the first year I go through the holidays as a non-JW. And on top of that with beliefs that can best be described as agnostic. Basically I think I probably won't do much different. I never have had any feeling for these holidays. So there's no reason to run into them now. It's not like I was missing something with the holidays. Only a few hundred years ago, few people celebrated Christmas. And there's still a few cultures around now that haven't been infiltrated by modern commercialism. So they have not been indoctrinated with greedy gift seeking tendencies with thinly veiled references to Biblical characters.
However, when I went to my saxophone class last night, I did agree to work on a couple of Christmas songs. I've always liked the melodies to some of them. And while I don't hold to the claimed Christian ideas of the songs, I have no objection to playing them now. It was kind of a realization as I was looking my teacher's Christmas stack and picking out a few. I started wondering what other stuff I will get into this holiday season. There's the job's Christmas party. But I probably won't go to that. Less than half my section the office goes. (We have probably close to around a 1000 people in my section of the organization) so there's no impelling reason to go and I really wouldn't have anybody to hang out with there.
So if anyone cares to comment, what did you do your first holiday season after leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses and what do you do now, or what do you plan to do? I would like to hear from people who still have a belief in God and Christian ideals and people who are atheist or agnostic now.
Thanks,
Maxwell
First Holidays as a Non-JW
by maxwell 11 Replies latest jw friends
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maxwell
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nativenyr23
Well, while i'm still not sure WHAT i believe, i went ALL OUT for my first holidays. I always felt like i'd missed out on the "fun" stuff as a kid, and with kids of my own, couldn't wait.
Halloween: decorated my house to the hilt! graveyard in the front yard, bats hanging from the ledges in the entry way, etc.
Thanksgiving: Didn't change much from the witness days other than the fact that we actually did it on THANKSGIVING DAY instead of the day after when the "turkeys were on sale."
Xmas: XMAS LIGHTS GALLORE!!!! LIGHTS EVERYwhere. my house looked beautiful. Got the biggest tree i could afford and all the trimmings. Couldn't wait. House looked so pretty adorned with all the red bows, candles, tinsel, etc. I cried when my lights came on for the first time. Always wanted lights. (Had a lot of drive-by's ...people wanted to see if i'd actually have the GUTS to decorate!)
As for the "meaning" of these holidays: Not really too into the meaning yet. Just enjoying the fluff, ya know?
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SLOAN
THIS WILL BE MY FIRST CHRISTMAS AS A NON~JW AND I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!! EVEN AS A WITNESS I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE MUSIC IS GREAT!!! PEOPLE ARE SOO CHEERY AND EXTRA FRIENDLY. I LOVE ALL THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND SEEING ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREES. THERE'S SUCH A WARMTH TO THE SEASON. I'LL BE JUST LIKE A BIG KID THIS CHRISTMAS!! I'VE ALREADY STARTED MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND I'M HAVING A TOTAL BLAST. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AmazingProgeny
I am still a Christian, but with very very different beliefs than I used to have. We celebrate the holidays and have a lot of fun with them. The first year after leaving the JWs we had no intentions of celebrating holidays, but by the next year we had changed our minds. I think we all learned how much fun you can have during them and that they are really about being with friends and family. Yes, there is a lot of commercialism and that is too bad, but that does not take away from our fun.
We keep things fairly simple and try to have lots of fun. For Thanksgiving, we have a big Turkey dinner with family and sometimes friends. I make a fantastic Turkey and all the other stuff that goes along. Ask my dad, Amazing, and he'll tell you that he loves my cooking.
For Christmas, we will have a tree with decorations. We have some decorations for the inside and outside of the house. We like to get new ornaments each year for the kids and ourselves. We will exchange gifts with the family. We go to church on Christmas Eve. We have a big Christmas dinner. None of us have much money, so we don't go overboard with gifts. We also try to include doing something for those who don't have much. My church does Christmas food baskets and other things like that for the needy. We try to participate in that. This year we are going to try to have my dad come to Oregon for the holidays.
Our holiday celebrations center on our family and our faith. I am a liberal/progressive Christian and so my beliefs are not the same as more conservative or fundamentalist Christians. I think that people should celebrate the holidays if that is what they want. The holidays can be whatever you want them to be. Just enjoy them and your family and friends.
Jennifer
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truthseeker1
This will be my first Holiday season since I left the JWs. I used to celebrate them before, and Now I am looking forward to them. I already celebrated my brother, mom's, sisters and my birthday and it was a blast. Halloween was SO much fun (club scene) and I'm looking forward to all the xmas/newyears parties. Thanksgiving will be fun too.
Its not about religion to me, its about enjoying LIFE.
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larc
Maxwell, I disagree with you on one point. I don't think that giving and accepting gifts is greedy. I think it is loving. That has been my experience over many Christmases with my children and now their spouses and two grand children. I also don't agree with those who complain about commercialism. Christmas is what you make it, not the advertisers of products.
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Guest 77
Maxwell, when I was a DJ in my home town, I use to play Elvis's "Why Can't Everyday Be Like Christmas". Surprisingly, this song is hardly ever heard on the radio during Christmas time. Play it on your sax, it's a pretty song. By the way, every day is a holiday to me.
Guest 77
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kelpie
This will be my first christmas since I was eight years old and boy am I looking forward to it!!!!!
As a new step mother I am getting so excited in planning the christmas for the kids. I cant wait to put up the christmas decorations.
I have already started wrapping the presents. For me it isnt so much "christmas" it is the family atmosphere. Getting together and giving each other presents.
We still have "family fun days" as well where we have a party and give each other presents just for the hell of it.
I do feel abit guilty but I am pushing that to the background.
I brought my very first christmas cd last night and have it playing now!!.
What??? I need to learn all the songs in time.. Cut me some slack... geeeze.
Always smiling
Kelps
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Bendrr
Maxwell, let me give you some advice on how to truly appreciate Christmas.
It's all about the kids. Find a kid, or two or three, and give them one hell of a Christmas Morning. Only then will you understand.
Mike.
I'm buying gifts for 5 kids this year, none of them my spawn mind you, and it's a blast!
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gsx1138
Christmas is the best time of year. It's great not being a witness anymore and being able to take my daughter to the light shows. Follow Bendrr's advice, it's all about the kids. The look on their faces is priceless.
