Yesterday was a special day for my family and me: we bought our first x-mas tree. The kids are very enthusiastic about it. And I was happy providing them with something I did not have as a kid.
But on the other hand it was an issue: I had my parents invited on Dec 24th and they had accepted the invitation. They are JW but have not attendend meeting for some years.
Today, there was a final phone call. My mother asked my wife if there was anything she should arrange like a cake or something. At the end of the call she asked if we had a tree. My wife tried to avoid an answer but had to admit its existence. Then my mother cancelled the appointment.
I am a bit upset. My mother has been raised a JW herself (her father was Protestant) and says she does not like Christmas trees at all. On the other hand, as a kid she had the opportunity to visit "worldy" relatives that owned a tree - which she did.
And now the acts if I had commit an incredible crime. She and my father seem not to care about what their grandchildren love. They just want to enforce "their" WT made beliefs upon my family.
I will not back down. But I am really upset. My parents just do not come to their senses...
My parents rejected my invitation - because of the tree
by GermanXJW 24 Replies latest jw friends
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GermanXJW
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freedom96
I am sorry about the way your family is acting.
This is another example of how the WTS really destroys families, instead of building them up.
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Country_Woman
I hope that you have a great Christmas - even now your parents will not be part of it.
Branda
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vitty
This is witness superstition at its best, it doesnt matter what else they do,as you say there not going to meetings.
They hedge there bets, if armageddon does come Jehovah wont destroy them cos they never had a tree!!
We stopped going to meetings 7 months ago, and I really want a tree, but I still feel guilty. But next year im going oever the top tree and all
Try not to be upset, they are not meaning to hurt you, its just misplaced loyalty and fear.
Happy christmas
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NewLight2
GermanXJW,
Why don't you call her back and ask her if she has been shopping in any stores during December that had "trees and Christmas Decorations" or has she just avoided going shopping during December altogether. If the answer is "Yes, but what has that got to do with it?" That would be your perfect opportunity to explain to her that her presence at your "Family Gathering" would be no different then her going shopping with the presence of "Christmas Decorations". I'll bet that she will not have an answer for you!
NewLight2 -
GermanXJW
@vittvin: I stopped going to meetings about 4 years ago and this is our first year with a tree. That was one of the questions: "You did not have one last year, so why suddenly this year?"
@NewLight2: Good point. I exactly asked her this and she said she did not go to the traditional Christmas market because she hates it.
They are very bitter about everything.
Countrywoman: Thanks for your good wishes. May you, Viv and all the others have a beautiful X-Mas, too. -
Valis
greetings Matey! My parents are coming over on the 26th, the day after xmas and I don't care if they don't like my tree or not. All you can do is offer the invite. After all, if they believe in a god that would be so angry w/visiting a home with a tree it isn't good for anyone involved, and one would think that loving sensible people would reconsider. I would rather see the death of a dumb ass religion than the death in the faith of my kids that gramma and grandapa really loved them and accepted them and didn't believe they were going to die. Still very hard to do.
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
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ohiocowboy
I am so sorry to hear about your parents not coming. I hope that you still take the opportunity to have a great time with your kids, and make some wonderful memories with them that you all can always cherish.
The best to you....
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gumby
German........I'm sorry buddy.
What's REALLY sad is that your children miss out on having Grandma and Grandpa over for dinner for christmas. Gawd I hate that Organisation!
Your mom can handle shopping around the christmas decorations as these ones are not her family.....but to have her own son celebrate a holiday she detests.....makes her react the way she did.
I wish there was something to say about this.....but often there is nothing you can do but try and enjoy the holidays the best you can without letting that get you down too much if you can help it.
Merry christmas to you and your family.
Gumby
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Gill
Hi German,
Honestly! Relatives can be such a pain in the ass. It's a good job we love them. Try to have a sense of humour about it, like we have. We also have our first tree this year. The children are so excited they don't know what to do with themselves and they range from 5 to 20! My husband is so excited he doesn't know what to do ! Sad how we have missed out on this fun for years! Try to just enjoy it yourselves and not worry about your parents this year. Ours would flip their lids if they new we had a Xmas tree so we're just enjoying feeling like naughty little children. You should have seen us sneaking out of the shop with the tree and racing to the car. We're still laughing about it now. The only reason we 'sneaked' was not that we felt guilty, but that we didn't want to lose all contact with my family if we were disfellowshiped. We have already lost all contact with my husband's.
So have a wonderful Christmas holiday. Forget JW craziness for a few days at least and just be Happy. Isn't that my we all left in the first place, because we didn't want to be trapped in that lunacy any more!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND EVERYONE!!!