I have never been a JW and my whole family does Christmas in a big way, but mostly because almost everything we do to celebrate is part of longstanding family tradition.
We always have Christmas Eve with my sister's family followed by midnight mass, the kids get to open one present before bed (usually new pajamas so they will look good in the Christmas morning pictures), my mom comes for brunch Christmas morning, we go to my sister-in-law's on boxing day and so forth. The decorations have all been around for ages, many of them made by the kids (some were from when I was a kid and some even belonged to my husband's grandma). So while a lot of how we mark the holiday doesn't have much to do with religion, it does have a history for us.
I can imagine that if you didn't have that history, it would be harder to get into the spirit of the celebrations...but there's a first time for everything and as you find the things that fit you and your family, you can build new traditions.
ConcernedMom
JoinedPosts by ConcernedMom
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37
Who here still finds it hard to celebrate Christmas?
by dh ini was raised a jw and as i've probably said before, i left when i was around 18... i'll be 27 in a few days, and as i get older realise how i do not really know how to celebrate anything.
being raised a jw we never had xmas or birthdays (or any celebration), and since none of the friends i had when i left the jw's were christian either, i have to this day never celebrated it... i am not christian and will openly admit that i couldn't care less about the religious side of christmas, but what i see around me, everywhere in the world are people who aren't really christian either, celebrating christmas, either for kids or friends or whatever, but i've never done that or had anyone around me to do that with... people look forward to this time of year so much, they buzz and rush around like it's a real event, and to this day i've never been able to feel that way.
most of my christmas/birthdays since leaving jw's have been spent by myself, completely devoid of celebration, i want to get into that feel good spirit, but i don't know how, and if i try to fake it, i know it is fake.
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ConcernedMom
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My sad news
by Fe2O3Girl inas some of you on the board knew i was expecting a baby, i feel i should let you know that things have not worked out for us.. when i went for the 20 week ultrasound scan last thursday, severe problems were found with our baby's internal development.
only one kidney was detected, and it was very enlarged and polycystic.
there was no long term hope for the baby at all; if it survived to full term it could only live for hours at most.
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ConcernedMom
That is so sad...I'm so sorry for your loss.--Deb
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Teenagers
by Purza ini am the mother of one teenage daughter.
i don't really know where i am going with this post -- i just know that i feel like i am going crazy.
my daughter is 14 and is a very smart kid.
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ConcernedMom
I know I'm late jumping in here but I want to ditto the "choose your battles" advice. You have said wonderful things about your daughter in your first paragraph and they are far more important than the fact that her bedroom is a mess (unless there's rotting food in there, just close the door). I, too, am the chauffeur for my daughter and her friends. I have come to really value that time spent alone in the car without the distractions of the phone, chores, TV, MSN etc....sort of like a captive audience. We have had some of our best talks in the car. I get to hear all about what has been going on, get to know her friends better and be a fly on the wall sometimes. In 3 months, she will be old enough to get her learner's license. Some of her friends (including her boyfriend) already have their licenses and they now want to be independent...that's far scarier. Enjoy the time that she still "needs" you and make the most of it.---Deb
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keeping track of Jehovah's Witnesses
by Incense_and_Peppermints in.
hmm.... http://www.freakypixel.com/service_year.
http://www.cpfsoftware.com
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ConcernedMom
Okay...I opened a different browser and typed in the address. The page loaded correctly...I get the "Apostate..." notice only if I go directly from this site.
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keeping track of Jehovah's Witnesses
by Incense_and_Peppermints in.
hmm.... http://www.freakypixel.com/service_year.
http://www.cpfsoftware.com
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ConcernedMom
When I go to the first link, there is no map...it just says "Apostates are not welcome here"
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I have been gone - an update if you care
by jwbot inwow, where to start?
well a couple of months ago, when i went to the assembly, seeing my sisters all skinny, and then going to bed bath & beyond and stepping on a scale....triggered me.
i felt so crappy.
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ConcernedMom
I was just wondering what happened to you...glad to see you back and to hear that you are doing well.--Deb
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Cute but very disturbing... Send your kid a letter from Santa...
by Elsewhere ini love to get into the whole christmas spirit thing, but i never take it to the point of lying to or deceiving children about it.
i try to teach kids that it is the spirit of christmas that matters... then i saw this thing.
parents are actively trying to deceive their kids by offering them "proof" that santa is real.
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ConcernedMom
As a neverJW parent of 2 (now 15 and 23), both my kids grew up believing in Santa, as did I, and at some point we learned the truth. I can't really pinpoint the moment for any of us, more just a gradual realization, but it certainly wasn't traumatic. My kids still don't admit that they don't believe because then they couldn't hang up their stockings on Christmas eve. In a way, I think it's harder on kids who are not allowed to believe (like in Miracle on 34th Street). I believe that Santa exists in any of us who give without any expectation/hope of acknowledgment or thanks....now as a Canada Post employee, we send out form letters from Santa to anyone that writes to him. We used to personalize them with comments about their Christmas lights, pets, siblings etc. but we are no longer allowed to do that because someone, somewhere wrote some comments regarding the child being too greedy or something like that. Now we have to stick with the form letter...
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ConcernedMom
((BB))--thinking of you...
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As a JW did you "take a turkey" or accept the Xmas Bonus?
by confusedjw ini felt it hypocritical to take a turkey abviously meant for thanksgiving.
i didn't like buying the easter candy after easter either as it was "food sacrificed to idols".. years ago at a place i worked they gave out a xmas bonus which i returned.
( a few hundred dollars which we sure could have used) they assured me that it was an "end of the year" bonus.
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ConcernedMom
My husband used to work with a JW who made a big stink every Christmas about being forced to take the day off so they had to let him work, even though the plant was shut down and it was a stat. holiday under their contract...he seemed to have no problem taking the double time and half for sitting there by himself all day though. A friend was telling me the other day that her husband can't get time off at Christmas because the 4 JWs he works with all take that week off and they have more seniority. Go figure...
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Exodus into Canada: American Liberals Sneaking Across Border
by SixofNine inamerican liberals sneaking .
across border into canada .
barnett fief.
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ConcernedMom
Seriously though...I live very close to the US border. This is also a popular (but still underdeveloped) recreational area. Add in the difference in the dollar--not as good for the Americans as it used to be but still in their favour--and cheap real estate in this area....we have seen a huge number of US citizens buy property up here and just come and go throughout the year. Ski season is starting and they are all rolling in (actually lots of Australians too so it isn't just about Bush lol)