the other reason I was told that celebrations could not happen was if that celebration elevated a person above others or put them on a pedestal.
Creature worship! I've heard that too but I don't think the Watchtower puts that in print too much because it sounds crazy. (as it is crazy!)
Even the Society accepts that the Jews had a lot of holidays, JWs could borrow some Jewish days or invent their own but they don't because that doesn't crush your identity like nearly banning them all together.