The JWs always give a lengthly explanation as to why they don't celebrate Christmas or birthdays, and then always add the final statement "Besides, we give gifts throughout the year!"

Yeah, right! Okay, lets get an unofficial count of all the people who actually did get gifts on other days of the year. I mean nice gifts, and wrapped properly. I want to hear about the gifts you got as a child just because your parents wanted to give you a gift, and not a birthday or Christmas.

Also, it's not fair to include gifts that your dad got you that were clearly toys for himself. My dad got "us kids" some radio controlled airplanes and cars that sat up on the shelf until we were "old enough" and so they were up there for many years to just be looked at. I think they were sold at a garage sale just before we moved.

So do they really give gifts throughout the year, or does the next gift need to be a bullshit meter?

Tammy

I don't remember any gifts like that from my parents or other dubs, nor did i give any when i was a kid.

SS

We got things from time to time, but well so do other children. sheesh...The only time it was made any big deal was on the day of my parent's wedding anniversary.  And then it was very little if anything.  By the time I really started to care I was making my own money one way or another and bought my own toys and most of my clothes.  That started when I was about 11 or 12 doing odd jobs for the drunk elder who "helped" me get baptised and selling candy and school supplies to the people I went to school with.  This in itself though got me to thinking just how dumb it all was that we couldn't be a part of any festivities.  It was fun going to shop for presents for my friends at school...especially chickies during the holidays...My mom tried to get me to not do anything holiday like when I was in the ninth grade...*LOL* I lied..deny deny deny...*LOL* That was the last time I let her try to have a say in what I did at school or otherwise.  I guess I can thank my parents for showing me how to decieve people just to get what you want, something young people should never have to do or be put in such a position when they get old enough to make their own religious descision. It isn't even fun to think about really...The one thing in my head is the smugness with which they spoke of others who had decorated their houses or were out shopping during the holidays..."Boy, aren't we glad we don't have to do that?"...bleck...This leads to odd thinking IMO..When I was quite young I spent may an hour in the middle of the night sneaking out during xmas break w/my cousing and wire clippers in hand....alas I hope Jehovah was happy that all those xmas lights suddenly stopped working! *LOL*

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

My parents bought me what I needed...but never a wrapped gift. I remember for a couple years waaaaaay back when I was a little kid, we had "family day" with a couple crappy gifts...hoo rah.

My daughter's ex boyfriend  told me that same line about giving gift throughout the year.  His parents gave him clothes for school and new sports equipment when he needed it, or a bonus to go with the really great report card.  I am a "normal" (thank you, Minimus) person and I give things like that to my kids, too. They get special extra things on their birthdays or Christmas, and having to wait for them makes these gifts even  more special.  Anticipation is part of the fun.  My kids give me and their Dad, and each other gifts on birthdays and Christmas, and really enjoy looking for just the right present, that is just right for that person (and that will fit in in their budget). Because remember, it isn't just kids getting gifts, it is for them to learn to GIVE gifts.

So I pinned the ex-bf down on when was the last time he GAVE a  gift to a family member........and I don't mean something expensive, he is a teen after all.  He may have given his Mom something once a long time ago, didn't think he had ever given anything to his Dad, and knew for a fact that he had NEVER  given anything to his brother.  So much for giving gifts throughout the year.  It is pure BS.  This JW boy loved getting things himself, but really didn't have any joy in giving and really didn't know how.

ppppppth!!!

 The only time i can remember getting wrapped gifts was when i graduated from highschool, and when i got baptised. That was it. My parents bought us what we needed and from time to time we got extra stuff, when they could afford it. I do remember hearing that excuse in the Watchtower and of course at demonstrations at assemblies and talks at the meetings. My best friends' family would have a "family day" and buy each other wrapped gifts once a year. Our family tried that but we never kept it up. To this day I get all excited when someone gives me a wrapped gift, and I really enjoy wrapping up gifts for people because I rarely did it when i was a dub.

 

Doodle-V

I knew plenty of JW kids who never got any presents at all.  To them the "giving gifts throughout the year" was one big lie.  In my family we did get gifts.  We usually had a "winter" present to compensate for Christmas, and sometimes a summer present.  We were given pocket money and the ability to spend it how we liked.  I never got a wrapped present though until my wedding.  We were not well off but we had all the necessities and some.  We also had a vacation each year and it wasn't camping at the District Assembly.  (Except one year where we spent 3 nights, Wednesday to Friday, out of 14 in Ballarat, Victoria...that was bad but the rest of our road trip was fun).

Thirdson 

 

 

My parents gave me gifts throughout the year, and, yes, they were beautifully wrapped by my dad.

Yeah I heard that bullsh*t. When mum was studying, she told us that we were no longer going to celebrate xmas/bdays, but we would recieve gifts "throughout the year". 17 years later and I'm still waiting ...