Holiday field service....as a kid

by freedom96 3 Replies latest jw friends

  • freedom96
    freedom96

    Most of my JW experience was as a kid, and I remember going out in service on holidays, Christmas in particular.

    Number one, it sucked because most people were there, and boy did I love not-at-homes. They would answer, there would be food cooking, there was a full house with relatives and friends, and as you talked to the householder, everyone else in the house wanted to see who was there. Most of the time they treated us ok, but once in a while you would hear some person in the background make a snide remark.

    The worst part was watching all the other kids playing with their new toys. Oh, sure, we got presents other times of the year. Remember how our parents justified it. But these kids were having so much fun. And the fact was, they got presents year round too. AND they even got birthday presents too. So, really, we kinda got screwed. But that is not the point. We were drug out in service, all dressed up, and had to watch all these other people have a great time.

    I also remember going out in service the day after the fourth of July. Now, this day was ok, because as we walked down the streets, I would keep my eye out for unused firecrackers! My elder dad would never of course let us buy these things at the firework stand, but he said ok if I found some in the gutter. Sometimes I would get 5-10 of them, and then he would light them a few days later. When I was real young, that was very exciting.

    Halloween always was interesting with all the "scary" stuff hanging in the windows. The more scary stuff, then the more satanic the householder.

    Just a few of my wonderful memories as a child!

  • BeautifulGarbage
    BeautifulGarbage

    I know that there are many that share similar memories, Freedom96.

    Luckily, my parents weren't "very good" witnesses. My grandmother, who lived with us, was the JW zealot. We had no Xmas, but we didn't go out in service. What I remember as a kid, was how quiet, and abandoned, our street was because everyone was inside enjoying the morning with their families.

    Because we weren't active, I really didn't have any JW friends. But, I was allowed to play with worldly kids. Xmas day, no one could play. I remember the door of my best friend's house. It had a huge plastic picture of Santa Claus on it that covered the whole thing. I used to stare at it after I would ring the bell waiting for someone to come to the door. Because of being a JW, I never believed in Santa Claus, but I would wonder what that was like. Wanting to participate in the celebration, yet thinking I'm going to be kid puree for even having such thoughts.

    Two words would describe those days: Isolating and lonely.

    Andee

  • Athanasius
  • Athanasius
    Athanasius

    I always hated going out in service on Christmas Day. Happy that now I can stay home and unwrap presents.

    Athanasius

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