Oh how I love to hear about those of you who are celebrating for the first time or are new at it! Christmas - some people put up lights and all the day after Thanksgiving! that's a bit early for me though. Any time you feel like it is fine. Stockings--hmmm, here is where you have to decide if you will do St. Nicks, which I think is around the 5th or so, we never did it growing up, (my mom always said it was a Catholic thing, we were Lutheran) so we got our stockings filled Christmas Eve. Woke up to presents and stockings on top of our presents (Santa removed them from the fireplace when filling). Until all this jw shit, we had lovely holidays. Food traditions, fire, music, the works! I still do all of that but it isn't the same. Some people open one present on Christmas Eve. I still do not put presents/stockings out until everybody is in bed. Even though the kids are older and it really wouldn't matter. No guessing that way! Also, my kids look forward to some small gift of some sort in their stocking with some candy. Another nice Christmas tradition my family has always had is my mom and now me, buy an ornament every year for the kids. It is put out when the presents go under the tree. In the morning they look forward to finding it. When they move out they will have enough ornaments to fill their own tree. We also make at least one type of ornament every year. Something my kids find funny now is that I always had to sign Santa in a different type of writing than my own and still have some presents from me!
Birthdays for kids can be dicey. Depends on the age. I have usually said every other year they get a big party. Now with jw crap, I now allow it every year and make it bigger and better if possible. When the kids are young they almost have to invite every kid (boys or girls only) in the class. Some ideas that my kids have been to or I have had, some are totally against any jw rules, just to warn you---- YMCA, swim, games, climb the rock wall, etc.. Chucky Cheese-- Mystery Parties seem big right now, find story lines on the internet or make up yourself--- Pizza (kids make their own) movie, sleep over-- sport theme, kickball, volleyball, badmitten, etc... then cake and presents-- Games and craft (girls) then cake & presents--- makeover parties, face masks, fingernail polish etc...sleepover--- Tea party, come complete in tea attire!--bowling, then the parents can car pool, bowl then cake & presents-- rollerskating--neighborhood scavenger hunt (or just in your yard)
With kids parties just make sure to set a time limit. Ask the child how long they think all this will take then subtract some time, gets rid of the whinny, crying, fighting time when everybody's sugar rush is wearing off!
good luck, carla
