celebrating christmas

by awol 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  DesertRat

  I particularly enjoy my company's annual Christmas parties (usually held at a different restaurant or resort each year), as well as the pleasure of choosing unusual & well-thought-out gifts for my friends (few in number, perhaps, but increasingly more special all the time..)

  One of the misconceptions I had as a JW was that every so-called 'worldly' person was fanatical about Christmas--decorating their homes to the eaves, sending cards to everybody they knew even superficially, straining the budget when it came time to buy gifts, etc. Now I realize that is not necessarily the case. Quite a few people I have met make minimal preparations for Christmas (i.e., sending cards only to relatives or those they have received cards from), & some have expressed disillusionment over what they feel is the increased commercialism of the holiday..

  So yes, I personally enjoy Christmas (as I do virtually all of the holidays now), but it is also very nice to know that I don't need to overextend myself or break the budget in order to do so..

  DR
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  BabaYaga

  I celebrate the Solstice, really, and I do it with a joyous fervor.
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  love2Bworldly

  I LOVE the holidays!!! Thanksgiving and Christmas--I love to make fancy dinners that make the house so cozy and smell yummy! I love all the lights everywhere at Christmas, and love to drive around town looking at the fancy holiday light displays! I am always sad when everything has to be put away, but knowing that I get to do it all over again in one year makes it better.

  Also my parents are getting up in years, my dad is 88 next month, so I appreciate every holiday I spend with him. I will be sad when my folks are not around to enjoy the holidays.
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  love2Bworldly

  Also--I remember how guilty JWs feel if they look around at the pretty Pagan lights! Stooooopid!
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  solo

  I love Christmas, probably because I was deprived of it as a child.

  We usually try to go to Canada and celebrate it in the snowy mountains - it's magical!

  Personally I wouldn't defile presents by wrapping them in trash wt publications!

  Even if we go away for Christmas we always have a tree (the bigger the better), flashing lights, the lot and I put it all up right at the beginning of December. I'm thinking about having a tree at work as well!
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  delilah

  I LOVE Christmas.....it was the holiday I missed the most, when my parents became witnesses. This year, I have a beautiful fake tree, to put up the first day of November...then closer to Christmas, we'll buy a real tree....I have an old home, and we decorate it up pretty good...little white lights everywhere....and each room will be decorated somewhat.

  Don't get me started...LOL...
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  Butters

  
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  esw1966

  I have left just over a year and a half ago. Last Christmas I bought a Rosemary bush for my girlfriend. My ex witnessey way of a half hearted attempt at a Christmas tree. I wasn't ready for it. I bought a single gift and put lights in the tree. Looked like a mini Chirstmas tree.

  This year my jw raised kids are coming to visit me and THEY WANT TO DO CHRISTMAS!!! I couldn't believe it and there was even a part of me that said, "I raised them better than that!"

  So I am very excited about Christmas this year! My youngest, 8, just told me she wants the Strawberry Shortcake characters!!! It was so cute hearing her tell me all the things she needed for her collection!!!

  So, I am going to buy my first Christmas Tree this year!!! I will have the items for decorating available. My kids arrive on the 25th of December for a 10 visit from Wisconsin. I will have them help me decorate it since I see that as a fun thing for them to do. Then there will be presents!!! My girls, 13, 11, 8, first Christmas presents!!!

  Curious as to how that will go! I was ready not to make them do any of it, but when I asked them they said they had never done it and were CURIOUS!

  So here's to a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TO THEM AND YOU!!!
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  BlackPearl

  Awww....esw1966, that's so nice! Like you, we are out now by about a year and a half. My wife is definately ready to have a first Christmas here at the house, but...I'm not so sure yet. Being raised a witness it just sorta grates me wrong, but yet I see nothing buy joy and happiness coming from it. I must admit, I become totally enchanted with all of the Christmas lights and trees and so forth, they're soo beautiful...I love to just drive through the neighborhoods and observe while the snow is falling. Everybody's got their own way of doing Christmas. I feel like the little kid I never got to be. I've even entertained buying a truckload of presents and handing them out to underpriveleged kids in the neighborhood or at the mall.
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  Little Bo Peep

  Hey Black Pearl...thought you'd be out cold by now, but looks like you have a second wind and you'll be posting for a couple hours more!!!

  We did a lot of research on Xmas last year and came to the conclusion it had to be a personal decision. Not sure just what we'll do. Bought cards, gift wrap etc, but still that nagging ??? in the back of my mind. It's hard to just ignore what you've believed your whole life, yet I keep telling myself, the WT has lied about so many other things, telling only half truths and even conceiling other things, so I imagine that has been the case with Xmas. We'll see what the year brings. I do agree, it's a time for families to get together. And the giving, at least that time of year it prompts people to give and help others. As a JW, you live in a fish bowl, and neighborly love is pretty much in that bowl.

  Little Bo Peep