So far this 1st Christmas ........

troubled mind

Has rocked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved sending and receiving Xmas cards ,and they are all proudly displayed on my end table . My house is modestly decorated winter ,taking it slow . I have enjoyed the joy on little kids faces as I pasted out gifts on my School bus .( It was even fun shopping for them .) I have gone to Xmas parties at both workplaces and enjoy good food and good conversations. I have even been received a wonderful gift of a student bible from a friend at work . This morning the kids on the bus gave me their special little gifts ...soooo sweet . Two of the ladies at work are determined to make this my first Christmas the best Christmas ever ! They have something up their sleeve for today ,and I'm a bit nervous ..haha We delivered gifts to my Da'd brother and his family last night , and watching the happiness and smiles on their faces brought tears of joy to my eyes . ( I have missed to many years of this sharing of love .) I started out this year as "my year of seeking joy ."...... and I have to admit it has been a success so far . I love you all and hope your holidays are filled with happiness and joy .

Makena1

Enjoyed your post. We are very slowly easing into doing Christmas...(keep in mind we do not have any young children or grandchildren) but our modest decorations, display of cards from friends etc are very pretty to look at.

It took quite awhile, but we even got the pups in the holiday spirit! alt

AK - Jeff

Your card graces my living room too. It has been a good Christmas for us so far. But no snow this year I fear.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.

Jeff

Hannah

This is my first Christmas too. My children and I are so excited. This is our very first Christmas that we have ever celebrated since me and my kids were raised as JWs. However, my husband is such a bummer. Unlike the rest of us in our family, he had a pre-JW life. He is still holding on to the belief that Christmas is a pagan holiday and he doesn't want to have anything to do with it. We haven't officially been out of the borg for a year yet, so maybe he'll come around next year. Somehow, I doubt it. Anyway, the kids and I have had so much fun decorating the house and the tree. I have always secretly wished I could celebrate Christmas. I would see movies and TV shows with families all together etc, etc. My husband said it was all Hollywood fantasy and that wasn't at all what Christmas was like in real life. At least he had the whole Christmas experience growing up. Funny though, he has admitted that his best memories are during the holidays with his family. So what's the Hollywood fantasy? If you've never experienced it, it looks so wonderful. I don't know. I'll get back to you in a couple of years! One thing that I am really enjoying is listening to Christmas music and singing along out loud...makes me feel warm and happy and makes my husband grumpy.

So to all those who are experiencing the joy of their very first Christmas like me....MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!!

JWdaughter

Dear troubled mind: You are the first person I have ever read who had a goal for the year who accomplished it so successfully and joyfully. I think you should get to change your SN:) Reading your post just made me happy. Thank you-Merry Christmas, Happy New year and may all the anticipated joys of the new year be just as successful as this old year!

love2Bworldly

Love to hear of people celebrating Christmas for the first time. Hope you all have peace and joy this year.

And lots of presents too

BluesBrother

None of you make it sound like the kind of thing that I was always led to believe went on at a "Worldly Christmas" I always thought it was more like this,

w54

12/15p.743OriginofChristmasandItsSpirit***

" Is the spirit of God found in the millions of toy soldiers and tanks, guns and planes that glorify war and not "peace on earth, good will toward men"? Is it found in the gluttony, the drunkenness, lasciviousness and murder committed on this day called "Christmas"?"

***

g8512/22p.14DoesChristApproveofChristmas?***

"Why besmirch Christ’s name with all the associations of commercialism, excessive eating and drinking and revelry"

Are yo saying that the WTS might have exagerated things just a little bit