Be honest, Do you really Enjoy Christmas?

by BluesBrother 48 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jaguarbass

  O K , so what do YOU think?, As the only group of people that have seen it from both sides....Is Christmas a stress making hell that you could well do without? or a lovely family occasion?

  It's a little bit of both. But if I'm feeling good, I try to keep it on the good foot and party like its 1999.

  Down here in Florida it comes at a time of year when the wheather is really nice about 70 degrees no AC, its like the best time of the year.

  My wife puts up a tree and decorates the house she even puts lights on the roof and in the yard.

  We buy a few personal things and then we give each other things that are practical and that we need. So I might give my wife a watch, a ring, a gift certificate to red lobster, and a vacum cleaner and some power tools. And a new frying pan.

  My wife likes power tools and knows how to use them.
• 

  Mulan

  My parents became JW's when I was 4, but I do have memories of Christmas. I was 50 when we left the JW's, and it was a few years later before we felt comfortable celebrating Christmas. All of our children left too, and started doing the holidays. We didn't want to be left out, so we joined in too.

  We absolutely love it! Everything about it is magical. I regret so much that we didn't give our children the family traditions that they are giving their children. We have started some grandma and grandpa traditions, that we hope will give them happy memories in the future.

  Occasionally, I run into someone who complains about Christmas, but if you suggest they not celebrate, they act like you're crazy.

  Love it!!
• 

  Apostate Kate2

  I LOVE CHRISTMAS

  LOVE IT

  LOVE IT

  Next trip out I'm getting balloons to make Martha Stewart glitter balls out of string, glue and lots of glitter. I'm doing a magical white glittery Christmas this year. I'm going to hang glittery snow flakes and balls from the cielings. For us it is a celebration of Jesus, salvation, freedom, family and JOY!
• 

  LisaRose

  "People feel that they just have to do it although they do not really want to"

  If I didn't want to, I wouldn't. After 30 years of not doing it, I do want to. Our Xmas season starts on the Saturday before Thanksgiving when our town has Starligting (the Star over Castle Rock is lit for the first time in the Season). We go down and have Chili at the Firestation (Fundraiser for Charity). We watch the Star light up, listen to the carolers and watch the fireworks. My Business is right downtown and in the middle of the festivities so we put out cookies and cider for our customers. I see a lot of people I know and have a great time.

  "They get so stressed by it all that they secretly admire us (J W's) and wish they could join us and not celebrate"

  No I don't. I do the things I enjoy and don't stress me, and don't do the rest. I am busy that time of year as we have the cul-de-sac block party. My hubbie is Santa and I'm Mrs. Santa, so we put togeather gift bags for the 24+ kids in the neighborhood. I like to decorate so I do a lot of that. Christmas is all about listening to pretty music with my hubbie, sitting in front of a fire, with the lights on the tree twikling and if I'm lucky, watching the snow come down.

  "They eat too much, drink too much, waste money on presents that are not wanted and then spend all year paying it off"

  I pay cash for all my presents, and buy simply. I did most of my shopping is last Saturday in 2 hours. I usually have one new item, one vintage item (I'm an antique dealer) and one handmade item for everyone on my list (except my one grandson, who gets whatever he asks for, naturally). I don't eat or drink any more than at any other time of year. Christmas is a wonderfull day for me. When I was a Dub, it was a lonely miserable day for me.
• 

  Rebirth

  the music, lights, smells and colors, foods, excitement, sharing, parties with friends - yes!

  commercialism, endless commercials, equating love with $$$, the religious stuff - no!

  ITA!
• 

  darkuncle29

  There are some aspects of the holiday that I like, the rest I can live without. I worked retail for ten years while I was a JW, so I'm still kinda burnt out on alot of it. I used to bake "xmas" cookies and deserts in the summertime so that I could have them and enjoy them without getting flack from people. Pre JW days, when I was 4-6 so that I can still remember, I remember huge xmas gatherings with extended family. When we became JWs we missed out SO much of our extended family's gatherings. I have a great deal of regret about that, my great grandparents are all dead now, all my cousins are grown up and moved on.

  I do like the outdoor season and snow, I love live trees, and like lights and decorations. I love the seasonal cooking and spices and warming flavors. My partner is pagan, and we've talked about the future, we'd like to have more of a Solstice celebration or traditional Yule. But for now, I'm very content to keep it simple and not go all out, I don't have the drive for it.

  Now I'm craving eggnog.
• 

  mkr32208

  Love it!

  Most people who became dubs later in life seem to be for the most part the meanest nastiest most negative people on the planet, of COURSE they hated Xmas they hate EVERYTHING! For those of us raised in the "truth" *barf barf barf* most of us heard that "everyone REALLY hates Xmas" and of course we swallowed that crap, we were programmed too!

  For those of you who are mentally taking exception to what I said in my first sentence. Come on, be honest. When you started listening to the witnesses weren't you at a pretty low place in your life?
• 

  mkr32208

  I just saw Mulan's post. I think she hit a home run right here.

  Occasionally, I run into someone who complains about Christmas, but if you suggest they not celebrate, they act like you're crazy

  The most miserable person at Xmas time is usually happier than they are for the rest of the year. I mean they could just NOT DO IT right? So why don't they? Cause it's FUN and magical even for the most jaded POS on the planet!
• 

  Sunspot

  Grammy Sandi said: Yes, I have always loved Christmas and I really missed it while a JW.

  I grew up celebrating the holidays, and had four small children when I became a JW. I MISSED CHRISTMAS TOO.... but for 30 years after, I buried my feelings thinking "I was pleasing Jehovah". I have always loved everything about the season: the lights---the decorations---the fun buying, wrapping and stashing gifts until they are to be put under the tree---the whole thing from beginning to end!

  Yes....there ARE those things mentioned earlier that can be seen as negative, but there is a negative side to EVERYTHING if one chooses to dwell on that! "Some people" just want to sit and find things to grumble and complain about, and to bring down the joy and happiness of others. For whatever reason, they seem to find "pleasure" in trying to ruin things for everyone else, the old "BAH HUMBUG" attitude!

  At my age, I honestly feel that I enjoy Christmas MORE than those that have (continuously) had it in their lives all along. Having it "taken away" has only enhanced my appreciation for even the little things that ARE Christmas. I had always avoided the holiday decorations and ornaments aisles EVERY YEAR for the 30 years I was a JW.....and the first year I allowed myself to walk through these displays when leaving the WTS....I was like a little kid looking and oohing and ahhing at ALL the wonderful things they had done with things to decorate with!!

  I was racing from one aisle to the next, and just couldn't drink in all these things in fast enough! My "worldly" friend was getting such a kick out of my reaction to stuff that she was used to seeing each year, and was telling some other people we know, and teasing me about my enthusiasm, LOL!

  Right now---I am tickled with all the Christmas cards being received---ALL (thus far) from the great folks here on JWD! It is not even the 1st of December and my pretty little card basket on the dining room table is quite full already! The first year (2000) that I decided it was time to celebrate Christmas (again), we got THREE Christmas cards....two from family members and one from a gal on the internet. The one from the internet was the very first one from anyone in those 30 years!

  Truly....how could anything that brings so much joy and happiness to others....(supposedly) bring "such displeasure" to the Creator of all mankind? Then again....we have to consider the source of who believes this....and remember ALL the negativity in THEIR lives.

  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

  hugs,

  Annie

  I just saw this:

  When you started listening to the witnesses weren't you at a pretty low place in your life?

  Yes....this is true for me....in so many ways. That "paradise earth" sounded SO ideal from my living in a housing project in an urban area and trying to raise little ones, trying to keep things together on a meager budget. I totally fell for the WTS "wouldn't YOU like to live THERE" line.