My First Christmas (page 2)

wantstoleave

I'm still debating whether to celebrate or not. I'm really torn at the moment. Before xmas though, my oldest will have a birthday - which I'm still struggling with whether to celebrate or not. I wouldn't know where to start! Have never had an own birthday before, let alone one for anyone else. I'm glad you started this topic, because yesterday when I dropped my oldest off at kindergarten his teacher took me aside, asking what to do when the class talked about xmas. I chickened out and replied 'let him do a different activity in another room'. Gulp. It was a robotic answer. It's all I've ever known, so just came out.

blondie

Have you ever had a party for someone, a wedding or a baby shower? A birthday is much the same with just a slight difference in focus. It is when we have never organized a party for someone we love, that it becomes hard to start. Buying a thoughtful gift, and wrapping it in paper does not have to be seen as a "birthday" event. JWs say that they give gifts for other reasons. That was not my case but a few jws do actually give gifts.

As to Christmas, it does not have to be a religous celebration. We enjoy a nice artificial tree inside the house away from prying eyes. I put up snowflakes on the windows and a little lighted snowman by the front door. With the first snowfall I put up a non pine wreath on the door with a snowman and a winter saying. In fact I have a wreath on the door all year long, with a spring, summer, fall, and winter themes. There are many non-religious winter songs that have put on a DVD that I play as well. We have a nice meal with the in-laws. So many jws have a nice meal on Christmas. So just consider it a winter celebration, keep Santa and Jesus out of it.

LouBelle

Whooo hoooo - first christmas - excellent news!!!!

Get a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG tree - decorate together, buy gifts and wrap them in christmas paper, there are christmas cards to be bought and don't forget FAIRY LIGHTS - the best thing !!!

ummmm and then - does it snow in your region - if so you can have a christmas snowman outside.

Then there is the dinner, THE SONGS (Boney M - yup - cheesey but christmasy) The eggnog.

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE!!

AK - Jeff

Our first was 5? years ago now. We overdid it for a couple of years after that. We are raising our grandkids and that contributed. We scaled it back a little last year, and this year will likely do so even more.

I love the music, and we have already put on some Christmas music a couple of times this year. I must have 40 albums of Xmas music, some of it religious hymms, some of it just 'wintry'. I am not religious - still I love the music.

The lights are wonderful therapy for winter blues. The week of xmas I wear my santa cap to work and make sure I greet everyone with a hearty 'Merry Christmas' sprinkled with an occasional HO HO HO! I find it good therapy after almost 4 dozen years of making excuses, answering holiday greetings with 'and you have a nice day too' etc.

Enjoy. Let loose a little and see where it takes you. I agree with the idea of not going into debt and feeding the commercial monster too much. Good time to reach out to the community too.

Jeff

GLTirebiter

It won't be my "first Christmas", but it is the first since the Ex Mrs. Tirebiter said "Adios, I hired a lawyer!".

All my old decorations are long gone, so I'm starting over from scratch. My budget isn't big, and I'll be a household of one, so I'm planning on modest outdoor decorations--lights on the house and the big evergreen tree out front. Probably no indoor tree this year, that will wait till next time. I will send Christmas cards, I already bought those. Several distant friends from the old days will be pleasantly surprised to get one from me again after all these years.

I'm still considering what to do for my kids, who remain very much part of the Organization. I don't want to insult them, but I certainly won't ignore them either. It's a Catch-22: if I get them presents then I'm participating in a pagan Christian holiday, but if I don't then "He doesn't really love you!". I was thinking of one nice keepsake gift for each, and maybe an afternoon of ice skating.

As for what you should do, Excito: what you do doesn't matter nearly as much as doing it with your partner. Talk it over with your wife, plan it together, do it together, and begin your own family traditions. Better seven years late than never! You'll be building on those memories for years to come. Be sure to help her with the Christmas dinner for you and your guests, especially the big clean-up afterwards. Finally, while being Mrs. Excito's partner in your first real Christmas together is a wonderful present for her, do be sure to get her something nice to go with it. Good luck to you both!

GLT

Chalam

Cool!

We celebrate the birth of Jesus every day so it is like Christmas all year round here :)

That said, my wife is looking forward to getting the tree and decoration up already!

Blessings,

Stephen

excito-are

Thanks for all those comments above.

Excito

excito-are

Thanks for all those comments above.

Excito

My First Christmas

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