When I severed my ties with Jehovah’s Witnesses two years ago, I resisted celebrating any holidays. I have gradually taken some—but not all—of them up. The American Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, as well as Mother’s and Father’s Day are days I love to celebrate but in my own way. I don’t see any harm with gift-giving for any of these observances. To the contrary, I believe they are wonderful occasions for strengthening ties with family and friends. I am currently living with other family members and if it is up to me to decorate for Christmas, then I won’t do so. It’s not that I think it’s wrong as the “pagan” roots don’t bother me at all. I don’t want to take the time and expense of that aspect of Christmas.
I choose not to observe any patriotic or nationalistic holidays. I still agree with the Witness slant on them in that I don’t want to glorify one political nation or tradition over another. That is simply my own personal feeling. What I’ve come to appreciate now is the freedom to make my own choices in these matters rather than have them dictated to me by a cult.
I am thinking about instituting a few celebrations of my own. The days of the solstices and equinoxes have always been special to me. I suppose that goes back to my lifelong interest in folklore, mathematics and astronomy and I like to think those points in our planet’s orbit should be marked and observed. I have yet to come up with some special way of marking them, but I’m giving it serious thought and I’d welcome any suggestions.
Quendi