question for parents (page 3)

jurs

Hi

I came into the org when my kids were infants. They never celebrated and I thought they handled it fine. We had I love you parties and my kids got gifts . BUT it didn't replace Christmas. I left a year and a half ago when they were 12 & 11 . We celebrated for the first time. My youngest said she always hoped we'd celebrate. They were soooooo excited. They even talked about Santa even though they knew he wasn't real and were kindof old for that. Guess they wanted that fun too. I had no idea that they how much it meant to them. I feel so much guilt!!! Its one of my biggest regrets about being a Witness. I wasn't raised a JW and Christmas is very special for kids. Its your decision but I have to say let them celebrate! Its cruel to be in the middle. They have no foundation or strong beliefs for being different and missing out. If your going to live like a witness then be a witness, at least your kids will get hogwash reasons why they are missing out and have to be different. Sorry to be hard on this issue but I strongly feel its a mistake you'll regret later on .

jurs.

Dia

We are passing through the darkest time of the year (in the northern hemisphere).

What a wonderful time to fill our homes with lights and tokens of festivity and faith.

This darkness too, shall pass. We know and we believe that sunlight and spring, and summer will come again. Despite all the evidence that surrounds us.

What a wonderful thing that, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, it coincides with the lengthening of days.

Used to be a traditional (gasp - "pagan") time of celebrating the Sun? Perhaps.

Is it not so very right that we should now celebrate the light of OUR lives on that occasion? Not just sunlight, but the birth of our spiritual lives. The birth of Christ.

It's not all hokey commercialism. (tho that's definitely out there)

There is something more to this.

Perhaps you can find some music which really touches you.

Give yourself some time. But try to see the real meaning of Christmas.

Yes, it's WONDERFUL fun.

But so much more, too.

Whatever you decide to do, save little momentos from the occasion. As a parent, you and your children will want to look back on these one day.

Merry Christmas!

musky

Iwasyoungonce,

"musky have you or do you have any family that does in fact do the normal holidays?"

No, I don't. Both of my parents don't. and also, my wife was raised a witness and no one on her side celebrates that I know of.

lv4fer

This year will be my kids first Christmas ages 18 and 14. I am really looking forward to it and so are they. The witnesses always say the kids don't miss it.....yeah right. They are so full of it! We are going to visit my sister and her family. She is so excited that were are coming to visit here and celebrate. I grew up with Christmas it was a wonderful time for the family to get together eat buy eachother gifts. I have nothing but fond memories of christmas. I became a witness right after I got married. My husband's mother is a witness and he stopped having christmas when he was arouond 12. Christmas for him is not good memories, his parents would fight because his mom would always spend too much money and his dad would scream and yell. so to him Christmas was more of a good riddance. My husband is having a little difficulty with celebrating although he is going along with it. I don't think it's bad to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Even if we don't know the day at the very least we can celebrate the fact that he was born and came to earth to die for us. I think it's worth celebrating. And I'm really looking forward to it. I just wish I would have done it 17 years ago.

Iwasyoungonce

musky,

I asked because if no one does anything as is then you can have a clean slate and do whatever you want. You could be ground zero for a new tradition. Ever see the Seinfeld about "Festasfus for the rest of us?"

Holidays are not all rosy all the time. There can be a lot of stress too, even dread. Some people feel so obligated to do what the "family" does that they hate holidays. My mother in law just died. My Dad never celebrates the holidays with us. He always did it with his wife, he liked to get the extra pay for working on holidays. (always did) Now she is gone. He will have to learn new ways to do things. And, that old dog does no new tricks. I am concerned for him.

I just received a new book from one of the religious teaching churches that I trust. The book is "How to have a Merry Christmas." One thing that I have learned from the book is this. This season find the spirit of Christmas. And all the Holidays. "Love wastefully."

This is a qoute from it. "When we sing Joy to the World, the Lord has come, may we be in that joy."

TR

Musky,

Celebrate! It's fun! You could start out my making a tradition of the kids giving to others less fortunate, so that they don't get too into the "what am I gonna get" mentality.

TR

musky

Thanks for all your comments!

lv4fer, I wish the best for you on your upcoming time with your family.

"his parents would fight because his mom would always spend too much money and his dad would scream and yell."

I can relate to that! that type of mentality runs in my family too. In fact , as much as I hate to admit it, some of that probably rubbed off on me too.

TR,

"they don't get too into the "what am I gonna get" mentality."

I sure hope my kids don't get that mentality. Thats something I thought of doing, but not with gifts. Probably have them spend some time volunteering when they get bigger in an elderly home, etc. So that they know it is important to care for others.

Iwasyoungonce

musky,

By the way in your pic...in your hand...Is that you having a discussion with um someone? Repellant? lolDoes it work?

musky

Iwasyoungonce, That is a pic of Bond......... James Bond. Dressed in a tux but ready to kill.

I really enjoy the bond movies. especially the newer ones. Looks like old Bond has been reduced to a salesman for repellant spray huh?

I wonder if I should consider a new pic? lol

TR

I sure hope my kids don't get that mentality. Thats something I thought of doing, but not with gifts. Probably have them spend some time volunteering when they get bigger in an elderly home, etc. So that they know it is important to care for others.

Excellent.

TR

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