First Christmas

by yxl1 33 Replies latest jw experiences

  • yxl1
    yxl1

    When we first left the dubs, we celebrated X-mas pretty much straight away, but had no decorations or tree, and only gave gifts to each other. For some reason it just seemed wrong to put up decorations and we continued to celebrate this way for about 5 years. We decided to put up decorations when it was my daughters 1 st X-mas, and have never looked back. Now Christmas is a huge event in our house (to the annoyance of my in-laws who refuse to visit if we have any decorations up). Is this a record? Can anyone beat 5 years, or were we the only pathetic x-dubs out there?

  • Dimples
    Dimples

    It was easy for me to jump right back into the christmas thing becuase I became a jw as an adult. I always hated when christmas time came along because I was so used to celebrating, that it felt odd for me not to. I disassociated myself in mid December of 1999. It was to late to celebrate then but my tree and all my decorations were up for christmas 2000. That was our first christmas as a family and my kids had a blast. My daugther then 14 and my son 6. Every year we can't wait for christmas.

    Dimples

  • CyrusThePersian
    CyrusThePersian

    Hi!

    I think I've got you beat. I've been out for seven years and I still don't celebrate Christmas. My kids are still witnesses though, so I don't have much reason to. All I do to celebrate is kick back in my easy chair, sip a cognac and watch my favourite holiday movies (A Christmas Story, Holiday Inn, White Christmas, etc.) and just enjoy the day off from work.

    Cyrus The Persian

  • calamityjane
    calamityjane

    The first year after we left we celebrated Christmas by decorating my umbrella tree plant with mini clear christmas lights, just so as not to bring attention to ourselves, as at that time I didn't want to upset my family.

    But I believe the 2nd year that we were out, it was 2 days before Christmas. XJW called me from work and said that there was a sale on artificial Christmas Trees and asked whether I was interested, in looking, (we had no Christmas Decorations at this point, except for that string of mini christmas lights) I jumped at the fact, told him to get home and lets go shopping. By the time we had finished shopping (there were awesome sales at this point 70% off). So we bought this big honking seven foot christmas tree, regularly $500.00, got it for $100.00, plus tons of ornaments and lights. By the time we got home the little ones were in bed. I got our oldest up to show her the loot we came back with so that same night we spent the next couple of hours putting together the tree and decorating it. It was quite the sight, and the kids woke up Saturday morning to their first christmas.

    The looks on their face were priceless.

    We've never looked back, now I don't care who sees the decorated Christmas Tree, there is no mistaking it in our front window.

    We are definitely the second place to the Clark Griswald's Christmas Vacation.

    cj

  • Dansk
    Dansk

    yxl1,

    What a timely post. This Christmas will be the first my boys will ever have celebrated - and the first for Claire and I for 19 years. December is going to be a busy month. 2 December is our silver wedding anniversary; 18 December is my 50th birthday and 25th is where we sit round the tele and watch Scrooge while eating our mince pies.

    We're not holding back, either, and I hope to have a large tree with lights in the window. Could be my disfellowshipping year !

    Ho-Ho-Ho

    Dansk

  • caspian
    caspian

    Wow I have not even thought about Christmas, it just seems so alien even now.

    Cas, Undecided.

  • Special K
    Special K

    My first Christmas.. I was still a bit nervous.. and it still didn't feel right.

    But I did not want to deny my kids who were 5 and 3 at the time..

    so Me and the kids made a tree out of rolled up newspaper. it was cool and they loved making them.

    You know you roll up lots of newspaper diagonally and them cut down strips from the top and pull up fromt the top and voila .. instant tree.

    The we got coloured craft paper and cut out circles red and green and blue and pasted on them

    .. My husband was still attending the meetings at the time.. so I thought this was a compromise for all of us.. for him, for me and for the kids too.

    sincerely

    special k

  • iiz2cool
    iiz2cool

    This will be my first Christmas since leaving the borg, so I'm not sure what I'll do. No one to celebrate it with anyways.

    I'll probably just eat microwavable meat pies, MaCain frozen cake, and drink beer. First I'll have to buy myself a microwave as an xmas gift.

    Walter

    Ontario District Overbeer

  • Nosferatu
    Nosferatu

    I'm slowly getting used to the idea of Christmas. I remember a couple of them when I was a kid (before JWs entered my life), but Christmas as an adult is much different. Not as much excitement. I first celebrated it when I was still studying. I did it all secretly with my girlfriend when I was 18. My gift was a Led Zeppelin flag. I hung it on my bedroom wall. My study conductor was very uncomfortable with all 4 members of Zeppelin staring down at him :)
    That year I had also recieved my first Christmas ornament from my aunt - a gold plated Elvis decoration. I cherished it.

    The first year I actually had a tree up was when I was 21 and living with my ex. When I was 23, the bitch left and took all the Christmas stuff with her - including my first ornament. I haven't had a tree up since, and I don't really care if I do. That might change when I have children.

  • sidney
    sidney

    Hi, my first christmas was in 1999 we had only been out for a couple of months, we didn't have a tree, just some twigs with lights on, then the following year we went to my husbands parents who did EVERYTHING I was frightened to enjoy it. We now get a real tree which is so pretty and get pressents. But to be honest all I enjoy about it is the pretty lights, I don't enjoy the traditions eg Christmas Dinner I just enjoy a quiet time with my family. Sidney

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