Celebrated my first Halloween

As you know I recently started my fade while my husband has been doing it for years.  So it's still all new for me.  Well last weekend I decided we should celebrate halloween and bought tickets to this halloween cruise.  We dressed up and went.  I must admit at the beginning it felt a little weird.  As the night went on it got a little better.  I guess also we went by ourselves.  We didn't know anyone. 

We are planning to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Any suggestions on making these a little better.  Is it because it's all new to me? 

He made a comment on the cruise - he said "I feel so liberated but I know you don't".  Then he said you will soon understand.  I want to be in the same place he is.  I just don't know....I guess I'm still not there.  But I want to enjoy the holidays coming up.  What can I do?

First thing to do is LET GO of everything the Watchtower has beaten into your head and ENJOY the holidays.  Until you can remove the guilt and shame of celebrating because of years of indoctrination - your feels will be reserved.  God will not hate you because of celebrating holidays and repeat that over and over in your head until you accept it.  There is a scripture that confirms this:

Colossians 2:16

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Read Colossians chapter 2.  You are "allowed" to celebrate or not celebrate any holiday you want and not be outside God's will.  Give the celebration and the thanks to God and enjoy.

Also, laugh a little--read this: http://thefaithfulword.org/cookturkey.html   

Maybe instead of going gung-ho, you could start slowly.  I like to decorate my house with winter- themed items, since I'm still not really comfortable with Christmas.  I cut out snowflakes and hang then up, decorate with snowmen, penguins, and winter birds, and hang up holly type swags.  I also like the rustic style Christmas decorations- most of them have a more winterish feel to them.  I hang those from my swags, and around my kitchen, living room and dining room.

For Thanksgiving, maybe you could invite some non-JW friends or family over for dinner.  You can also decorate your house in a fall theme.  I love the colors for fall with the reds, oranges and yellows.  Maybe place some pumpkins or Indian corn with fake leaves.

You could also concentrate on enjoying time with your family.  Don't think about it as celebrating the holidays.  It's one of the few times of the year that many people have off of work, so you should take advantage of it.

Thank you sacolton.

That scripture was exactly the encouragement I needed.

Have fun Lorijis

Remember the real thing is Jesus Christ.  All the law and ordinance are but a shadow of Him that was to come. If we allow Him to reign supreme, He will give us guidance as to how to lead our lives concerning what to eat or drink or day to keep for Him.  Jesus fulfilled the Law and we are no longer under the Mosaic Law as to live by strict dietary and legalistic regulations.  

When i said those words its the guilt I was talking about.  Once you let that go, it will all come together...

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, do something for someone else, and it will make your holiday!

Sac quoted the scripture:

Colossians 2:16
Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Nice... I don't remember that one.  Can't imagine they publish that one often in the WT!

Welcome, Lori... and don't do anything you're not comfortable with.  Baby steps... the holidays are about joy, so make sure you feel good about it.  It will take some time... and then you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner!

First, I suggest starting with winter-themes if that makes you more comfortable.  Snowmen, snowflakes, the penguin, and the like are usually a good place to start (later, you might do the Santa, the cross, angels, and the religious or Christmas specific things as you become more comfortable).  You still exchange gifts, you still use wrapping paper--but, until you are comfortable, you use the winter themes rather than the Christmas specific themes.  Clear LED or warm-white LED lights add to the winter theme nicely.

On the other hand, you might just decide to jump in with both feet and go the whole nine yards.  I would then recommend a web site www.allthingschristmas.com for some ideas (you do not have to buy anything from them--just browse for ideas).  You can decide then whether you want a mostly winter theme, a mostly secular Christmas, or a mostly religious theme--or a combination of all of the above.

Another scripture I suggest reading in context (out of your own Bible, preferably not the Not Well Translated), is Luke chapter 2.  Focus on verses 10-14.  It appears that the angels were putting on quite a celebration of Jesus' birth--the first Noel, actually.  Do you know of any scriptures that show how those angels were made into demons like the ones that materialized before the Flood?  If not, then what's scripturally wrong with celebrating Christmas?  Nothing.

Thanksgiving is another matter.  Here is a day set aside for giving thanks for the "blessings" you received, and the witlesses have the nerve to ban it.  I see nothing wrong with that.  If you prefer a more secular theme, you might just use this day to enjoy to the full the fruitage of your labor.  Now, where in the Bible does it say that it is wrong to do that?