My First Christmas

Hey everyone

I have decieded to celebrate my first christmas this year.  I was a born in JW and now aged 32 and having not been to a meeting in a year this is a big step for me.  I don't feel any guilt or worry ( just excitement) which I would of, if I had done this a few years ago. My wife has never been a JW and has went without christmas for 7 years, so she is delighted.  This has been the last hurdule for me to overcome and I am well looking forward to it.

So does anyone have any tips or advice on how to make a good christmas, Decorations e.c.t.   What makes a good Christmas?

Will be having my sister ( she was DF 10 years ago, and never looked back) over with her husband and kids. so they will be happily shocked I guess.

Excito

I had my first Christmas in 2003.  It was the first and last with my two girls.  They went to live with their Dad so that they could be witnesses.  My 19 year old is baptised and doesn't visit anymore.  My youngest just turned 17-so I have one year left with her.  I guess things are still a bit tough for me.

However, my favorite holiday is Christmas.  I have a small tree (my house is very small) that I put up and decorate.  I love to look at the lights at night.  What makes a good Christmas you ask?  LOVE.  Spend the time with those you LOVE and it will always be great.  Don't go overboard on gifts and get into debt-not worth it.  Remember--LOVE-that is what makes christmas.

I am getting my first Christmas tree in 42 years. I'm not sure how many lights I need, and although I have started collecting ornaments, I know I don't  have enough and will have to run out for more.  I stopped celebrating at age 15 when my mom converted to JWs.  My husband and I left 2 years ago.  I couldn't be more thrilled.  Not having Christmas was something I never stopped mourning.  I always had to distract myself with something (a trip away, etc.) so that I wouldn't get too depressed.   

In my opinion, a nice dinner with those you love on Xmas Eve, with the tree all pretty, is the best part, along with the music.  I love the old Christmas carols!

Enjoy!

Awww that's so awesome! This coming Dec will be my second, but my first with my fiance!

Shop together for ornaments for the tree, whether it is real or fake.  Start with each person picking out three. Then of course, you'll need the regular colored balls or other ornaments that you like. Just leave room so that each Christmas you can have at least one or two new ones.

You'll need music, and something for the door. We made our own wreath. We started with the a greenery wreath and hot-glued berries, mini gift packages, and pine cones to it. These were all items sold at the craft store. 

Enjoy! This is our third year, and my daughter, husband and I are looking forward to it very much! Oh, yes, we also have stockings hung on the mantal. Even the cats have a stocking each.

just enjoy it lol

Stick it to them, send then all, I nean JW a Xmas card.

So does anyone have any tips or advice on how to make a good christmas, Decorations e.c.t.   What makes a good Christmas?

I'm thinking of doing a paper christmas:  Paper chains, gingerbread people made from paper bags.  I think I need to channel Martha Stewart.

We do a Secret Santa, and a christmas card list every year...........

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. 

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.

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!!

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

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

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

Thanks for all those comments above. 

Excito

Thanks for all those comments above. 

Excito