[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: What's wrong with "Merry Christmas"?

[Sheryll Townsend]

--- marion11111 <marion11111 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Sheryl, I wonder if the family was Jehovah's
> Witness.  In my community, a number of 
> families are Jehovah's Witness and they do not
> celebrate any reigious or patriotic holidays 
> or personal birthdays.  In my experience, the
> parents make a point to teach their children 
> how to respond politely when facing a situation
> involving religious greetings, parties, 
> birthdays, the pledge of allegiance, etc.  I am
> always impressed by how calm and polite 
> the children are.  A co-worker who is a Jehovah's
> Witness said they start role-playing 
> these situations with the kids at an early age.  
> 
> This is one of the mian reasons we avoid too much
> holiday fuss at school.  While the kids 
> are always free to opt out of celebrations, it
> really isn't nice or fair to ask such little ones to
> 
> have to do something that makes them feel
> "different."  Some take part anyway and I can 
> only imagine how guilty they must feel inside.  I
> think we can all remember how guilty we 
> felt as kids when we did something that we'd been
> told was a "sin."  Honestly, I remember 
> thinking Jesus was writing down every time I lied or
> said a bad word!
> 
Sheryll:

The same thing occurred to me but I seem to recall
some discussion about the daughter's birthday at one
point. Of course I could be remembering that
incorrectly. 

One of my daughter's classmates in grade school was a
Jehovah's Witness. So as to not to have her totally
excluded from things we used have a birthday party for
my daughter and then a lunch that was really just a
lunch. A couple kids would come over and just eat
together and play. No cake, no presents, just a nice
gathering of friends. That way her friend could
participate as well. 

Sheryll

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