I understand JW's do not celebrate holidays but i was wondering is there any time i could buy a present for my friend as i see things in shops that she would love... Are you even allowed say Happy Birthday? i do not want to make her feel uncomfortable?
2007-04-01 02:46:29 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses recognize the pagan origins of most so-called "holy days", and recognize the clear biblical pattern against birthday celebrations. But Witnesses are certainly not superstitious; they acknowledge the existence of birthdays and are rarely (if ever) offended when someone wishes them a sincere 'happy birthday'.
Technically, a Jehovah's Witness could choose to accept a gift on any day of the year (including so-called holidays and birthdays), as long as he was comfortable that others would not misinterpret that acceptance as though it were actual participation in a pagan celebration. Nearly every detail of these matters is left to individual Christians and family heads to decide for themselves, according to personal conscience.
2007-04-04 04:52:04 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well I'm a Jehovah's Witness and I love to give presents and I love to receive them. I tend to buy presents for people when I see something in the shops I know they will like, then I give them sometimes straight away or save them up for when they might feel a little down and need some cheering up - such as when they might be not well.
Thank you for thinking of your friend and being so considerate of her feelings, that is a very nice way to act.
2007-04-01 03:26:17 · answer #2 · answered by north_lights20 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Anyday. Yes we do not celebrate various holidays, but we do still give/get gifts. If you know her Birthday is coming up then that might not be good timing::D but in general if you see something that you think she'd like go ahead. If she feels the gift/timing inappropriate then she can let you know. You can say/do most anything you want, that is your choice, while she knows your intentions are good, we do not celebrate birthdays(as she will probably tell you), our choice. Make it clear that her friendship means allot to you and that, as you know her beliefs mean allot to her, you would never want to offend her. Keep the communication lines open and things should be fine.
2007-04-01 03:17:26 · answer #3 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
JWs are spontaneous gift givers. They see something that someone may like, they buy it, wrap it, and give it. Not wait until some specific time, with perhaps the exception of a wedding anniversary, which they hold in high regard. I have a taxi cab passenger who says she can rely on non-witnesses for the major holiday buying, but on JWs for the rest of the year.
2007-04-01 08:17:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
U can buy a gift anytime during the yr, just tell it is a gift because u love her. She shouldn't be offended if u say happy birthday just know that she doesn't celebrate it.
My husband says happy birthday to relatives of mine who r witnesses and we buy them presents in July when we get our tax return and can afford to buy them nice things, (it makes it easier cause it saves us a bit of money over Christmas lol)
2007-04-01 03:42:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Buy something and give it to her when you feel like it. If it happens to be around a holiday or birthday, simply do not give it to her on that particular day. My Witness friends would do things like that for me. One day I came out of work and there were balloons and a huge gift in my car, just because they thought of me and knew the gift they gave me would be cherished. I used to say Happy Birthday to them and they never took offense, they just did not celebrate. Actually my one Witness friend even wished her daughter a Happy Birthday, just to remind her that she was special, but there was no celebration or gifts. I did give her daughter a gift, but it was after the fact and I never mentioned her birthday. I just told her that I found something she would love, and she did.
2007-04-01 04:53:17 · answer #6 · answered by ♥ terry g ♥ 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
hi Heather thank you very lots for asking. the respond whether is that no, we don't on the grounds which you spot, christmas and birthdays are notably lots entwined and the two are in step with pagan motives and so we shop properly faraway from the two. I remember earlier I grew to become a witness, i attempted to furnish a christmas card to a muslim pal and he or she stated it replaced into very sort, yet she did no longer have fun, so no thank you you and that i replaced into particularly placed out and lol would desire to no longer comprehend and definitely felt particularly sorry for her no longer with the flexibility to have fun christmas! as long as you supply this spontaneous present after, they'd settle for, whether it quite must be after! it quite is a gorgeous theory nevertheless and that i'm effective they'll delight in the sentiment.
2016-10-02 00:44:25 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can give her a present at anytime.
they accept presents they just don't celebrate gift giving holidays.
and you can wish her a happy birthday, shes just not going to have a party that's all.
2007-04-01 02:54:19 · answer #8 · answered by Bobby 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
If you like her buy her something, just tell her you just wanted to buy something speical for a special person for no other reason than she is special to you..It should work I think anyways..I know they don't celebrate special days, but that shouldn't stop you from being able to buy her something special just because..Good Luck..God Bless.
2007-04-01 03:00:51 · answer #9 · answered by sara 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Witnesses do not CELEBRATE birthdays.
However, they are not fanatical.
They do RECOGNIZE when its their birthday.
The best time to offer a gift to a JW is when there is absolutely no holiday.
It would be a "for-no-reason-at-all" gift.
Given simply because you want to give, not obliged by the calendar.
2007-04-01 02:53:16 · answer #10 · answered by Uncle Thesis 7 · 7⤊ 1⤋