Jehovah's Witnesses. How do you avoid celebrating a holiday when your workplace is closed?

Question

Are you extra careful to NOT have a BBQ?
Is it a Spring cleaning day?
Do you just do more canvasing?
I am just very curious, *not* putting your beliefs down.

Answer 1

when the world celebrates xmas we might get together for a hay ride , a get together where everyone brings a dish , a bonfire, or a trip to Colorado as a large group to go skiing...some go on cruises while other go visit relatives and friends since they are off school and work for a long weekend.

in the spring and summer we look for every occasion to get together as a group..or with relatives...we play baseball , football, badminton..all the outdoor games..we play cards...we have swimming and skating parties where the whole congregation will show up. we take trips tubing and canoe trips down the rivers...the men may go on a deep water fishing trip...a motorcycle ride over the country...rock climbing ...hiking.. ...we have so much fun and good times we never miss your holidays..our children are constantly busy..My grandson is playing a video game right now while his uncle just rode off with a friend to go swimming and to grab a burger.

we don't have green antennas poking out of our heads...we are your neighbors and we can worship God and be balanced when it comes to work and family entertainment.

Answer 2

Each individual and family head among Jehovah's Witnesses decides for himself regarding details of what might constitute "celebrating" a pagan holy day.

For example, Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States do not celebrate May's "Memorial Day" because the holiday is intended to stir nationalism and glorify warfare. That is obvious at events which eulogize or 'wave the flag'.

By contrast, there may be nothing inherently nationalistic or militaristic about a backyard barbecue, unless signage and decorations at the barbecue specifically make that connection or the majority of onlookers perceive it that way.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm

Answer 3

A little more clarification might be nice, because I'm having a hard time understanding your question.

But, a holiday in which everyone is off from work is just like another day to us. Sometimes if extended family is off all on the same day, they may come over to visit, or sometimes they don't, it's no big deal.

But if we do get together with family and friends, its only because more than likely, they happen to have the same days off as everyone else, not to celebrate. We don't do the traditions and customs associated with whatever holiday it is. (No mistletoe, or easter egg hunt, or whatever.) Just get together and enjoy each other's company.

Answer 4

the elementary answer is they experience that cutting-part holiday journeys and something related to nationalism isn't Godly based. even although, i'm valuable your terrific buddy may be prepared to describe to you and answer the different questions you have! My buddy is a Jehovhah's Witness, and that i've got asked all of them categories of questions and that they on no account have been given too preachy (if that's what you're petrified of). there's a stable hazard they are going to savour you asking them questions extremely than based on the internet, the place you're probable going to get various opinionated solutions by skill of human beings who are not in the church.

Answer 5

I avoid celebrating Christmas by not putting up a tree or lights on the house and exchanging gifts.

I avoid celebrating Easter by not having an Easter Egg hunt.

I avoid celebrating the 4th of July by not going out and shooting off fireworks while singing the national anthem.

I avoid celebrating Halloween by not going trick or treating and not handing out candy to the kids who knock on my door.

I avoid celebrating those holidays by recognizing their origins and the nature of the actions that define the holiday itself. For instance, there is nothing wrong with exchanging gifts with my friends and family - but there is MUCH that is wrong with Christmas and birthday celebrations.

There is nothing wrong with a big turkey dinner with loved ones... but there IS a problem with celebrating a nationalistic celebration such as Thanksgiving.

There is nothing wrong with a picnic and fireworks - but the 4th of July gives honor to country that belongs only to God.

When my workplace is closed for a holiday that I do not observe I treat it just as any other day of the week that I happen to be off work.

Hope that helps!

Answer 6

Well, most of our work places are closed during Christmas for example. We do not celebrate christmas, we do not have a tree, we do not give gifts, we basically go on with our normal life, that specific day and not do anything associated with what that day celebrates. Because a workplace is closed, has nothing to do with what we do as individuals at home. Hope that helped.

Answer 7

Lol. We just make it like it was any other day. If we have errands to run, we'll take care of that. Or if we want to visit somebody, we'll take advantage of the day off and visit a family member or a friend that lives a few hours away. But just because we're given that day off and take it, doesn't mean that we are considering the holiday. Some still like to work on that, that's usually cause they have nothing to do, but that rarely happens.

Answer 8

Maybe you could do some community service, like working at a food bank or something along those lines. Canvasing might piss off those who are celebrating a holiday.

Answer 9

Other than the day of the week, what's the difference between a day off for a holiday and a day off for a weekend?

Answer 10

You don't have to take part in a celebration just because you don't work on a certain day. someone said that the angels celebrated Jesus's birth day, thats not so, they rejoiced over the fact that the one who would become the Christ (messiah) had been born