fathers day gift ideas

[threeangels]

Hi all. I was hopeing that some of you might be able to suggest some homemade gifts my kids ages 12,9 and 19mos can make for fathers day this year. We are kind of limited on funds this year so i thought I would do the homemade idea instead. Im not really too creative with ideas. Thanks.

Fionn

You heard right. JW's have traditionally refused blood transfusions as the blood could not be guaranteed to be from another JW.

One family I know used to have a seperate set of cutlery and plates for the only non-JW member which they had to use and they had to sleep apart from the rest of them.

The explaination I was given when I asked about it was that if god decided to gather them to him then the sheep were seperated from the goats.

I assume that this means that they don't want any non-JW's in heaven, or at least their part.

Personally I cannot understand this sort of religious nonsense and still wonder to this day why anyone believes in any of the organised religions.

SofiaAmes

What is the point behind xmas if not as a religious celebration?

This is what I have had a number of dicussions with people about over the years and so far I have won a number of people over to seeing it as the over commercialised drain on money, time and friendship that it has become.

If it actually meant anything to me then I'm sure I'd be happy to celebrate it, but as all it has ever meant to me is money spent on presents people usually don't want (including ones that were sent to me), stress and strain on relationships both within the family and without (I saw what it did in my family and we were one of the better ones I knew about) and the use of it as an excuse to consume way too much alcohol.

And don't even get me started on shops getting the Xmas stuff in stock by September.

Agree regarding the commercialisation Simon, pressure to buy etc. However I'd not abolish Christmas altogether. Didn't there always used to be some sort of celebration around this time of the year (pagean?) because of the shortest day. A lot of the decorations are bright and coloured to cheer people up during the dark days.

On a more positive note there is a lot of good done at Christmas time with charities, people visiting the aged, families making an effort to get in touch and so on. Perhaps you may argue that this should be the case all year round but it doesn't work like that and it can be nice to have a focal point to concentrate on.

Also Christmas and other celebrations such as Father's Day is as much about giving as well as receiving (as someone reminded me on another thread (we were thinking of issuing a 'no presents' policy for our son's birthday party).

I am sure you get pleasure when you are receiving a gift (even though you don't want it) that you know the person giving it has made an effort to buy/make the item and likes to see the reaction on your face when you open it - particularly if it is a surprise present or something you've always wanted.

You say "If it actually meant anything to me then I'm sure I'd be happy to celebrate it" - but the point is that OTHERS are happy to celebrate it and you participate because others enjoy it. Sorry but it sounds rather egocentric to say that X is only right because 'I' like/enjoy/agree with it. At least that is how this comes across. Don't you get pleasure from seeing others enjoy things?

Star

To be honest I stopped enjoying xmas when I was about 7 and birthdays about the same time.

I don't think I'm sad but I do admit to being a miserable git when it comes to big celebrations like xmas. I just don't like them and find everyone going around and doing the family get togethers one of the biggest wastes of time going.

I can't blame it on a bad childhood or a bad experience, I just don't find them at all fun to do.

SimonHoward, I agree Christmas today has become so materialized. People have put the emphasis on the wrong meaning of Christmas. Jesus Christ. If it werent for his birth there would be no Christmas at all. Im not refering to presents and good times. My family and I do enjoy Christmas very much but I have always taught my children the real meaning of the special day. I do give some presents but we dont make a big issue of it. I teach them more about the religous side of it. Like going to church or giving to others in need. This is where the emphasis should be placed. Its ok to enjoy the day but for those who believe in Jesus christ we should celebrate for him. Holidays can be very materialized but they dont need to be in your own home. I dont go way out on any. We have small birthday parties for my kids. Family only. I really enjoy Fathers day. My children and i enjoy showing my husband how much we appreciate his hard work in providing the things we need and have in our family. On mothers day nothing makes me more happy to know my family recognises all the loving things i do for them. Its all a matter of showing thankfullness.Even if you dont like holidays you still should show you care for your loved ones sake. I would say be happy and make the best of it for your wife and children. Holidays are very commercialised in this day and age but its us a person who decides how we want to view them in our own homes.

SimonHoward and Fionn I have had alot of contact with JW's in my life and am afraid I have to disagree with your understanding of their reasons for refusing blood transfusions. Perhaps you should look at their official website www.watchtower.org. As for not letting non-JWs eat off of their knifes and forks if this is true they must be crack-pots (I assume they exist in all walks of life JWs included) as this is certainly not the case with any JWs I know.

Eulalia

I don't think others should stop enjoying themselves at xmas or at other times but from personal experience I haven't found them to be that much fun.

I started to write a long explanaition as to why I don't like them but it sounded too whiney so I chopped it out. If some one can show me that these celebrations can be a good thing then I may change, but it hasn't happened yet.

Now you mention the midwinter solstice, now that I would find a reason to celebrate as the days would be getting longer. I have tried getting people to celebrate that but just got looked at as if I was a weirdo so I stopped.

Demented

Your description of the people being crackpots isn't far wrong. They were the weirdest JW's I have ever met.

Simon Howard i take it you are not a spiritual person in life? Christmas and Easter are my most recognised holidays of the year.

Rhubarb, if you want to permanently discourage the JWs from knocking on your door, tell them you are Catholic/Christian/Muslim - they will run like the wind and will never bother you again. If you have ever wondered why they are so zealous in their witnessing, it is purely personal gain - they are working hard to earn their own salvation.

Jodee, My family are christians and Ive had many JWs comt to my door and practically bust through my door after telling them im christian and my beleifs. They are very determed. This is just my own exp with them. They can be so pushy with there beleifs. Allthough I do witness to others i never push my beleifs on others. If they do not want to listen I respect them.

SimonHoward, hopefully your children will show you what great fun Christmas can be and might put a smile back on your face at that time of year.

As far as them thinking they can work for their salvation theres no such thing. This is the biggest problem. Everyone thinks working for salvation gets you to heaven. This is a free gift from god for those who except jesus Christ. Everyone is reading and studying all these different made bibles now a days no wonder people beleive so many different things. Im talking bibles being made by all these money makers. Its so sad.

threeangels, perhaps I should have added in my posting that as a Christian I don't agree with the JWs idea of salvation either. I don't think having different versions of the bible is all bad; I know I would struggle with the language in the King James version, but the main thing is whether they are true to the original Hebrew and Greek.

star- rofl

I think you missed my point Simon. I know you don't enjoy celebrating yourself but I was asking if you got pleasure from seeing others enjoy themselves at these occasions - vicariously I suppose. I mean people you are close to of course, your family and close friends.

I am surprised about the aspect of the winter solstice and that is a shame. I mean we only really celebrated Christmas properly since Victorian times, before then there must have been celebrations for thousands of years. However if you look around I am sure you will find examples - we have a fireball ceremony near us at New Year going back who knows how long. Also Shetland holds a huge festival in January related to the solistice and celebrating their Norse heritage. Are there any English equivilants (I am assuming you are English?)

Star's comment got me thinking - have you ever gone to a fancy dress party, does that kind of thing appeal? What about pantomime's? What is your idea of a good time anyway?

ThreeAngels

I was brought up in the Church of England but at 14 decided that as far as I could see religion was a complete waste of time and was not for me and dropped the whole thing.

Enid

If that happens then I will be very happy.

Star

I'm not that unsociable, I'm a lot better than I used to be, but I don't socialse very much even now and for many years not at all.

Star

Sorry, should have mentioned that I have 2 brothers that seemed to have inherited all of my party animal genes and I got most of their responsibility ones.

Eulalia

Yes I am British (can't claim to be English though after that problem on the other thread, that and the fact I wasn't born here even though my parents were) and I would love to find something local to celebrate the Equinox but unless it involves lots of money nowhere near to where I live that I know of will hold events like that.

Do I enjoy others having a good time? I don't dislike them having a good time but I think part of it is the fact that my good time and theirs tend to differ quite a lot. Theirs tend to involve getting drunk a lot and mine doesn't which tends to put a bit of a downer on things for one side or the other.

As for being close to family and friends, to be honest not really. I don't dislike most of my relatives but I would not have had most of them as friends if they weren't related. And I don't really have that many if any really close friends except DW, and now DD (even if she does drool a lot).

Pantomimes, now there is a typically British thing that I can't stand.

Fancy dress parties, don't mind them but the last one I went to was about 15 years ago so I can't say if I like them still.

As for my idea of a good time, peace, quiet, a good book or six and some snack food to keep me going (and before anyone asks I've been like that for about 20 years).

Simon, I am so sorry that you feel that way about xmas and family gatherings and feel the need to "convert" others to your way of thinking. I have fond memories of christmas and all the family gatherings we had as children and still have as adults. I have never seen anyone in my family drunk or consume even remotely what could be construed as too much alcohol. We have always just enjoyed seeing each other and sharing our lives at holiday time. Christmas to me is not a religious holiday, but a time to stop and think about making others happy. This doesn't mean that I feel a need to join the shopping parade. My family and I haven't exchanged presents since I was a child. However, I do buy something for my husband, mil and stepchildren as it is important to THEM to receive something. Now that you have a child simon, it might be time to start thinking about how to make xmas the lovely celebration it could be for your child rather than the miserable one that you obviously experienced yourself.
and by the way, I don't think one needs to be religious to be spiritual, but maybe that one needs another thread....

Jodee, I dont know what bible you do use but I go to a church and use nothing but the King James version. The biggest bible right now that we strongly oppose along with all others is the NIV. If you have ever sat down and compared the two you would be shocked of how different they really are in so many verses. They dont just change a couple simple words to understand but they change entire verses or they just leave them out all together. Being in a new testament fundemental baptist church Ive learned so much about the bibles of today. In the bible (king James) God says in the end that noone is to change, add or take away from the original translation. The true inspired words from God. So many people beleive in changing with the times but the thing is God does not change anyhhting. I feel so sad the way christians today are changing with the times just because its easier with the way things are in the world. I think ones who are christians and are serving the Lord should stand up for the lord and say im not gonna follow the world and listen to this so called christian rock or gospel, read other bibles because its easier. People like us are just changing everything to fit in the world. This is not to me of the Lord but a way of having the lord and the world at the same time. The lord says we cant have both. Hope you dont think im personally refering to you because im really not i just get frustrated with todays world and trying to raise my kids in it. When people tell me the niv is easier to understand i always say to them that the people many years ago were not any smarter then we are today. I have a link with topic called Is The Niv the Word of God? It list so many of the King James verses in comparison to the NIV its enough to make you think. I use this bible because its used so much today in churches..