I was just bemoaning to my husband yesterday about this “dead” week that really begins for me Christmas afternoon. My regulars aren’t online, I don’t feel any energy to write or create music. I can’t even revel in enjoying the time off because I’m no longer taking on technical writing projects and am now pursing my art (music and writing) fulltime, so my time is my own.

Sounds great, and it is most of the time, but not at Christmas. In fact, it’s all quite depressing. As one exJW said on Twitter, she didn’t grow up with these traditions so she doesn’t have that bonding with it. She tries to celebrate Christmas but there’s something lacking.

Exactly! For me, in my early years, my mother wasn’t that strict and so I sang Christmas songs in the school choir, ate goodies, and even had gifts, although not on Christmas – just somewhere near Christmas for deniability in case her mother stopped by. So that meant no tree, of course, or any decorations. My mother hid the presents in the hall closet until the big reveal. She was quite clever with her wrapping – some looked like elephants or other shapes. She really did love doing that. She would have loved having a real Christmas.

I admired the silver Christmas tree the neighbors across the street had and all of their Christmas cards strung on the wall behind it. Until it all came to an end when my mother decided to go all in with the JWs when I was 16.

As I grew older, I watched the movies or went to Las Vegas or Disneyland or somewhere festive over Christmas. That way I could enjoy it without “celebrating” it. Deniability.

But what JW doesn’t sneak a peek now and then? How can you help not see and enjoy some aspect of Christmas? Actually, I think it was all more fun back then, when I was sneaking a peek – lol!

So when I got Austin Keon’s email this morning called “How I’m Spending Dead Week,” well, that’s it! That’s the perfect name for this week. In fact, Austin credits Helen Fitzerland’s “All Hail Dead Week” post. Brilliant!

Looks like I’m not alone, whether you grew up celebrating Christmas or not.