Laura, I am fine with observing Independence day. It has absolutely nothing to do with paganism or religion. Birthdays are okay also, but I do wonder about the fact that the only birthdays that the scriptures mention is Job's sons;Pharoah ( Gen. 40.20; and Herod ( Matt 14.6 and Mark 6.21 ).

BTW, my beliefs have nothing at all to do with the JW's beliefs. Mine come from searching the scriptures for myself.

I have no problem with Memorial day, and with Thanksgiving ( only it ought to be everyday).

As for giving gifts, I have my own tradition of giving my Granddaughters gifts on Thanksgiving, because I am thankful that I have them.

Also, I was raised with the traditional Christmas beliefs, and sang and acted in school plays at Christmas. I did all of it when our son was small also, but we never played Santa Claus at our house. I do not remember an issue being made about Santa Claus. I certainly never took him to see "Santa Claus", and had no desire to have his picture taken on the 'jolly' man's lap.

Bob, the scriptures that immediately come to mind are the ones in the Old Testament where God told the Israelites to not go the way of the heathen when they went into their countries. Jeremiah 10.2 is one (I know...it goes on to speak of the making of Idols to worship). Ezekial 11.12 is another ( both it and the one in Jeremiah say "Gentiles" in the NKJV). The heathen are spoken against over and over in the Old Testament. The word is used very seldom in the New Testament, and the main thing the disciples were to teach the Gentiles was to " abstain from things poluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood." Acts 15.20 In verse 29 Paul adds " if you keep yourselves from these, you do well. "

I suspect I could be classed as a 'weak brethren'. It certainly does place a heavy burden on me because of my belief. It would be so much more fun to just put it all aside and go along with the world.