The Reason Jehovah's Witnesses Don't Celebrate Birthdays

According to Jehovah's Witnesses' official site, they don't believe that their children are missing out on anything by not having birthdays. They choose to celebrate their children throughout the year rather than wait for a special occasion. There's even a Bible passage that supports giving gifts spontaneously. In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 11, the text speaks about "know how to give good gifts unto your children." 

Celebrity members of the faith have made headlines for supporting the birthday ban. In 2018, tennis legend Serena Williams shared with the press and on social media why there was no party for her daughter Alexis Olympia's first birthday (via People magazine). "Olympia doesn't celebrate birthdays," Williams said. "We're Jehovah's Witnesses, so we don't do that." And it's clear from her Instagram that Williams finds many ways to have fun with her daughter all the time.

Former Jehovah's Witnesses, such as actor Luke Evans, have expressed discomfort with the whole birthday issue, even after leaving the faith. He explained on the Table Manners podcast that he grew up in the religion until the age of 16 (via Metro). Evans had his "first birthday when I was 18 and I had so much guilt! Even though I hadn't been a Witness for over two years, I just thought this is weird and that this feels so strange."

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