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Jehovah's Witness and Apostates

A group of activist former Witnesses, called "apostates" in sociological terms, maintain a presence on the Internet and in the news media and are bitterly critical of various aspects of Witness belief or practice. For instance, some have found fault with the Watch Tower Society's position on the use of blood, its policies on congregation discipline and other doctrinal stands. Much negative attention is paid to the religion's history on some web sites, criticizing past leaders and the historical path of Jehovah's Witness theology
http://www.knocking.org/Jehovahs_Witness_History.html

Christmas, Birthdays, and Other Holiday Celebrations

Jehovah's Witnesses are not against parties, music, dancing and drinking of alcohol, as long as they are done in moderation. Their main objection toward holiday celebrations is the non-biblical origin of traditions and rituals associated with them. Many holidays were incorporated into Christian practice by the Roman emperor Constantine as a political gesture. The Witnesses explain the origins of religious holidays as follows:

Birthdays

In the Bible neither Jews nor Christians celebrated their own birthdays or those of important people, such as patriarchs and prophets. Only two birthday celebrations are recorded in Scripture, both by pagan rulers who committed murder during the festivities. (On King Herod's birthday, he had John the Baptizer beheaded). The ancients marked birthdays of their gods and believed that individuals born on those days would receive special protection from the gods. Cakes with candles and birthday wishes mirror these superstitious practices.
http://www.knocking.org/Jehovahs_Witness_Beliefs.html