Weird Christmas Visitor

[thrillme]

I'm just venting a bit...

It was Christmas day morning and I'm getting ready to head out for the usual family tour and then there's a knock on the door.

Two middle-aged ladies stood there asking if I spoke Spanish. I told them "sorry no" then they asked if anyone else spoke spanish in the house and again...I told them "no". Then they proceeded to tell me that all of their "services" are in spanish with very little English so they don't have anything that I would be interested in (uhhh....Ok:confused:). But they told me I could read this little flyer they had that was printed in English. As one dug through her sack for the flyer the other asked if I knew anybody near that spoke spanish. I directed them to the one neighbor I knew of that did (I'm a little annoyed with the neighbor right now because of some "hard" parties the "boys" been having lately :thedolls:) .

What really annoyed me was after they handed me their flyer I thanked them and wished them a "Merry Christmas" and they scoffed and walked off. The more I think about it the more annoyed I get :mad: thinking how RUDE to come to a person's door on Christmas day trying to "sell" your church and then not even wish them a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays...NOTHING. I even said it 2 or 3 times thinking "maybe" they didn't hear me. But they turned and scoffed. I don't know what church they were with but I almost want to call their priest or preacher...whatever and let him/her know that if their people are going to come around on Christmas day they should at least be polite enough to wish everybody a Merry Christmas or something. If they said Happy Holidays, Happy Hannakua, Happy Kuanza...whatever would have been just fine.

[cajunprincess]

I think I would have been annoyed as well! I must say, though, that if these people were Jehova's Witness people, they do not celebrate christmas. That could have been a good reason why they didn't wish you any holiday greetings. I think a call to their pastor/preacher would be perfectly in order. Even if they choose not to celebrate, and we respect that, then they should be willing to do the same. Bah....humbug!

[RenDuran]

I just read an interesting article on people that don't celebrate Christmas....Jehovah's Witnesses aren't the only group that shun the holiday.

Interesting experience, thrillme!

[PirateLover]

I would definitely contact someone. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas it is definitely rude to knock on people's doors on a holy day of any kind and not at least wish them a simple "good day" back. I probably would've said something to the women right then and there, actually. How rude.

[merlinmagic4]

I'm going to go a bit further and say it is rude to knock on people's door on any day to preach your religious beliefs. First of all, I don't go knocking on people's doors pushing my beliefs and second of all, it's not really safe for them to go door to door either. It would be a tragedy if they knocked on the wrong door, were invited in, and you can guess the rest. I don't know why any church would allow this practice.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I can't even tell you how irritated it makes me that people go door to door pushing their religion, never mind doing it on a holiday. Even if they don't celebrate, there should be some days that are off limits.
And I wouldn't even open the door to them. I'd make them talk through the door. That way you can just walk away. But then again, I'm not very trusting so I don't open the door if I don't know the person.

[conorsmom2000]

I never realized how often they came until I started working at home. I now literally peek out the curtains during the day to see who's at my door (because I'm not good at saying "no thank you" :blush: ). Honestly, I find any soliciting at my door to be rude and it makes me extremely uncomfortable. But on Christmas day? I can only imagine how upset my DH would have been with that!

[RedheadWriter]

I find this story interesting, among other things. I can't beleive anyone would go door to door on Christmas! Of course, when I was in mAry Kay they told us to use the holidays to sell to family and friends (how tacky!), but that is another story..... I handle things a bit differently when they arrive on my doorstep. I am Pagan and while I DO like to see how many of the beliefs are all the same, I find that most of the time people who prostelityze generally don't. When they come to the door I tell them, big grin plastered on my face "I would love to talk about your beliefs as long as you will listen to mine!" This efffectively ends the discussion, they turn and leave and I feel that I did all I could to have an interresting dialog while being hospitable.

[crazypoohbear]

I don't think that contacting the pastor/priest/minister would do a bit of good. These types of people are encouraged to do this.
My concern is that perhaps they were NOT looking to convert you but looking for empty homes in which to break into.

[Jenemmy]

I find this story interesting, among other things. I can't beleive anyone would go door to door on Christmas! Of course, when I was in mAry Kay they told us to use the holidays to sell to family and friends (how tacky!), but that is another story..... I handle things a bit differently when they arrive on my doorstep. I am Pagan and while I DO like to see how many of the beliefs are all the same, I find that most of the time people who prostelityze generally don't. When they come to the door I tell them, big grin plastered on my face "I would love to talk about your beliefs as long as you will listen to mine!" This efffectively ends the discussion, they turn and leave and I feel that I did all I could to have an interresting dialog while being hospitable.

I do the same thing, except I am an evangelical Christian. I have no problem chatting with Jehovah's or Mormons or whoever comes to my door. I'm firm enough in my beliefs that I don't feel at all defensive and actually tend to find the dialogue interesting. I rather enjoy religious discussions and trying to understand where people are coming from. But, you are right -- most people who want to come to the door just want you to shut up and listen!

The women who came to the OP's door were so obviously out of line. Sorry they had to put a damper on your celebrations!

[pink]

I can't believe they did that on Christmas! I would have been so angry, you handled the situation well.
We've also had situation lately where a man rang our door bell at seven o'clock at night asking for us to give him money- not for a cause or anything just for himself. Not to mention this man was nicely dressed and put together. I thought he had some nerve doing that. :mickey:

[WDWFanatic]

My concern is that perhaps they were NOT looking to convert you but looking for empty homes in which to break into.



ditto: That was my thought also.

[dolphinmickey9170]

Sorry, but I wouldn't have even answered the door.:thedolls:

[thrillme]

I'm glad to know I wasn't so off base in thinking this was "strange".

I really don't think they were looking to "break in" but then I'm probably "stereo typing" a bit. I know I shouldn't be so "trusting" but I guess I'm guilty of being a sucker sometimes. One lady was in her late 40's or early 50's the other might have been in her 70's. I really thought they might have been "lost" or something. They sort of fit the picture of somebody's Aunt Maria and Grandma looking for a house.

I've had people of various religions come by the door before and they usually just want to "advertise" a "new" church in the area, but NEVER on Christmas day...

I do think ya'll are right...I "think" they might have been Wittness (the pamphlet I looked through trying to find out what chuch it was...had some statements alluding to it...but it was very "generic" no specific church). I have no problem with people worshiping however they feel is "right" for them as long as it doesn't "hurt" others. But shame on them for doing this on Christmas. I do wish I caught what church they belonged too but I was ratherly "dismissed" when they found out I didn't speak Spanish.

[crazypoohbear]

Was the pamplet called the watch tower??
That is one we get up here on occassion.

[thrillme]

Was the pamplet called the watch tower??
That is one we get up here on occassion.

It was something about "Do you know your Movies" or something like that.

I'm really not sure...it's possible it could have been.

[NYC WDW Fan]

That's what you get for not wishing them a Feliz Navidad! :thedolls:

Sorry . . . not the positive way I wanted to start the New Year. :bang:

[Tygger7]

To echo the comment that they may have been "scoping". I encourage you, and everyone, to be EXTREMELY careful about opening your door to strangers, no matter how they look. My father was a police officer for 25 years, and a common "scam" was for one or two women to knock on a door asking for help/to use the phone/etc., while a male counterpart hid just out of sight. The minute the door opened and the women began speaking, the man would jump out and force entry into the house. Just because someone doesn't "look" dangerous, doesn't mean they aren't, or there aren't others you can't see. Please be careful everyone...these are crazy times we live in.

[Janmac]

Has anyone ever had a Jehovah's Witness, or similar, come to their door and NOT had their flyer/pamphlet ready in their hands? We've not. Having to dig for a flyer seems suspicious to me.

The last time we had any like that around here, the two women were going on about how we live in dangerous times. When I said I thought they were probably as safe as ever in history (thinking of how travelers in the Middle Ages had to go in convoys, as defense against robbers), they got quite miffed. Never had any more come to the door and that was over a dozen years ago.

These two women were very well dressed, which is what I understand they are to do, but out here in the country it's a big off putting. The best "visit" I ever had was one hot summer day when I was mowing, and a sensibly (not over) dressed older woman approached me, with a pamplet in hand, and said, "I can see you're busy, so I won't take up any more of your time". That was impressive.

These two "Spanish" ladies the OP was talking about sure seem suspicious to me.

Jan

[mjaclyn]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the women who came to your door. The way it sounds, I seriously doubt they were Jehovah's Witnesses. I agree with the previous poster that they will almost always have their magazines in hand when they come to your door. IMHO the best thing you can do if a Jehovah's Witness does come to your door is simply listen to what they have to say or ask them why they come to your door so often. If you don't want them to return, just say so. Being politely honest with anyone who comes to your door (should you choose to answer it) is the best thing.

On a side note - doesn't 'soliciting' imply selling something? I think there is a difference between someone who comes to your door selling something and someone who doesn't. Jehovah's Witnesses don't actually sell anything so I'm not sure they would be viewed as soilcitors.

[Figgyluv03]

My dog freaks out so much that I don't even give them a benefit of the doubt. I just tell them that I can't talk because of her barking and freaking and then shut my door. I just found out that when my grandmom was younger she was in a really bad car addicent and had injury to her brain, well, the Jehovah Witness came knocked on the door while she was recovering and pretty much convinced my grandmom that this was the way of life. Not that I don't love my grandmom, but I feel that I missed a lot of grandmother, grandchild time with my grandmom around the holidays. If you are really that desperate for people to join your church, than you should go about it another way.

[NotaGeek]

I look through the peep hole. Jehovah's Witness? Mormon? Anyone that's not a Fedex, UPS or Mail Man? I just don't answer the door -- I don't consider walking to the door when to the door bell dings an "inconvenience" ... I mean, the door bell is there to announce someone that may want to chat or make a delivery. AND ... I have no problem just ignoring the door bell in most cases.

Of course it has happened that people have been persistent in trying to make me open the door. Let's just say, I have no problem explaining to them WHY I didn't answer the first time and why they need to leave very quickly. :)

[thrillme]

Has anyone ever had a Jehovah's Witness, or similar, come to their door and NOT had their flyer/pamphlet ready in their hands? We've not. Having to dig for a flyer seems suspicious to me.

Jan

Oh they DID have plenty of pamphlets in their hands ready to give out...they were just in "Spanish". They just weren't prepared for someone English speaking.

But there'd be NO WAY I'd ever invite them in. I have run across kids and young adults (because we're right across from a neighborhood park) who have needed to borrow a phone...this was more common several years ago before cell phones became so heavily used...but I'd always lock the door and take the phone to them. If anybody comes in the evening or at a time when there's not a lot of people buzzing around outside...I won't even open the door if I'm alone. I agree it's important to use caution.