Tennis superstar Serena Williams revealed that she won’t be celebrating her daughter Olympia’s first birthday in September due to religious beliefs. ‘Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays,’ the 36-year-old tennis pro said.
Practicing Jehovah’s Witnesses do not observe holidays they believe to have a pagan origin—such as Christmas, Easter, and birthdays. According to an interview with Vogue in 2017, Serena hasn’t been an active participant in the faith until recently.
‘Being a Jehovah’s Witness is important to me, but I’ve never really practiced it and have been wanting to get into it,’ she said.
Serena has been a Jehovah’s Witness since her mother converted to the faith in the early 1980s. This won’t be easy to explain to her daughter as she gets older. I mean, what kid doesn’t love celebrating their B-Day.
Serena, the Jehovah’s witness: “We don’t celebrate birthdays.” So Olympia isn’t getting any gifts???
— The Live Revolution (@noelleharmony) August 28, 2018
so Serena William is a Jehovah witness…
— Olúwáseun Fásakin (@fasakin_seun) August 29, 2018
did y’all know that Serena williams is a jehovah’s witness
— braylon (@brxylon) August 29, 2018
https://twitter.com/Akin_III/status/1034710626675900416
Serena Williams is a Jehovah's Witness !!
this changes everything and explains a lot! pic.twitter.com/5101sstIh8
— Kelly (@nottobebelieved) August 29, 2018