
Tennis superstar Serena Williams has opened up about why she won’t be celebrating her daughter’s first birthday this weekend.
Alexis Olympia turns one this Saturday, but her mum says it won’t be marked with a large celebration by Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Speaking at a press conference at the US Open, the 36-year-old explained the parents had their reasons.
“Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays,” Williams said. “We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that.”
The American website for Jehovah’s Witnesses explains the reasoning:
“Birthday celebrations have pagan roots,” the site says, and the Bible condemns paganism.
“Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid celebrating birthdays, it does help us to reason on key features of these events and understand God’s view of them,” the organisation explains.
One glance at the parents’ social media accounts will show that Alexis is obviously celebrated daily by her parents in other ways. The proud parents have shared countless photos of the very cute baby, clearly demonstrating the joy she’s brought into their lives.
Williams has also used the time since she’s become a mum to speak openly about its challenges and her personal struggles with being a working parent.