BlogHer - Santa Claus is a Black man… um, well… - Comments

You're ever so welcome....

alyssaroyse — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:43:55 -0600

Santa may not be black, but Cupid is a cute black girl. (True confessions, she's a good friend of mine.....)

I 'fessed up a few days ago that I actually created TinkerTank with / for my daughter as a way to play with the holiday archetypes and use the characters to play with some deeply held societal expectations in a way that was fun ad informative but gently pushed a few boundaries.

And yes, I was tired of Hallmark and Disney feeding us "junk."

And yes, as an anthropologist by training and a writer by profession, I though it was time to look at these celebrations for what they are - agreed upon rituals that borrow from many cultures and will continue to evolve as we do.

Let's hope we do in fact evolve, to the point that our "heroes" can be any color, any sexual orientation and still focus on the core values that unite us. Oh, and be fun!

I'm glad you like it! I'm thinking that TinkerTank is going to be hiring Mother Nature and the Sandman next..... I plan on having a LOT of fun with this. And keeping it's soul pure.

Happy Holidays to all!

- Alyssa (aka Cat.)
___________
Alyssa Royse
JUST CAUSE
make some good news!
www.JustCauseIt.com

awsome

Raquita — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:41:38 -0600

that link is awesome!!

thank you for it!

be peaceful, be poetry
http://blaquepen.com/wobl

I Just Blogged about this...

alyssaroyse — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:47:58 -0600

Kind of.... my own frustration about the "Hallmarkness" of the Holidays. Duly ameliorated by the site www.TinkerTank.org Though Santa is still a white guy, they've really played with the archetypes. You should totally read all of the "Executive Bios" for Santa, Tooth Fairy, Cupid etc.....

to your point, however, there is a great "Brief History of Christmas" that explains the historical evolution of the Santa character and Christmas in general (hint, it's not Jesus' birthday....).

A Brief History of Christmas

Many cultures around the world have held large, ritualized celebrations in the middle of winter, partly, one presumes, because when it is cold and dark, a little celebration can pick up your spirits just enough to make it to spring. The winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, has traditionally been a cause for celebration as it meant that the darkest part of the year was over and days start getting longer – and brighter.

Another reason that celebrations were common at this time of year was that there was less “farming” and agricultural work to be done, so people had more time. Additionally, as the primary harvest of plants and slaughter of animals takes place in the autumn, winter meant that people had abundant food stores. Food coupled with time, and a need to seek comfort – that’s a perfect recipe for a celebration!

These celebrations pre-date the birth of Jesus, though as time marched on and cultures blended with each other, many of our largest holidays have become an amalgam of religious and cultural traditions. As such, our current traditions have their roots in a variety of cultures, but have become archetypal symbols of the holiday around the world.

www.tinkertank.org/HolidayChristmas/History.html

So, Santa's a white guy, but Cupid is a cute black girl: www.tinkertank.org/ExecutiveTeam/HumanResources-Cupid.html

www.TinkerTank.org

___________
Alyssa Royse
JUST CAUSE
make some good news!
www.JustCauseIt.com

I totally agree somemore

Raquita — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:23:51 -0600

I thought that too - what does it say about me that this is an issue at all. what does it say that I notice that I am the only black blogger tha the local blogger meetups. I'm still trying to figure that out I think, and I hope my kid still beleives at nine, my nephew just decided this year he doesn't beleive anymore - he's nine.
Brats dolls I thinkthey do just change the plastic not hte actual shape of hte dolls face soyou are right on that one too!
be peaceful, be poetry
http://blaquepen.com/wobl

Santa as a black man

Ehill11 — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:52:09 -0600

This is an interesting situation. I never really pushed Santa as black because he is everywhere (TV, malls, books). Therefore I think Santa being white is a given in our household. It is however, a commentary on our lives as black people that we bring race into every issue. I have the same "attractive doll" fear. One positive note is that the world is definately changing. Just look at the Bratz dolls--I can't tell what ethnicity they are.

One more note to hopefully make you feel better: At this point in my life, I am just holding onto the hope that my 9-year old believes in Santa at all.

Santa is Black...at my house

Lovebabz — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:54:23 -0600

What we have told our kids...I have 4, is that everyone has their own Santa. We say if we lived in China of course Santa would be Chinese, if we lived somewhere in Africa he would be African. Since we are African-American our Santa is African American. There are Santas for everybody. The Santa that we see on TV and sometimes at the Mall is just one type of Santa. They seem to like this explaination and have told it to people---I have heard them.

The trick is to get her to think of Santa as a feeling rather than an actual person. We started a tradition about 4 years of ago of collecting Black Santas. We search TJ Maxx and Marshalls and Homegoods, they always have a few to choose from. They are always so beautifully` dressed sometimes in kente cloth or animal print with the traditional red velvet outfit. We are up to four now and we are already talking about next year's hunt---they think we should get started earlier and now they want to add Black Angels to the collection.

It is our belief that all people are beautiful but we want to showcase our positive images at home and it seems to give them a stronger sense of pride when our friends Black, White and whatever else comes over during the holidays and gushes and fawns all over the collection. They are happy to recant when which was purchased and how we chose this one rather than another. Start a tradition--try shopping for Black Santas and see how it goes.

Happy Holidays!
Love,
Babz
www.lovebabz.blogspot.com

agree...

Raquita — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:54:09 -0600

She seems to be okay with Jesus being a person of color, we've done the whole globe thing so i guess it seems like a no brainer that Jesus was a man of color... And that has been my second response about the whole issue - that Christmas is really about Jesus and not about Santa at all really, but i don't want to kill the fun of it for her.

be peaceful, be poetry
http://blaquepen.com/wobl

What about God and Jesus?

Denise — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:31:58 -0600

I've talked to quite a few black and hispanic kids who felt the same way - no way Santa could be a black man but they're cool with God and/or Jesus being black or hispanic.

And I don't have a clue about what the answer might be, for you and your daughter.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Fast Times @ Homeschool High & Flamingo House Happenings

Santa Claus is a Black man… um, well…

Raquita — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:40:02 -0600

Okay so - yeah I hate TV, and I hate that I let my kid watch TV.Why you ask?

Cause TV has to be the reason she refuses to believe that Santa Claus is a black man. No number of songs , or pictures of her last year with a black Santa was able to convince her this weekend, after she gleefully told me that my nifty Black Santa ornaments were of “Your favorite Santa mommy, my favorite Santa is white.”

I think that the wack beard on that Santa in the picture last year didn’t help my cause either.

And the cool Santas on TV are all white - like the M&M commercial Santa - he’s got great beard (”They DO exist!!”) So its TV’s fault, cause everything that ever happened Santa related in her whole life has always been apparently about MY santa. not HER santa.

So why is it an issue that she thinks Santa is a white man, and why does that bother me, grate on my nerve when she says it like nails on a chalk board? I don’t know. Its not like I know a whole bunch of Black men who are willing to live in the North Pole, shoot, I can’t find too many black men willing to live through a Minnesota winter let alone live in the ARTIC. Maybe its because I believe in the power of images, and part of me wants to make sure that despite what society shows her - that she will know and believe that She is worthy of EVERYTHING, not despite of but because of all the things media and society in general try to belittle in people who don’t fit the mold. I don’t want my kid to be one of those little girls who picks out the white doll when asked to choose the more attractive doll. I think that is my biggest fear - that she will grow up to hate who she is. Which is drawing way more out of the whole Santa thing than is really necessary, I know this internets.

Then I think well technically, she’s right Santa Claus is German or Dutch folklore isn’t he? And what harm is there really in letting her believe the myth as is? Isn’t part of being and raising a non racist child, being able to let your child believe in what ever they believe in- myth wise of course.

My sister is like “Dude - who cares - you’re not THAT black power anyway. You not runnin around with medallions and stuff.” I lost my medallion in 1993, it was taken from my car. But that is besides the point.

Honestly I had decided to go with the whole Santa is a CIA operative who doesn’t actually give gifts he just reports on the goodness of kids all year to parents so they can shop for your Christmas presents. The whole gift thing is just a cover in case you see him, the cookies we leave him are still a bribe.

Feed back on this one is certainly welcome. Please internets, give me some feedback here or on my blog http://blaquepen.com/wobl.