Elle Seven
Superstar
This is what I asked my 5-year-old yesterday at the mall, as we were looking over the balcony and down into a display which included a group of decorated Christmas trees, faux snow, glitter and garland. There was also a big chair and, in it, sat the man we all know - Santa Claus.
Anyway, she stopped to look down, and her eyes stopped on him. I was curious if she knew who he was, so I just asked, "Do you know who that is?" She shook her head and said, "No."
It was a strange feeling. I grew up believing in Santa and already got excited around Christmas time (until the age of 9) from the very thought of seeing him and getting gifts on 12/25. Of course, as a young girl, I wasn't thinking about or even knew what White supremacy was or how it affected me as a Black person in this country. As an adult, I don't claim to be 'woke' or a hotep sister. I've just reflected enough to truly question the value in passing on a lot that was giving down to me as 'tradition'. Santa Claus during Christmas is one of those traditions. It is an internal struggle, I have to admit, because a big part of me feels like Black kids need to always know the truth about things because Black people are not the ones that benefit from the illusions which comprise life under WF.
While I'm not trying to shelter my kids from the world, I'm really not trying to outright lie to them either. Given the climate of life for Black folks in this country, it is just hard to tell my kids an old white man is going to give them presents for them behaving well. That being said, I quickly explained to her who Santa was or, rather, who some people think he is. She replied, "But you and daddy buy us gifts for Christmas." That is what she had been taught up until that moment.
I'm wondering for other brehs and brehettes here with kids, what do you tell your kids about Santa during this time of year? For the ones who don't have kids, what would you tell them about Santa if you had them? What were you guys told about Santa coming up? Do you think it 'spoils' the season for kids by not giving them something 'magical' to believe in this time of year?
Anyway, she stopped to look down, and her eyes stopped on him. I was curious if she knew who he was, so I just asked, "Do you know who that is?" She shook her head and said, "No."
It was a strange feeling. I grew up believing in Santa and already got excited around Christmas time (until the age of 9) from the very thought of seeing him and getting gifts on 12/25. Of course, as a young girl, I wasn't thinking about or even knew what White supremacy was or how it affected me as a Black person in this country. As an adult, I don't claim to be 'woke' or a hotep sister. I've just reflected enough to truly question the value in passing on a lot that was giving down to me as 'tradition'. Santa Claus during Christmas is one of those traditions. It is an internal struggle, I have to admit, because a big part of me feels like Black kids need to always know the truth about things because Black people are not the ones that benefit from the illusions which comprise life under WF.
While I'm not trying to shelter my kids from the world, I'm really not trying to outright lie to them either. Given the climate of life for Black folks in this country, it is just hard to tell my kids an old white man is going to give them presents for them behaving well. That being said, I quickly explained to her who Santa was or, rather, who some people think he is. She replied, "But you and daddy buy us gifts for Christmas." That is what she had been taught up until that moment.
I'm wondering for other brehs and brehettes here with kids, what do you tell your kids about Santa during this time of year? For the ones who don't have kids, what would you tell them about Santa if you had them? What were you guys told about Santa coming up? Do you think it 'spoils' the season for kids by not giving them something 'magical' to believe in this time of year?
