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African American BoysBlack BoysBlack ChildrenBlack MotherschildrenChristmasholidaysUncategorized

I Took My Black Son to See a White Santa, And People Were Mad

written by sheisterri December 29, 2016

It was finally the big day.  After weeks of adding items to the list on good days and threatening to tell him of all naughty behavior on bad ones, we were going to see Santa.  A look of total disbelief washed over my son’s face when I told him that we needed to get dressed because we had a date with Santa, and on a school day at that.  He ran over to his hamper, opened it to snatch the nearest pair of jeans (never mind that they were dirty), and clumsily climbed into them.  That’s exactly the reaction I was counting on.  Pure excitement that only a child could deliver.

As I bathed and dressed him, we rehearsed what he was going to tell Santa he wanted for Christmas.  I put him in a stylish grey sweater with black jeans and sneakers.  And despite it being no more than 45 degrees, I passed on putting a hat on him so that he would not have dreaded hat-hair.  He needed to be picture perfect.  On the way to the mall, my son’s excitement ruminated throughout our car.  And I felt like ‘Super-Mom’ for making the first of his dreams come true.   

We arrived at the mall and rode the escalator up to the floor Santa was on.  As we walked through the festively decorated make-up and shoe departments of Nordstrom, I spotted Santa ahead in all his glory.  He was seated on an oversized velvet green chair that could easily accommodate him plus five other children.  He was not at all like the robust big-bellied Santa whose lap I sat on and was too terrified to even look in the eye.  This one looked more inviting.  With his long white beard, glasses that sat atop his nose, and a buttoned tweed vest that he wore underneath his open red and white trimmed coat, he looked like someone’s grandfather, not the larger than life Santa.

As we advanced towards him, thoughts that I had been wrestling with for some time began to flood my head.  Was I wrong for perpetuating a belief in my son of someone who does not exist? And why would I forfeit the credit for all of my hard work throughout the year to a fictitious white man?  And is it right to memorialize, through pictures, the day when my black son sat alongside a white Santa and asked for gifts as if this stranger could or would actually bring them?

But it was when my son let go of my hand and took off running while yelling, ‘Santa!  I’m coming Santa!  I’m coming!’ that all of my worries dissipated.  This moment was not about race or politics.  It was a boy captivated by the magic of Christmas.  It is the same magic that my mother created for me.  Christmas is that special time of the year when children are brimming with anticipation and elation.  This was the first year that my three year-old son fully understood what Christmas was about.  And he wanted in on all of it.  The television commercials featuring Santa zipping around on his reindeer-led sleigh, the countless cartoon Christmas specials, and daily inquires from neighbors and strangers alike about what he wanted from Santa only magnified his desire to see him in the flesh.

And I chose to give him that experience.  He got to sit next to Santa.  They discussed his Christmas list.  There were candy canes and giggles.  And, of course, the quintessential picture.  My son got his wish, a good morning was had by all, and life went on.

But later that evening, my inner-critic retuned with a vengeance.  As I sat with my finger poised on the share buttons of my social media accounts, I could see all of the eye-rolls and hear all of the kitchen table talk about the picture of my black son sitting alongside and cuddled up next to a white Santa.  And it wasn’t long after I posted the picture that one of my girlfriends who has absolutely no filter commented: ‘Where is Black Santa?  Black Jesus told me to tell you, hayle naw [sic]!!! Lol.’  I wasn’t mad at her.  She had the guts to say what many I’m sure were thinking when they saw the picture. 

Yet, I still have no regrets. 

In this world that is plagued by racism, sexism, religious intolerance, terrorism, violence, income inequality, educational disparities, and so much more, I want my kid to enjoy being a kid and all that comes along with it.  He has my permission to believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, that he is Batman, and that I am Cat Woman.  These are not the years that he needs to be saddled with racial and political ideologies.  Because the day will come soon enough when he is looked at as more suspicious than adorable.  And he will worry about making it onto the sports teams of his choice.  He will go through teenage angst and have his heart broken.  He will obsess over college admissions and job offers.  He will have bills to pay.  And there will be nights, when I fervently bargain with God for his safe return home.  Every single one of his childhood dreams that I can make come true for him, I will.  Time and time again.

My son taking a picture with a white Santa will have no bearing on his future racial awareness or identity.  He already proudly shares that he is ‘brown.’  He lives in a home and is raised by a mother who is solidly rooted in her racial identity, and whose entire life’s work has been with disenfranchised people of color.  But what this Santa experience underscored is that, as with many things, diversity is lacking.  The Mall of America, or any mall in this country for that matter, should not be making headlines for hosting its first black Santa in 2016.  And parents should not have only one racial option for Santa within a 40 mile radius of where they live.  This, too, needs to change.  But, in the meantime, as I responded to my friend’s comment on Facebook, I welcome her husband and any other men of color so inclined to grab a Santa suit and make some dreams come true next year.

I Took My Black Son to See a White Santa, And People Were Mad was last modified: May 26th, 2018 by sheisterri
black sonschildhooddreamsinner-criticmadmomsmotherspoliticsraceSantaSanta ClaussonsWhite Santawishes
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Writer, professor, and host of podcast 'She Roads with Terri Linton'

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7 comments

Godmommy December 29, 2016 at 7:18 am

Keep doing you. Always. Pants is happy, healthy, whole, and is being raised by a strong, aware, awake, and loving mom.

Reply
She is Terri Linton January 1, 2017 at 6:47 pm

Thanks lovie!

Reply
dancingpalmtrees December 30, 2016 at 5:29 pm

Glad your son had fun. His enthusiasm and happiness are all that matters. As for Facebook, well I try to stay away from FB except for my photography, Bible Verses and Inspirational Quotes. Folks on Facebook make mountains out of molehills. You are an excellent Mom and Friend!! <3

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She is Terri Linton January 1, 2017 at 6:54 pm

Thanks Deb on both counts:) He really did have a ball as he has this whole holiday season. My FB friend who is also a good off FB friend, meant no harm; she was just speaking her mind which she always does. Lol. But your are right about social media as a whole. It is not an easy space to exist in. Everyone has an opinion, people judge things they really have no right to judge, and it tends to breed a sense of familiarity that really does not exist between folks. I have a very conflicted relationship with it, which is another thing I have on my list to get a handle on in some for or fashion this year. Hope you and Stephen enjoyed the holidays!

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dancingpalmtrees January 1, 2017 at 6:57 pm

Thanks. Stephen and I enjoyed our time together. We saw Macy’s Holidays windows and we both did an impromptu Happy Dance to a Salvation Army Holidays Jingle! ♡☆

Reply
Valerie Pinto January 2, 2017 at 4:18 pm

Terri,

I have been meaning to respond earlier but needed a minute to put my emotions in check and wrap my head around the words I wanted to use without insulting anyone. My hope is that I do not. As I understand that race is an extremely important issue and concern, at the end of the day there are times to comment on it and times not too. Your little boy seeing Santa is not one of those times. Your a mom, he’s your son and it was the holidays – it’s that simple. Yes, you are a black mom raising a black son and you took him to see a White Santa – so what! In your son’s young mind it’s simple: “my mom took me to see Santa”(period).
You are doing what you need to do to make precious memories for you both. You are doing what you need to do to provide him with happiness and joy. Eventually he will learn what racism is, he will question his place in society and he will have the option to visit Santa or not (White, Black or Asian) but until he has to, let him be what he is a little boy enjoying the holidays with his mom. As mothers we will always question our decisions, we will continue to learn from our own mistakes but we will always do what we think is best for our child. A mothers we will always do what we have to in order to protect our child, mold our child and provide what out child needs. To question your choice in taking your son to visit a White Santa should be irrelevant at this stage of his life.

Your #1 Fan
Valley

p.s. Pick up a Black Elf on a Shelf so he can have the best of both worlds:)

Reply
She is Terri Linton January 15, 2017 at 9:53 pm

Thank you for your comment Valley! And I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to reply. Because I know you, I am not surprised to see that you share my feelings. I am learning with each passing year that people will always have their opinions about how parents parent. But really the only opinion that counts is the parent and child(ren) involved. Anything else amounts to nothing more than just that–an opinion. Again, I just want to reemphasize that my friend meant absolutely no harm. She is a straight shooter. And we are close enough where I can hear her opinion and not be offended. Also, I commend that she said directly to me what many other people I know felt and talked about, but said nothing to me. I’m all about making my son’s childhood as happy as possible even if it includes some make believe. Life’s realities will come soon enough. xo

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