As America slows down, and families go broke celebrating Christmas, I have to ask the question, “Does this day make sense?” Jesus Is suppose to be the reason for the season, but everywhere I look people are spending money they don’t have, so they put the charge on a credit card. This is a vicious cycle, because thousands of dollars are put on credit cards, and most people have no idea what they have spent.
Many companies do forty percent of their business for the year during the holiday season, and Santa Claus, his elves and reindeer get Americans in the spirit of Christmas. Very few Americans are thinking about Jesus, because our children are forcing their parents to buy things that they will forget about two days later.
Everyone in America is conditioned to give gifts to people they love and care about, and everyone has a long list. Our children have been spoiled to expect parents to give them their dream gifts, and they don’t care if they are able to afford them. Many of our children believe the fairy tale that Santa will bring the majority of the gifts, so there is very little discussion about who will pay for the presents.
Since most poor and many middle class people in America are struggling to pay their basic bills, Christmas is a time when they rob Peter to pay Paul. Not only are people emptying their checkbooks, but they also are lying to their children about Santa Claus. Maybe it’s okay for parents to make up stories about Santa Claus, when they are reading a book, but when you build an entire day on a lie something is wrong.
Santa Claus is a gigantic lie, that everyone in America celebrates and believes, and most Americans think this is a good lie. Most Black children in our community have no idea what a chimney is and very few jolly old White men will be caught in our neighborhood late at night.
Therefore, it is time for Black parents to start telling our children the truth about Christmas and Santa Claus, and stop spreading misinformation about the holiday. Black parents work too hard to pretend that they had nothing to do with purchasing gifts. It is time for Black parents to stop damaging their credibility with misinformation about Santa Claus.
Black Families must raise our children to be truthful, and the Christmas and Santa Claus story should be relegated to a fairy tale or fable. Many in Americans treat the Santa Claus story as a good lie, but lying has never been the right way for parents to raise their children. Christmas should never be a con game, so parents should tell the truth, and our children will not consider them hypocrites.
Spending your last dollar on Christmas does not make sense, but giving gifts is a wonderful way to express your love. Many Black Americans no longer practice Kwanzaa, but there were elements in the celebration that presented our community with positive images of Black family life.
Giving Black children a positive image of themselves with a shortened Kwanzaa celebration is a way to re-instill Black pride in our community. Maybe Kwanzaa can be celebrated on the 25th and the parents give a major present for Christmas, and also some small gifts for Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa/Christmas gifts must be practical, make sense, and not waste money.
It is time to tell the truth about Christmas and Santa Claus, and operate with integrity when having conversations with our children. Christmas/Kwanzaa should be a wonderful family day, which does not break the bank, and Black children are taught the beauty of our culture and families.
