Seeing our first black Santa Claus

Finally! We found a black Santa Claus, or rather he found us. LOL. Tonight I went to a blog event for Colgate Total/Vibe after the arranged babysitting with my mother was shot down. Once again we got into it over something trivial. So I decided to take Daniel with me to the event. Well, I'm glad I did cause Daniel met and took a photo with his first black Santa.

I wasn't sure how he'd react when taking photos with this Santa. So far he's usually cry's when you put him near any big white bearded men. I have to hold him before he will calm down to take the photo. But not this time. He didn't need me as he walked over to sit on Santa's lap.

I'm not sure if it was because Santa looked brown like his mommy or because Santa let him hold the giant tooth brush. Whatever is was I was grateful that my son didn't cry and took a nice photo. Yah!

I've been looking for a black Santa since my son was born. I know Macy's in downtown Brooklyn usually have one but finding out homie's schedule is not easy. After calling around the different corporate offices the 1st year I just gave up. I thought about finding an Asian Santa but that's even more difficult if you don't know where to look. So far my Asian connections haven't given me the hookup. *shrug*

Now some might wonder what's the big deal. While I'm not a big celebrator of the holidays I do feel there is a lack of *ahem* multiculturalism with the holiday icons. I'm just saying can we have a Santa Claus for all races of children?! That's all I'm saying.

Like this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed or for email updates!

Should we start celebrating the holidays?

Can you believe the xmas trees are being brought out already? I was surprised when I saw them being sold in my neighborhood tonight. As we walked by my son was very curious about the trees. While he knows what tress look like, seeing them decorated with lights was new to him.

As we walked by, my son decided to stop and sight see. The lady selling the tress told me that I could give him a fallen branch from one of the trees being piled in the corner. Since the branches smelled good I took one and gave Daniel to sniff. Being a city kid when will he get a chance to smell a natural pine tree?! As I took a branch for my son I started thinking....

Should I get a tree? More to the point should I start a tradition for the holiday? While I personally don't celebrate Christmas or most of the other holiday what about him?

I've been dealing with the holiday issue since Halloween. Having to explain to his daycare why I didn't want him doing certain holiday related activities with his class wasn't fun. I'm sure they think I'm crazy and forcing him to miss out. So now the big major holiday is here...what to do?

In truth it's not really about Christmas. It's more about building our own traditions and bonding as a family. I know children enjoy having holiday childhood memories and I would like for my son to have some. But how can I do this as Buddhist mom? It's an interesting situation.

While I didn't get the tree, I did take a photo of him next to one. It will have to be enough for now. Meanwhile I'll keep thinking on the larger "should we celebrate holidays" issue and see what I come up with. Wonder what other families do....

Like this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed or for email updates!

Racial Remembrance During Holiday Traditions

The time before the holiday is so hectic trying to get everything done so things can be perfect for family and friends. As I listen to friends share how they added elements from their cultural to make their holiday special...I wondered about my mixed race and multi cultured family.

During the 2008 holiday season my son was very young. I didn't celebrate Thanksgiving and beyond the obligatory photos with Santa, I really didn't do anything for Xmas either. In 2009 I started thinking how to add aspects from my son's three cultures so we can celebrate more as a family.

Last year, I still didn't follow the American custom for Thanksgiving. Instead I wanted to start a tradition of awareness about the Native American Indian and Alaska Native during this time. After some research, I found out about the exhibition IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas . I decided to take my son to The National Museum of the American Indian here in NYC to see their current exhibit. While he's young and cant fully understand, it's about starting our own tradition for the holidays. Besides he had fun =)

While changing traditions for Thanksgiving was simple enough, how to tackle Xmas since the whole family wants to be involved and celebrate with Daniel. To their credit my family knows that I try to do my own cultural things with my son. They may not fully understand why, but they'll indulge me as long as they can spend time with Daniel. LOL

For Xmas 2009, we didn't do a lot of the American Xmas things. We had no tree, no xmas decorations, no exchange of presents. But we did have the family gathering, eating, drinking and most important oral story telling. My family shared stories of life back in Guyana, the funny things family members did as children and finally their memories of my son life. I was really touched as each person shared their memory of my son from birth till now.

My son has forever changed the racial makeup of our family tree. My sons children will have African Caribbean, African American and Korean ancestors to remember. Yes, my son's biracial link to his fathers culture makes him unique within my somewhat monoracial family, but his story will always be added to the family tradition of remembrance.