Wanted: Diverse Santa

 

As we were falling asleep a few nights ago, Chica Marie chirruped a question from the top bunk.

 

“Mommy, why is Santa white?” my tired mind didn’t process the question immediately, thinking she meant why did he wear white.

 

So I answered, “I guess that’s just traditionally been the color.”

 

“I wish Santa was brown, like me. I wish Santa had the same skin color as me,” she replied wistfully, cluing me into what she meant by her first question.

 

Contemplating an answer I said, “You know, it would make more sense if Santa were brown because Santa is for the whole world and I think there are more brown people than white people on Earth.”

 

“But, Mommy, in America there are more white people,” came Chica Marie’s sage reply.

 

As I snuggled Love Bug off to slumber land, I thought how I have never seen a black Santa in the mall or any other location in our area. At Primero’s school event Santa was played by a Hispanic man, but that is the most non-white Santa I’ve encountered. I know, from a group I belong to on Facebook, that other transracial families seek out diverse Santa’s, which can sometimes prove difficult depending on where they are located. Maybe I could petition the mall to get a Santa of color for next year. Or maybe I can find a black Santa figurine for our home. For right now, we are stuck with the various white Santa’s we will encounter until Christmas.

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