My reflection on Christmas has interrogated my attachment to the holiday as profits in our country continue to soar from oppression rooted in a time when we were Christmas gifts. When a group’s humanity is stolen, then their mistreatment, abuse and oppression can continue. This is why there was a time when we were traded as gifts like property. Our families and relationships were not respected enough to even allow us to recognize this holiday (which was never one that our people originally celebrated in Africa) When our culture and languages were stolen, so were our holidays, traditions, celebrations, etc. Would slaves be able to take a day off for Kwanza? No. Some were not even able to take a day off in the harshest of conditions, like during the winter holidays. When slaves were restricted their masters were feasting with their families, profiting from the hardships of our people. I still see reminders of this today when I see Christmas trees full of presents underneath while people of color and others in poverty line up outside of churches and other nonprofit organizations hoping to get something for their children. As I’ve transitioned from adolescence to adulthood, knowing that the average household income of White families is over 100X that of Black families in the United States (this isn’t an exaggeration), a holiday focused on buying as many gifts as possible is beginning to give me more stress than joy. According to Forbes, the median white household had $111,146 in wealth holdings in 2011, compared to $7,113 for the median black household. Even with this drastic limitation many Black families still make away to put together amazing Christmas celebrations the same way that our ancestors took the scraps given to them to make Chitlins and hog maws with the parts of pork that were considered waste. My mother still makes chitlins for diner, and I’ll always enjoy them regardless of the smell or the tedious preparation process, eating pork scraps for Christmas is apart of my family history, a tradition.
Another Christmas tradition I did while growing up with my mother was every Christmas morning we would shout, “Happy Birthday” to Jesus before opening presents. Today my relationship with Christmas has complicated now knowing that although the Christian religion was forced upon our people we were still not allowed to indulge in the practices associated with its holidays. We weren’t allowed to see our families, we had no money to buy presents, rather we were the property sold as presents given the scraps to eat. We were treated like animals on this holiday. Even today with the many oppressive forces that continue to keep us in poverty we rush to the malls for Black Friday, wait in the overnight lines and clip coupons hoping we don’t dent our pockets too much trying to assimilate into this culture that has never accepted us. Larry Jefferson, a Black Santa in the nation’s largest mall, Mall of America even caused backlash and outrage. The fact that a Black man playing the role of a fictional character is another example of how our participation in Christmas causes resistance. Aside from the myth of Santa, for those that participate in the holiday for religious purposes, I argue that there is a way to recognize the birth of Jesus without feeding the corporate greed that fuels most American holidays. The urge to buy is most recognizable during the Christmas season, posters plastered on walls and windows compelling us to spend more, forcing us to think about who we may have forgotten. This year I realized there’s always someone, there’s always a reason to spend more and all of the signs, arrows, deals and quotes saying, “Last minute gifts here” and “Don’t forget anyone this year”
I enjoy giving, but historically what did we have to give? I enjoy spending time with my family, but throughout African American history systematic oppression has effectively separated and destroyed many Black families ability to spend the holidays together. This could be seen in slavery, when families were torn apart and our people were even traded as Christmas gifts. Nate Parker’s Birth of a Nation illustrated this, as Nat Turner’s wife Cherry was a ‘gift’ for his slave master’s sister. He was only able to see his wife on weekends where his master’s family would get together. Today this is the case for many who suffer as mass incarceration continually tears apart Black families, where inmates are restricted from seeing visitors on the holidays. The Guardian recently posted a piece by Tyra Patterson, a woman whose false conviction resulted in a life sentence for the murder of her sister. She hasn’t been able to spend Christmas with her family for the last 22 years. Patterson hopes that this will be her last Christmas spent in prison now that recently a witness has come forward to support her innocence (Why it took 22 years for a witness to come forward to save this woman’s life immensely angers me). There are millions of stories like these were false charges, guilty pleas and minimum sentences force our fathers, mothers, sisters, bothers, wives, husbands and children to spend the holidays alone in cages. This is why I have a complicated relationship with Christmas.
There are a lot of people, even African American people, who will do anything to avoid thinking about our past and the way that it continues to effect us today. That lack of knowledge about of past is why it’s so difficult for us to organize for a successful future. Where are we going if we have no idea where we’ve been or what we’ve been though? We need to be more critical of the holidays we celebrate and the validity of practices we recognize. We’ve seen that there are several Western practices we recognize although they’re inconsistent with history and our commitment to continue to recognize these ‘holidays’ like Thanksgiving and Columbus Day is dangerously misleading.
Christmas is a way for cooperations to be sure their profits are maximized by the end of the year. Don’t be mistaken, I did go out and purchase gifts, but many are from Black owned businesses that I discovered at local events like the Black Market and Shop Small event in Seattle. I did this in an attempt to show appreciation for my loved ones while also supporting my own community. I did not participate in Black Friday, but rather small business Saturday and encouraged many to try to do the same. It’s difficult for us to completely retreat from Western culture, especially because we are embedded into it (and for many it’s all we know) but once we become aware of the lies and deceit embedded within American cultural practices our biggest mistake is continuing to support those practices regardless.
What Black owned Businesses did you support this holiday season? To answer this question, below is a list and gallery of some of the products that I’ve purchased from Black owned businesses this holiday season. 
Stay Woke while celebrating, Happy Holidays!
- Women.Weed.Wifi Original Pink Stained Military Jacket $35
- Women.Weed.Wifi Tops ($1-$4 each)
- Shie by Shakiara Cosmetics She’s Wicked Handmade Lipsticks (2 for $15)
- Domizign Hats (2 for $40)
- Lavender and Mango Butter Whipped Shea Butter Mix from South Avenue ($15)
- Peppermint and Rosemary Whipped Shea Butter Mix from Thinking Naturally ($12)
- Educated Black Queen T-Shirt from OLU production ($20)
- Signed copy of Digging for Roots Poetry Book by Kiana Davis ($12)
- Signed copy of The Duality of Self Book by Mallah Divine ($13* but my copy was sent to me)
- The Heart the Soul the Mind Hoodie from Visionaries Clothing ($30)
