Cathy's Creative Corner: Santa Claus is a White Man?

[This week’s story was written in December 1974. I was in my senior year in high school and it was printed in our Christmas newsletter. As black awareness exploded, this was just one of the topics in question. Everyone had a view; this was mine.  If written today, my take would be that “the real Santa mirrors the head of your household.”  Hope you enjoy it! HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.]

Santa Claus is a White Man?  

“Mama, in my kindergarten class today, a lot of the black kids said they didn’t want Santa Claus to bring them nothing for Christmas because he’s a white man. Is he, Mama, is he?”

“Well, son, some mothers would say no, but he is. For as long as I’ve been around, Santa has been a jolly, fat ol’ white man. Come to think of it, he’s more pink than white with his long beard all shiny and white and his curly white hair. But his skin color doesn’t matter. It’s whether he loves you or not that counts.”

“How can you tell if he loves you or not?”

“By what he leaves – or doesn’t leave - under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.”

“Yeah. But how do you know if he loves us black kids as much as he does the white ones?”

“Well, didn’t you get just as many toys last year as Joey down the street?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, he’s white. Has Santa ever left any of your black friends a bag of switches like he did Mike?”

“No.”

“And he’s white. So that proves it. Santa loves you by whether you’re good or bad. Not black or white.”

“Mama, can I ask you one more thing?”

“Is it true we had a black Santa Claus, but he split to Miami ‘cause he couldn’t stand all that snow and cold at the North Pole?”

“No, honey. Now go wash your hands and get ready to eat.”