What Santa Claus Taught Me About Discrimination
In my younger days I was told that Santa Claus only visited Christian kids. So I decided I wanted to be Christian. Going to church seemed like a small sacrifice for getting Christmas presents and cookies. My family told me I was more than welcome to visit any place of worship my heart desired, but blatantly informed me that it did not mean I would get presents for Christmas, Eid or Hanukkah.
Soon enough I gave up on my quest to move to house with a chimney and decided to concentrate on Santas at the mall. That’s when I learned that Santa wasn’t as generous as he made himself out to be. In the movies he was a jolly man who went all over the world giving out presents to (Christian) kids. At the mall he wanted money for you to sit in his lap and tell him what you wanted for Christmas. My parents were not agreeable to paying him money so I could ask for a present we all knew I would not get.
Despite Santa’s discriminatory attitude I still loved Christmas. Lucky for me it wasn’t just Christian kids who benefitted from Christmas break at school or the cartoon specials on TV. And nobody at the store asked me about my religious affiliations when I wanted to buy marzipan or Christmas cake.
However, it wasn’t until I was older that I realized Christian kids also had a reason to not like Santa Claus. My Christian friends grew up without ever owning a pony, just like me. The only difference was that I didn’t waste my allowance on mailing letters to the North Pole asking for one.
Growing up in a post-Soviet country I actually believed in two ‘Santas’. One I’ve known as Ded Moroz (Granddad Frost); this Ded Moroz was a Soviet substitute for Santa Claus, and was a product of Soviet propaganda machine, and is still on top of things in Russia. The other was the ‘real’ Santa, but since one could not really celebrate Christmas openly during that time, Santa was a hush-hush sort of thing. As a kid i liked this Ded Moroz more, because there was more mention of him in the public (movies, cartoons, kindergarten, etc.), and also because he brought better presents. Since it was a tradition to make a play every year for ‘winter holiday’ at the kindergarten, Ded Moroz would come to that play and give out his presents. And Santa, who was officially in hiding and on the run from KGB or something, just never really could compete with the openly acting Ded; well, and also his present were somehow not so good as the ones from Ded.
Anyway, even with two old men on duty to bring presents to kids, i still got unhappy and frustrated with both of them. I don’t really remember how old I was, but I was already old to suspect something was off with this whole presents under Christmas tree stuff, so that year I’ve made my Christmas (Winter Holiday) wish for a present and ‘placed’ it with both, at the same time making sure my mom also knew which doll was THE doll. Since i did not get THE doll, I got so angry, that decided I won’t bother with them anymore, and would just ask mom or dad for what I know so that I’d know who’s to blame, if I don’t get the right toy 😉
You have such a funny way of putting it. We had Ded Moroz as well. He only gave me books, so I wasn’t too fond of him either.
2 Santas? I’m starting to feel like I completely missed out on a childhood.
Given that Santa is pretty much a symbol of capitalism I’m not surprised the Soviet Union banned him, but it’s rather odd that they felt the need to create someone just like him.
well, Ded Moroz wasn’t created by Soviet regime. it already existed in Russia, only the regime tweaked Ded’s character, so he would fit the Soviet reality, e.g. Ded was not secretive at all, he would give presents to kids openly, only downside being that he often brought same gifts for every kid – promoting equality or something. So in terms of getting presents from two Santas in theory that was great, alas in reality not so great at all. Yet, it still worked to get presents more than one time 🙂
My ex’s 7 year old son was enrolled at a Catholic school. One afternoon, the kid actually told me, “If you don’t believe in God, Santa won’t bring you presents!” Gahh. My conservative Christian aunt on the other hand, never had a Christmas tree or did the Santa “thing” because it wasn’t in the Bible. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose!
Santa always brought me presents at Christmas, a new jumper and grey trousers to remind me school was fast approaching.
I’ve often suspected Santa burned all the letters he received and just gifted what he considered most economical
I think you a correct
When I was around 5 or 6 I cried all Christmas. Mom signed all the gifts ‘From Santa’. I was upset that Mom and Dad didn’t get me even one gift. I told them if they didn’t have money they could have drawn me a picture. After that Santa brought the smaller stuff in our stockings and Mom and Dad brought all the gifts under the tree. When I remember this, I feel so bad for making my parents feel so bad.
I have followed the tradition of Santa bringing the small stuff with my own four children.