Diversity in Christmas Decorations …and Friends
“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” ― Harlan Miller
As I put finally put away my Christmas decorations (yes, I know it’s January 22nd) I am reminded of how eclectic my decorations are.
Thirty years ago, I invited a co-worker to my home for coffee. We were working well together, so we decided there was a possibility that we could become friends. It was Christmas. I invited her to share homemade Christmas cookies with me.
I’m a Christmas lover. I always have been. The celebration of heavenly sacrifice combined with people being nicer to each other turns me on. Add gifts to the mix and I am in heaven from Thanksgiving to the end of January.
All the lights and decorations were up. We lived in a traditional two-story four-bedroom home. I adorned every room with Christmas decorations.
The outside was bright with multicolor blinking lights. Santa and his reindeer sat on our lawn. We had small lighted trees lining the driveway and other lighted pieces on our roof.
When my teammate arrived, we sat in the kitchen, drinking coffee, eating and talking. She asked me an unexpected question.
“Do you have a hard time finding Black decorations?” she inquired.
I did not understand the question, so I must have looked nonplussed.
“You have so many beautiful decorations that are not White, do you have a hard time finding them?” she pressed.
She was right. Most of the decorations in my home were Black.
I had not sought Black decorations. I brought decorations that looked like my family.
We had an excellent discussion where I asked her if she brought mostly White decorations, after which she confessed that she only brought White decorations. There was no diversity in her decorations.
Our conclusion: as a minority, I brought both minority and majority skin-colored decorations but as a member of the majority, it never crossed her mind to buy anything but White decorations.
Here are some of my favorite decorations.
These Santa’s always hang out in the guest bathroom. I love the way they look together.
Two angles guard the breakfast nook.
A door hanger in our second bath.
I have several hanging Santa’s, all White. This one is twenty years old.
The Black nativity is always on the mantel.
Three functional nutcrackers are peeking around the patio corner.
I don’t choose my friends based on the color of their skin. While most of my friends are of my race, there are a significant number that are not. When I meet another adult that shares my values (maybe not my opinions, but my values), I examine them for other friendship qualities: positive attitude, trustworthiness, kindness and dependability. What doesn’t matter to me is physical appearance, politics, age or income.
“From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas bring us closer to each other. “ Emily Matthews
Thinking of my friends makes we want to contact them. I think I will text them.
Til next year.
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