Thoughts on Christmas Inclusivity

I have never LOVED Christmas. Certainly there are aspects I enjoy very much: Christmas movies, the magical lights around town and in the neighbourhood, parties and gatherings, sharing delicious meals with loved ones. But growing up as a visible minority in a largely White & Mennonite community, I really felt like I was on the outside of the Christmas club looking in - that Christmas was not really for me to enjoy or celebrate. The desire to fit in with my White peers and hide or erase my Asian heritage was very strong from a very young age, so even though my family celebrated Christmas - we had a tree, Christmas lights, presents, Santa, etc. - I always felt highly self-conscious that we weren't doing it right or we weren't doing enough. That someone would see us and call us fraudulent... we shouldn't be celebrating Christmas because we're Chinese! because we're not Christian! because we don't go to church! because we don't know all the Christmas carols! because we don't belong!

For many years between early adolescence and early adulthood, I actually did identify very strongly as a Christian. During that time, I felt joyful and purposeful celebrating the birth of Christ during Christmas, though it felt confusing and discordant that my family, in which no one else identified as Christian, also celebrated the holiday. For quite a few years after I stopped identifying as a Christian, I really struggled with the concept of celebrating Christmas as a secular holiday even though I know many, many non-Christians celebrate and love Christmas. I still struggle with this concept today, and wonder each year why I perpetuate this holiday in my household as a non-Christian that feels quite strongly against organized religion for me and my family. I also find this holiday to be very White dominated. If you don't agree with me or you don't see what I see, see below. These are the top photos with any people featured that came up when I searched "Christmas" on Unsplash.

Even though I know there are Christians all over this continent and all over the world with every imaginable skin tone, I think my roots in a White Mennonite town still have me largely associating Christianity with White people. On the same thread, I largely associate Christmas with White people. Santa, Mrs. Claus, all the elves (oh, the irony) are White. The kids and parents in classic Christmas stories and movies are all White. If aliens came to Earth and researched North American Christmas - they may very well think only White people celebrate this holiday. Which of course, is not true. But the sheer lack of representation of anyone other than able-bodied middle class White people in the Christmas mass media makes it hard to feel like Christmas is for me or other BIPOC to enjoy. This feeling is shared with many White people - such as people in my life who have asked me if I celebrate Christmas, or were surprised when they hear that my Chinese family did things for Christmas.

I guess I'm just tired of how White Christmas (ha ha) can be. I would love to see some new Christmas books coming out with more diverse illustrations. I want to watch a Christmas movie with non-White leads. Can I reach for the stars and ask for TWO non-White leads?? I want to see different ways to celebrate Christmas than putting out a nativity scene and plays about the birth of Christ (though understandably and respectfully, I can see that may be a hot take if you are a Christian person reading this!) Really, I am really craving some additional perspectives and new stories about Christmas so my brain doesn't only see it as a White Christian holiday, if we non-Christians insist on continuing to celebrate this very Christian holiday in a secular fashion.