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Original poster

Santa - It's festive sexism

59 replies

MrsTerryPratchett · 23/12/2015 01:16

I have been mulling this one over and read this article about race and Santa and come to this conclusion... There is no boring, hard, expensive thing done mostly by men where the credit is given to an imaginary woman. Or is there?

In my childhood home, my DF did the stocking buying and Santa took credit for only the stocking. But there seem to be lots of houses where women buy all the presents and they ALL come from an imaginary man. And those women seem to be the most vehement about the 'magic' and not taking credit and being selfless and never telling the kids.

It's festive sexism. Xmas Angry

OP posts:
PassiveAgressiveQueen · 23/12/2015 08:49

to grow up to compete in the world of STEM where brilliant black boys like him are underrepresented and undervalued, I cannot muddy his logic and critical thinking by telling him it’s possible for one man to fly around the world to every single home in one night

Oh bollocks to this line.

You need an imagination, to feel wonder at the world, and all around.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 23/12/2015 03:07

This woman could not comprehend that more black children live in poverty than children of any other race. Would she get that my child needed to understand that many of his peers were not receiving a visit from the jolly fat man and would wake up with nothing under the tree?

Yes I can understand. I also understand this affects poor white children too. If the writer is American she might have considered that proportionally the number of children of Native American /American Indian families (other than the few benefiting from casinos on tribal land) who live in povery is probably greater.

So Santa, no not "magic" at all.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 23/12/2015 02:55

Well , as you can see I am seriously underwhelmed by the "magic" of Santa.

Original poster
MrsTerryPratchett · 23/12/2015 02:38

I don't see this as a sexist issue. If women want to invest so much time and effort, it's up to them. It is another "wife work " thing- if you do it, then why are you complaining about it? Why not just don't do it? I'm not sure that the weight of cultural, historical and capitalist power is as easy to deal with as 'just don't'. It might be for me but women are pressured to conform.

There poster after poster on here telling people not to destroy the 'magic' and telling them not to take credit for Santa because it's selfish. Seriously.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsTerryPratchett · 23/12/2015 02:32

Now you mention the gaslighting... what about having children sit on a random man's lap for presents?

When I asked DD if a women could take over from Santa, she was quite shocked. She didn't think one could, although she couldn't quite articulate why. Possibly not wanting me to mess with the system.

Although since one of her little classmates found her mum red-handed with gifts, she keeps saying that Veronica's mum is Santa. Xmas Hmm

OP posts:
LassWiTheDelicateAir · 23/12/2015 02:31

I am not a poor black woman, have never been poor but I am perfectly capable of understanding what is problematic about the idea of Santa bringing presents. The issues she describes do not affect black families exclusively. Clearly Santa does not indiscriminately reward allgood children. Santa is a concept I've never been comfortable with.

With my son we went along with the hanging your stocking up but Santa never brought my son anything more than token presents, bought by both of us. The main presents were always from us. I can't recall exactly when we stopped bothering, probably quite early.

I don't see this as a sexist issue. If women want to invest so much time and effort, it's up to them. It is another "wife work " thing- if you do it, then why are you complaining about it? Why not just don't do it?

My objection to Santa was definitely not that an imaginary man would take credit for my efforts but the sheer bloody nastiness of an imaginary man who gives better and more expensive presents to children whose parents can themselves provide better and more expensive presents.

howtorebuild · 23/12/2015 01:56

It's weird that there is a mass conspiracy to gaslight small children there is a Man like Santa anagram Satan when there isn't.

Traditionally it's always been the Mother selecting and wrapping the gifts. Hmm

7Days · 23/12/2015 01:45

Interesting. Never thought about it from that perspective before. And yes, I do all the thinking, planning, buying (but not earning) and I am vehemently pro Santa

pingoose · 23/12/2015 01:36

When I was growing up, all our presents had "From Mother Christmas" on the tags. I never really thought to question it - Santa did the deliveries but the gifts were from Mrs Claus. I'll be doing the same - I can't stand the thought of an imaginary man taking credit for all my hard work!