To use a nativity set that is not ethnically accurate?

[Yellownotblue]

Old fashioned nativity sets typically have the family as white, and the three kings as Asian/brown/black. The black wise man is literally black.

We are a mixed heritage household, but the nativity set doesn’t bother me as that’s what I grew up with. Would it make you wince, or am I okay to use it? Not that I’m planning to have any guests at Christmas, judgemental or otherwise - it just got me thinking.

YANBU: it’s okay to use the set
YABU: don’t use it

Op its your nativity set. Its history is probably more important than what it looks like, and it sounds more racially diverse than mine.

Mine looks like modelling clay / plasticine figures all with white hands and heads. The donkey has lost an ear and the angel is a girl with blond hair, she falls over constantly. It came out of woolies. I can honestly say I've never given much thought to the race of those figures.

Tbh I'm not a big fan of the expensive ones that are more 'real' looking which could be a reflection that I've never really been around lots of holy status.

Why can’t a black girl or woman be cast as Snow White? How is that different from Hamilton, for instance- where the casting is colour blind?

technically they can I guess...

but then you could cast a white or chinese person to play Pocahontas or Rosa Park? Why would you? You don't make progress happen by trying to deny history.

Snow White was called snow WHITE because of the pallor of her skin, as white as snow, cheeks as red as blood...

I saw a majority black cast of Snow White hip hop show. It was teens and was really good.

I honestly thought I was a shoo-in to play Mary in my first school nativity play because of my name, but was sadly disappointed when I was informed that I couldn't and never would as Jesus' mum Mary was a redhead and I wasn't! Who knew?

OP, just display your set and enjoy it.

Hamilton’s casting was colour conscious rather than colour blind - as in, they deliberately wanted to cast black actors. It’s a key part of how they are telling the story rather than race being irrelevant to the story.

@WorriedAboutAirQuality

Hamilton’s casting was colour conscious rather than colour blind - as in, they deliberately wanted to cast black actors. It’s a key part of how they are telling the story rather than race being irrelevant to the story.

Yeah, some colour-blind casting can be neutral, but in quite a few cases, it isn't, particularly anything historical. And something like Snow White would be similar I think.

It also works better in mediums like theatre, or types of film or television that aren't naturalistic.