Are we still dreaming of a White Christmas?
I am dreaming of a ‘White Christmas' where all the joy I spread puts money into the bank accounts of other communities.
For those new to the blog, please read my other posts by searching under 'buy black'.
Making this a season of Change
All I want for Xmas this year is for African-Americans to begin talking about ourEconomic Enslavement and how we can free ourselves like we have from the other challenges we have faced as African people.
Yes the season is upon us and yes the economy is bad and yes the unemployment rate in the black community continues at alarming rates, yet, we all see the hypnotic affect that Xmas continues to have on us. I realize that the holiday celebrates the birth of Christ and that most African- Americans are Christians, however I see way more Xmas spirit than I see the Holy Spirit at work.
The joy and happiness that is generated during the season is truly a wonderful thing for those fortunate enough to experience it. I certainly don't want to rain on any ones parade for sacrificing to make their family and loved ones happy. After all, we are all free and can spend our hard earned money as we see fit. My problem is not simply that we are spending money but rather how it is being spent and the long term impact of this expenditure.
XMAS is addictive and hypnotic
No parent wants to let their child down. They want to provide and give their child the best that life has to offer. We may not be able to give them a big house, extravagant vacations, a great education, an expense account, etc., but we can certainly give them a great Xmas every year. We can live in a community where the schools are average, the opportunities for growth are few but we will find a way to make that Xmas happen.
Of course there are many families that have kids receiving a good education, have a nice home and live in nice communities and their kids have been ‘good' so they more than deserve a great Xmas.
The question should never be what they deserve or whether we are good parents as it relates to Xmas. It should simply be what can we afford this year. Of course the myth of Santa Claus wreaks havoc on parents because if a child has been good and done what is asked of them then why would Santa leave so little under the tree? The young child would be hurt and would never understand that Santa is ‘broke' this year.
When you look at Xmas from this perspective and begin combining the allure of the holiday with all the sales, advertisement and promotions then you can see that you have a dangerous mixture being drunk by our community. Think about it, how many times have we heard a friend or loved one say, "This Xmas is really costing me but I can't let them down this year". Its as if they are somehow being forced to injure themselves.
Is Xmas hurting more than it is helping?
The fact that we have far to few budgets and that there is tremendous pressure exerted on families to provide this material Xmas experience for those that they love is a major challenge that we continue to face. What goes unnoticed is the total amount spent on this holiday. You spend money in 3 major areas and not just the gifts:
- decorations and paraphernalia
- Food for Xmas dinners and the holiday break
- gifts
These other two categories can be very expensive some years and are not usually counted in the how much was spent on Xmas category which allows the addict to give the illusion that they aren't spending that much.
Without a budget drawn up without emotion that one is committed to and ready to be held accountable with then we are headed for overspending and debt. It is your only chance to not become a Xmas addict that is strung out on the Xmas spirit believing that you are doing good because you are bringing happiness to others.
Like any addict, the reality will hit when you come down from your high, usually sometimes in the New Year when the bills start to role in including the ones that you didn't pay in December to enjoy the holidays! Let's all give a collective, "I didn't realize that I spent that much?" sigh of grief.
The Xmas trap
Because of our Economic Enslavement, Xmas exacerbates the dilemma that we face as a community on a daily basis all year round. That is that every time we spend money, we are at a decisive disadvantage because we produce very little and control very little of the worlds raw materials that are needed in production in the first place.
So, while we are out overspending because of our Xmas addiction we are digging ourselves into a financial hole while causing more money to circulate in other communities.
Yes, we must figure out how to support more black business during this time of the year. This is a must, but please understand that it will not solve our real problem of enslavement and massive job creation needed in our communities. Once again as I have stated throughout the blog, supporting a black owned business is just step 1.
Step 2 is the business purchasing its supplies and materials from a black owned business as well. However, since we lack heavily in this area, this becomes extremely difficult to do and hence, our money leaves our community as soon as it arrives.
My Own Experience
I don't spend that much at Xmas but this year I am having my girlfriend visit me from out of town and I want to show her a good time. My focus was to spend the majority of my money with black owned establishments. This will be achieved but only after a lot of research and planning.
New Beginnings - A black owned Xmas
As we go into the new year, let's begin opening our eyes to finding black owned businesses that have the supplies we need for our businesses and also began discussing how we can form these type of companies so that our dollars will stay in our community longer. I will keep writing this blog and eventually we will wake up one day free of our Economic Enslavement and we will living the dream of a Black owned Xmas with white snow outside that won't leave us with a New Years hangover from massive debt!
For those new to the blog, please read my other posts by searching under 'buy black'.All comments welcome and appreciated. Let's learn and grow together.
Please encourage a friend to check out the articles. I will be writing one or two every month and continue my ongoing research on the topic. Happy Holidays. Be safe and prosperous and spend some money with a black owned business.
Rich Mind
