Monday 5 December 2016

Mall Of America To Host Black Santa For The First Time

Here's a good conversation to have around the Christmas tree: There's a black Santa at the Mall of America this year!

Truth be told, I don't think most people — like, 95% of people — care in the slightest. Normal people have bills to pay and families to spend time with. Normal people aren't news "pundits" trying to stir fake controversy among the peasant class. In any case, Black Santa is a thing and here is his story, which is actually quite nice.

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Santa is black and the United States is trying to ban Christmas.
Welcome to 2016, people!

Yup, the brass over at the Mall of America decided to mix things up a bit this year.

"I love Christmas," said Jefferson-Gamble, the honorary Black Santa who is flying from Texas to Minnesota to play everyone's favorite Christian saint.

Jefferson-Gamble started playing Santa in 2014 after his career with the military ended.
"I enjoy making people smile and be happy. During the holidays, people go through a lot." Seems like the perfect Santa to me.

He's a seasoned Santa-preneur.

Jefferson-Gamble has played various versions of Santa since he was just 12 when he took care of presents that year because his dad was sick. A few years later, his nephews were sick and he went out and bought a Santa suit for $30.

Amazingly, kids don't question him being black. Imagine that."Kids love Santa no matter what color you are," he said. "If you’ve got candy, you’re a winner."

Apparently it matters to kids of color, though.

"It gives them something to identify with," Jefferson-Gamble told CBS Minnesota. "But Santa is still just Santa."

"Just Saturday, I was doing an event, and one child said, ‘Santa, you’re brown,’" he recalled.

"And I said, ‘Yes, I am, but Santa comes in many different colors.’ He said, ‘Oh,’ so I gave him a candy cane, he ran off with other kids."I quite enjoy the simplicity in that. "Oh." And then he was on with his day. Perfect.