Black Paper Party’s 2020 Christmas Collection
January 4, 2021 by agutting@reviewjournal.com
Filed under Feature
Black Paper Party’s 2020 Christmas Collection
Traditionally, Christmas gift-giving is embodied by happy people enjoying the warmth of the season. But rarely have the faces of Santa Claus or the joyful families been Black.
According to fatherly.com, only about three percent of all department store Santas in the U.S. are African American.
The Black Paper Party aims to shift that narrative a bit.
The company — developed by a trio of women familiar with the lack of diversity with Christmas choices in the big box stores they worked for — creates ornaments and gift-wrapping paper with children, families and Santas that look like them.
“Coming from corporate retail, we noticed a deficit of products featuring people of color — especially during the holidays when a high percentage of money spent on holiday shopping is by Black Americans,” says Madia Willis, one of the founders of the BPP. “We saw creating wrapping paper and holiday ornaments as a necessity.”
Although the lack of Black holiday-themed products is hardly new, the current climate and constant reminders of unequal treatment make it more important than ever to have as many positive Black images on screens, in stores and on shelves across the U.S.
In that vein, the BPP team was encouraged to create a series of positive, joyful holiday characters including Papa and Nana Claus, sassy Aunt Holly and other uncles and aunts, including some that are same-sex couples. Christmas Babies are present, too, as is the Christmas Collective — ladies who help guide the Christmas Babies’ adventures by providing them with Christmas narratives and lessons to learn from throughout the season.
“Not only should Black children and Black people see themselves represented on holiday wrapping paper and gifts, but Black representation should not be an afterthought or trend. It should be commonplace and available to all,” added co-founder Jasmine Hudson.
All wrapping paper in the line is made in America. The BPP 2020 Collection is available at BlackPaperParty.com
