Page 101 - Purchasing Power Black Kids and American Consumer Culture

86 . "What Are You Looking At, You White People?"
When kids received much-wished-for gifts, there was little mystery
about where they came from or how much they cost. Natalia's main
Christmas present in 1992 was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed electronic
talking doll that she referred to as her "brat." "It cost sixty dollars," she
told me. She also received a pair of gold earrings from her mother's
boyfriend. "They were thirty-nine ninety-nine at Caldor's," she told me
excitedly. "They were originally a hundred dollars," she added, "but
they were on sale. My mommy told me to keep them in the box so I
don't lose them."
Children whose Christmas booty was relatively abundant are not ab-
sent, however. Tarelle, who has three grown-up brothers, is the baby of
the family and the only girl. Her mother works about sixty hours a week
as a nurse, and her brothers also have steady jobs. Tarelle is indulged all
year long by her family and Christmas is no exception:

1. I got a camera
2. I got a outfit
3. I got some boots
4. I got some sneaks
5. I got a nightgown
6. I got three games
7. and a pouch
8. I got $40.00 from my brother
9. I got $10.00 from my aunt
10. I got $20.00 from my aunt
11. I got some socks and
12. I got $100.00 from my mother
13. and I got a watch
It is not especially surprising that the amount and kind of these children's
Christmas gifts are closely tied to levels of family income, and children
are aware of the sorts of limits this income imposes upon the scope of
their wishes. As a result, Carlos is careful to keep his requests within his
mother's budget, while Tionna is perpetually prepared for disappoint-
ment. This pattern meshes with the more general pattern of kids in
Newhallville being made expressly aware of the costs of their care and
maintenance, and a growing awareness (or responsibility) upon chil-
dren's part to keep their desires in check.