Can Woke Folk and Christmas Celebrations Coexist?

The push and pull of navigating the holidays while trying to stay woke is no walk on the beach

A person bogged down with gifts is also checking their cell phone as the snow falls. Is this person you?

Now that Christmas and New Year’s are only a few short days away, we are officially hurtling into the good and bad of the holiday season. For many, this is a time filled with happiness and cheer. After all, it’s supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year.” But some folks who proudly consider themselves “woke” might be wrestling with how to embrace the holiday season while not embracing capitalism. Maybe, the solution is to boycott the holidays and sit out dinner at Big Mama’s house. But perhaps there’s a way to strike a balance. This holiday, I have decided not to take an “all or nothing” approach but to instead think of a plan that will me to embrace the holiday season in a meaningful and conscious way.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what a woke holiday season should and should not entail, we first have to clarify a few details about wokeness and capitalism. There are levels to both. Being woke is a subjective term that can mean many things to many people. For example, some consider themselves woke but are mainly concerned with women’s rights or issues that specifically impact the LGBTQIA community. On the other hand, some champion various issues, including…