LIFESTYLE 47
Add a splash of colour to your white Christmas Croydon-born entrepreneurs, Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall, are adding a splash of colour to the UK Christmas market this year with their London-based business, March Muses. “In 2018, whilst decorating our Christmas tree, my daughters wanted a beautiful angel as the tree topper. I searched online for angels, tree toppers and fairies that represented myself and my girls, but could only find Christmas ornaments of colour in the USA. The shipping fee was £20, and I was disappointed that we would have to pay so much for angels that looked like us, so we ended up using a Black Barbie as our tree topper!” Natalie explains. These supermums decided to launch their own Christmas decoration business, and created March Muses - the name originating from both founders being born in March and ‘muses’ being their figurines, who are named after inspirational people of colour. The products were launched in the market last October, with a range of six angels to choose from. This year, having built on their success, they now have a whopping 19 products, including a beautiful nativity set. On average, UK parents spend anything from £500 to £2,000 at Christmas, with Christmas decorations being a high priority for families too. But, when it comes to sourcing Black angels and
decorations for your tree, why is it so hard to find? We are finally at a time where the importance of diversity and inclusivity is being acknowledged. People are beginning to appreciate that representation really does matter – particularly with children, and especially within the home. In the last census in 2011, just over 40% of residents identified as Asian, Black, Mixed or Other. What better time of year to celebrate that than at Christmas – a holiday season that is all about coming together and including everyone. There have been quite a few studies on the effects of representation in children over the last few years, and it has been proven time and time again the importance of seeing yourself represented in a positive light. Christmas is no exception. Babies as young as six months start to notice ethnicity-based differences in humans. Their doll or action figure collection should include a variety of hues and be representative, so it becomes normal to them rather than novelty. Alison says: “If you have guardian angels to hang on your tree, why can’t at least one look like you? And likewise, we have many White families that want their Christmas to be reflective of the world they live in. We’ve been delighted by the response. We’re certainly dreaming of an ‘inclusive’ Christmas this year! Dressing your Christmas tree this year will be a whole new experience!”
If, like us, you love decorating your tree with your children, these decorations are perfect for teaching them that not all angels are White. For more information, call 020 3715 745 or vist www.marchmuses.co.uk. Follow @marchmuses, @aliburt23, @natsduv #blackchristmas #nubianchristmas #diversity #africa #caribbean #nubian #santa #diversity #kwanzaa #representationmatters
