“This Is Not Your Santa”: Roma Children Visualize Christmas

Abstract

By discussing visualizations of Christmas by Hungarian children, I integrate children’s drawings and ideas about the holiday as they relate to education, authorship, and ways in which the Roma view the world. While images and figures of the traditional holiday appear as standard tropes, interpretations of the respective drawings provide insights into the children’s perceptions of – and wishes and aspirations for Christmas. Their images highlight anthropologically challenging socio-economic, educational, and familial aspects of Roma culture.