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Woman spent decades building Christmas collection that reflects her family

Christmas is celebrated by families of every culture and ethnicity, but let's face it: decorations are mighty white.
A Coloradan who lives in Aurora spent decades building a Christmas collection that reflects her family.

Christmas is celebrated by families of every culture and ethnicity, but let's face it: the decorations are mighty white.

About 35 years ago, Tony Milligan, in Aurora, started a Christmas collection that reflects her family. Today she has more than 1,000 angels, nativity scene figurines and Santas with black faces.

A Coloradan who lives in Aurora spent decades building a Christmas collection that reflects her family.
A Coloradan who lives in Aurora spent decades building a Christmas collection that reflects her family.

"I have a collection of Santa Clauses that are mostly Afro-American," she says. "I wanted my kids to see faces that represented who they were, and to be excited about a Santa Clause that looks similar to them, that they could relate to."

A Coloradan who lives in Aurora spent decades building a Christmas collection that reflects her family.

Milligan's grandkids are now with her son on the East Coast, and her collection has grown too large to live at her house. She has moved everything she has into her office space.Get a look at her collection in the video above, shot by photojournalist Corky Scholl.

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