Kwanzaa Ideas

Kwanzaa celebration ideas

During the holiday season, Kwanzaa gives us the chance to connect with our families in even more deep and meaningful ways. It's a time to reestablish our place in the world and with each other as families, friends, and communities—brothers and sisters connected by culture, history, faith and tradition.

This year as your family gathers around your table to place your ancestral cloth, lay the mkeka or straw mat, place the mishumaa saba in the kinara and light the black candle symbolizing Umoja or unity, each person can reflect aloud on how family keeps us rooted.

As you place muhindi or ears of corn symbolizing our children and our hopes for them, you can reflect on our cultural wisdom that all children belong to the community. It truly "takes a village" to raise well-loved children, protect their innocence, and strengthen their resilience.

Then as you pass the kikombe cha umoja or unity cup, pouring libation to the ancestors is a wonderful time to honor the elders—the trailblazers and torchbearers who created the history that brought us to our present—by exchanging stories, songs, or poems about them. Whether these are immediate family, community or national leaders, historical or present day.

Make each of the seven sacred nights even more special by including written personal sentiments reflecting on what each principle of the Nguzo Saba means for the loved ones gathered as you light a candle each evening.

Finally as you give Zawadi or gifts this Kwanzaa season (books, teaching toys, homemade works of art or food) you could also give "Zawadi of the heart." Offer written pledges of support, tolerance, patience and love for the upcoming year.

Harambee!