Happy Holidays
I’ve always found it interesting that there are three major holidays that occur at, or around, the same time—Christmas, Hanukkah and Kawanzaa. As I was thinking about this convergence of holidays, I realized that while I am very familiar with Christmas and Hanukkah, as I’ve celebrated both my entire life, I knew practically nothing about Kwanzaa. So I did some research and figured I’d share my findings with you, in case you’re also unfamiliar.
Kwanzaa is an annual week-long celebration of African-American culture and history. It was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies, as a way to connect African Americans with their heritage. Kwanzaa lasts seven days and was designed to honor seven principles: unity, self-determination (helping yourself succeed), collective work and responsibility (teamwork), cooperative economics (sharing), purpose, creativity, and faith.
The celebration of Kwanzaa often includes family and friends gathering to enjoy feasts, music, dance, storytelling and the lighting of the Kinara (a candle holder with seven candles representing the seven principles). Each day of Kwanzaa a different principle is reflected upon and discussed.
Even though Kwanzaa lasts for seven days, the big celebration is on December 31. That’s when family and friends gather in bright African-style clothing and have a large feast, called karamu (kuh-RAH-moo). The following day, on January 1, it is a time of reflection, in which people focus on how they want to succeed in the coming year and what kind of person they want to be in the future.
It’s worth noting that Kwanzaa is not considered a religious holiday and was not intended to be a substitute for Christmas or Hanukkah. Rather, it is a cultural celebration that emphasizes community, self-reliance, and African heritage, and can easily be celebrated in conjunction with the other two holidays.
I enjoyed learning about this holiday and hope you did too. No matter what you celebrate, I hope you’ve had an amazing holiday season and are getting ready to put a bow on 2024. Next time you hear from me will be 2025. Thank you all for making this an amazing year and I wish you all the best as we enter the new year.
Much love,
Jake Shebitz
