Kwanzaa - American

Hello, I am Kwanzaa. I am a special celebration for families and friends to gather. People celebrate me for seven days and seven nights. I was created to be a special time for African Americans to celebrate their history and culture. It is a happy time for people to honor their heritage, which is the story of where their families came from. Families and friends come together to remember and feel proud.

When people celebrate me, they use special things that have meaning. You will see a candle holder called a kinara. The kinara is made to hold seven candles. The seven candles are called the Mishumaa Saba. My candles have three special colors. In the very middle, there is one black candle. On one side of the black candle, there are three red candles. On the other side, there are three green candles. Each color is important and beautiful.

Every evening for my seven nights, families light one of the candles in the kinara. As the candle glows, they gather close. They might tell stories from long ago, sing songs, and listen to music together. Sharing food is also a big part of celebrating me. On my very last day, there is a big party! Many families have a big feast with lots of delicious food. After the meal, they give gifts to each other. The gifts are often handmade, which means they are created with love. It is a wonderful way for me to bring families together with joy.