Kwanzaa/Christmas/The SPIRIT of Giving and Remembering

Ideal08 · #1 11-08-2001, 10:44 AM

Does anyone celebrate this? I mean, the whole nine yards, candles, mats, corn, all that?

Please, post your Kwanzaa info here. I will see what I can find on the internet, and I'll be back.

(Y'all wish y'all had my job, don't you?

)

nikki25 · #2 11-09-2001, 04:11 PM

In the early 1990s when Jawanza Kunjufu and a slew of others challenged us to view the world through more of an Afrocentric paradigm...when everyone was sporting headwraps and African clothes...that's when my fam and I really got into the whole tradition. But now, we simply recognize the holiday in ornamentation and by supporting black business as much as possible. We don't go full blast.

In my family, we've really scaled things down around the holidays and keeping it simple with a primary focus on Christmas....but because of the similarities in the secular meaning of the Christmas holiday and Kwanzaa, I can see where the two can successfully overlap.

Lovely · #3 11-10-2001, 01:05 AM

One of the AKA chapters here has a really nice Kwanzaa celebration, the program consists of children doing little skits and singing and the members serving food to the guests afterward. It really is a nice family/community event.

lil_sunshine · #4 11-13-2001, 07:43 PM

I'm a member on the NAACP and my youth council has a Kwanzaa celebration every year. It's a new tradition we've had since 1993 or 94. I joined in 1995 and have been the chairperson for this event for three years in a row. At our celebration, we state what the seven principles are, what they mean to us, how we can use them in our daily lives, etc. Some of the youth council members perform (I usually do a poem if I have one prepared for the program). We also use the celebration to end our collective food, clothing, and toy drives. We give the food and clothing to an organization who can benefit from it and we give the toys to any children who attend the program. The last thing that is done is that we install the newly elected youth council officers (elections are usually held the month before). There are also times when the youth council members exchange gifts as well.

Thanks for creating this thread so that I could share my ray of "sunshine" with you guys.

AKA2D '91 · #5 11-14-2001, 08:58 PM

No, not "at home", but our chapter sponsors a KWANZAA program annually. So, this is where I'll get my "KWANZAA on".

AKA2D '91 · #6 12-10-2002, 02:19 PM

I can't get my KWANZAA on this year.

Our chapter is having it's annual event on Saturday. I'll be out of town.) I was so looking forward to it, especially since our newly inducted Basileus bought me this African dress while she was in Africa teaching a law class.

I guess next year.

lil_sunshine · #7 12-11-2002, 12:59 PM

To get my Kwanzaa on this year. I need to get in touch with some people to find out when the program is so I can bring my goddaughters again.....

Steeltrap · #8 12-12-2002, 06:15 PM

Article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about Kwanzaa and its implications:

http://www.jsonline.com/bym/Biz2biz/dec02/102344.asp

The author, AfAm, is the paper's small business columnist, and makes some nice points about applying the principles of the holiday to our everyday lives.

AKA2D '91 · #9 12-09-2003, 09:29 PM

ttt

Ideal08 · #10 12-09-2003, 11:32 PM

I am teaching the 7 Principles in my Life Skills class. Next Thursday (albeit early) we are going to have a little celebration where the parents can come and whatnot. What I am hoping is that the students actually put into practice the 7 Principles. More later...

enlightenment06 · #11 12-10-2003, 12:42 PM

I celebrate Kwanzaa

Miss. Mocha · #12 12-10-2003, 12:56 PM

I celebrate Kwanzaa. Not exclusively, but in conjunction with Christmas.

Do the candles, the mats, don't place too much emphasis on the corn (only have one child, and 1 ear would be so lonely looking).

Once I spent the money on a beautful hand carved Kinara, there was no way we weren't celebrating Kwanzaa.

abaici · #13 12-10-2003, 01:32 PM

While I feel the seven principles are great, I refuse to celebrate Kwanzaa.

Diva_01 · #14 12-10-2003, 02:06 PM

I do not celebrate Kwanzaa either. I don't really agree with the practice, but more power to those of you that do.

Love_Spell_6 · #15 12-10-2003, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by abaici
While I feel the seven principles are great, I refuse to celebrate Kwanzaa.

neither do i...i tend not to celebrate "made up" holidays...and although the principles are good..I can't agree with why the holiday was made up. I don't need kwanzaa to celebrate my heritage!