How Kwanzaa is celebrated, what the holiday means and more

Dec. 25, 2025, 5:01 a.m. ET

Kwanzaa is a seven-day cultural celebration of African American and Pan-African history, family, and values.
Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, the holiday runs annually from December 26 to January 1.
Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of seven principles, known as the Nguzo Saba.

Kwanzaa celebrations begin soon.

Whether you’re a longtime observer or just wondering what Kwanzaa is about, here’s everything you need to know about the holiday.

What is Kwanzaa?

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits,” and was created by Maulana Karenga, a professor and chairman of Black studies of California State University, Long Beach, in 1966 to celebrate history, community, values, family and culture, according to History.com.

After the Watts Riots in Los Angeles (also known as the Watts Rebellion, a six-day series of riots in August 1965), Karenga “searched for ways to bring Black people together as a community,” according to History.

That year, Karenga founded the US Organization, a cultural group for Black Americans, and he began researching African “first fruit” (harvest) celebrations, according to the website. From his research, Karenga combined aspects of several harvest celebrations, like those of the Ashanti and Zulu, to create the weeklong African American and Pan-African holiday of Kwanzaa, according to History.

Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration and not religious or political. It is not considered to be a substitute for Christmas.

When is Kwanzaa?

Kwanzaa is held annually for seven days from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, with each day representing one of the seven principles of the holiday.

This year, Kwanzaa begins on Friday, Dec. 26, and lasts through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.

What are the seven principles of Kwanzaa?

A major part of Kwanzaa is the set of seven principles, called the Nguzo Saba in Swahili, created by Karenga to be recognized throughout the holiday. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are as follows, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture:

Umoja, meaning “unity,” which represents striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation and race.

Kujichagulia, meaning “self-determination,” which represents defining, naming, creating and speaking for ourselves.

Ujima, meaning “collective work and responsibility,” stands for building and maintaining the community together and making our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our own problems and solving them together.

Ujamaa, meaning “cooperative economics,” represents building and maintaining community-owned stores, shops and other businesses and profiting from them together.

Nia, meaning “purpose,” stands for making the collective vocation the building and developing of the community to restore the people to their traditional greatness.

Kuumba, meaning “creativity,” which represents always doing as much as you can, in any way you can, to leave the community more beautiful and beneficial than you inherited it.

Imani, meaning “faith,” stands for strongly believing in all Black people, parents, teachers, leaders and the righteousness and victory of the community’s struggle.

How is Kwanzaa celebrated?

Kwanzaa primarily is observed in the United States but has gained popularity in the Caribbean and other countries where there are large populations of African descendants, according to Britannica.

Families celebrate the holiday in their own ways, but Kwanzaa celebrations often include songs and dances, storytelling, poetry reading and African drums.

On each of the seven nights, a child lights one of the seven candles on the kinara (candleholder) while the family gathers around. This is followed by a discussion of one of the seven principles.

The seven candles are known as “mishumaa saba,” with three red candles, three green candles and one black candle. Each day, the previous candles are lit again and a new one is added, according to National Geographic.

The black candle symbolizes umoja, the basis of success, and is lit on Tuesday, Dec. 26. The three green candles, representing nia, ujima and imani, are placed to the right of the umoja candle while the three red candles, representing kujichagulia, ujamaa and kuuma, are placed to the left of it.

On Sunday, Dec. 31, the big celebration for Kwanzaa commences with karamu, a large feast.

Families and friends can be spotted in bright African-style clothing and playing music, singing and dancing. While special foods are eaten throughout the holiday, it is especially common during karamu to make recipes that have been passed down through generations and have roots in African culture, according to National Geographic.

Special dishes include peanut soup, fried bananas, coconut desserts, shrimp gumbo and sweet potato pie.

On Monday, Jan. 1, the last day of Kwanzaa, celebrants focus on what kind of person they want to be in the future and how they want to succeed in the coming year.

On the seventh day of Kwanzaa, imani is celebrated. People give zawadi (gifts) to guests and immediate family, especially children, to encourage achievement, success, growth and self-determination. Accepting the gift implies a “moral obligation to fulfill the promise of the gift” and welcomes the recipient as a member of the family, promoting umoja, according to History.

Handmade gifts are encouraged to promote purpose and creativity and to avoid overconsumption during the holiday season. Families may gift handmade kinaras, cards, dolls or mkekas (place mats).

Kwanzaa traditions and symbols

Mazao means “crops” and symbolizes work and the basis of Kwanzaa. It represents the African harvest celebrations the holiday is modeled after and the rewards of the community’s productive and collective labor, according to OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org.

In ancient African villages, one’s community was commonly made up of one family’s close and distant relatives, and tribes were united and lived by traditions that provided continuity and identity.

Today, people demonstrate their mazao by placing nuts, fruits and vegetable — representing work — on the mkeka, according to History.

Vibunzi, or “ear of corn,” represents fertility, symbolizing children and the future they represent. It is also referred to as “muhindi,” which is the plural form of the word, according to OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org.

Each ear of corn represents a child in the family and is placed on the mkeka. If there are no children, two ears are set on the mkeka because “each person is responsible for the children of the community,” and all must give the same support they received to new generations, according to History.

The seven candles used during Kwanzaa serve two purposes: to symbolically recreate the sun’s power and to provide light, according to History.

The candles also represent the Kwanzaa flag (Bendera) created by Marcus Garvey and represent African gods. Red is the color of Shango, the Yoruba god of fire, thunder and lightning; black is the people, the earth and the source of life, representing hope, creativity, faith and the opening and closing of doors; and green represents the earth that sustains humanity and provides hope, divination, employment and the fruits of harvest.

Kinara, the candleholder, is the center of the Kwanzaa setting and represents Black ancestry. It symbolizes ancestors who having lived on Earth, understand the issues faced by descendants and are willing to protect and guide them through life, according to OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org.

A kinara can be straight lines or semicircles as long as the seven candles are separate and distinct. They are made from various materials, and many make their own out of natural materials like wood and fallen branches.

Kikombe cha umoja, the unity cup, is a special cup used to perform the tambiko (libation) ritual during the karamu feast. The cup is passed to family members and guests who drink from it to promote unity and chant “harambee,” Swahili for “let’s pull together,” seven times. Afterward, the eldest person asks the gods and ancestors to partake in the festivities and bless all people who are not at the gathering, according to National Geographic.

Afterward, the eldest pours the libation — usually water, juice or wine — in the direction of the four winds (north, south, east and west) to honor their ancestors and the group says “amen.”

Mkekas represent traditional values like sharing and faith. They also symbolize the cultural foundation carried through generations that bolsters Black values and lives. This is why many symbolic items are placed on top of the mat during the holiday, according to National Geographic.

In ancient societies, mats were made from straw. Today, mkeka made from Kente cloth, African mud cloth, and other textiles from area in Africa can be purchased. The mishumaa saba, vibunzi, mazao, zawadi, kikombe cha umoja and kinara are placed on the mkeka during Kwanzaa celebrations.

Kwanzaa greetings

The Kiswahili phrase “habari gani” – meaning “what is the news?” – is a common greeting used among family and friends during Kwanzaa. Whichever of the seven principles is associated with the current day would be used as response, according to Almanac.

You also can say “wishing you a bright and meaningful Kwanzaa,” “sending you love and light this Kwanzaa” and “wishing you wisdom and joy this Kwanzaa.”

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