Do You Give Gifts to Celebrate Kwanzaa? A Simple Break Down of the Holiday

As far as widely-celebrated contemporary holidays go, Kwanzaa is a more recent holiday that emerged in the late 90s as a Pan-African holiday that pays homage to African-American culture and heritage. Kwanzaa lasts for a week and a feast referred to as Karamu is usually held on the sixth day of the celebration. Kwanzaa is celebrated annually on the same dates, from December 26th to January 1st. 

Each day of Kwanzaa is supposed to represent one of the seven principles of the holiday which are known as the “Nguzo Saba.” Each day a candle on the candleholder is lit in recognition of the day’s principal being acknowledged, which some folks may find similar to the tradition of lighting the menorah during Hanukkah. 

The seven principles of Kwanzaa are as follows:

• Umoja (Unity)
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
• Nia (Purpose)
• Kuumba (Creativity)
• Imani (Faith)

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Alongside the seven principles of Kwanzaa are seven symbols representing the holiday, with the zawadi or gifts of the holiday carrying with them a significant cultural message and meaning that is fundamental to the practice of the holiday. Traditionally, zawadi exchanged during Kwanzaa were from what was self-made or grown, making it a labor of unfiltered love and an act of communal sharing. This kind of gift giving avoids the alienation that comes from purchases made to impress rather than to showcase affections, which can be a common occurrence during other holidays around this time of year. Zawadi are meant to be symbolic of the commitments endured by the parents, and of the fruits of the labor of the parents. 

Gift Giving During Kwanzaa 

The basic principals behind gift giving to know before you celebrate

First and foremost, the reason you began reading this article in the first place: yes, gifts are often given during Kwanzaa to loved ones as a way to show affection and build upon relationships. However, the gifts that one gives and receives during Kwanzaa are not going to be exactly like the types of gifts given during Christmas celebrations. Kwanzaa gifts are largely handmade and have some sort of attachment to African culture as a heritage symbol, which is a crucial part of the gift-giving exchange. 

Giving gifts is such a common occurrence during various winter holidays, despite the fact that many holidays hail from different backgrounds and cultures. So why is gift giving such a habitual phenomenon? Well, if practiced in the right manner, gift giving is about more than simply giving someone else a little something special–gift giving is about sharing goodness and prosperity with others, alongside providing a lesson and model into how we should be living our lives. Giving a gift may seem like a purely physical practice, but it goes much deeper than that. Gift giving is about sharing the goodness of everyone, building beautiful relationships and reaffirming old ones, and of expressing sincere and raw emotions in a reciprocal environment. 

Much emphasis is placed on the relationship between children and their parents during Kwanzaa. It is important to recognize the sacrifices and labors of love made by parents at this time of year. 

Gift giving during Kwanzaa is meant to be instructive and inspirational. The gifts one gives or receives during Kwanzaa should work to encourage in children the making and keeping of commitments of personal growth and attainment that collectively benefit the whole. This system of belief in regards to gift giving establishes that commitments to a principled, productive life are rewarded, not only with gifts, but by internal growth, satisfaction, and benefits to the community. As such, the gift-giving practice celebrated during Kwanzaa positively reinforces the values of the holiday as well as social achievement and progress, which extends beyond the family to benefit the entire collective. 

Another important principle behind the zawadi of Kwanzaa is that gift giving must be transparent and informed so that parents can receive due credit for their sacrifices and labors of love. Parents put a lot of hard work into raising their children and providing them with fruitful lives, and reducing them to middlemen for a mythological being that may or may not deliver what they promise is a rather big insult to the commitments they have put in. This reinforces a more honest relationship between children and parents and does not work to undercut the image of loving and productive parents. 

The basic guidelines of gift giving during Kwanzaa are as follows:

• Children are the main recipients of gifts
• Gifts are given on the basis of commitments made and kept
• Gifts are not mandatory or excessive in nature

As long as these guidelines are kept in mind as you navigate the process of gift buying and giving, you should have no issue keeping the true spirit of Kwanzaa alive and thriving in your celebrations. You can honor the message and heritage behind Kwanzaa and the African-American community as a whole all the while surprising and delighting the special people in your life with gifts that reinforce the bond you share. 

Even with Kwanzaa, there is no-one-size-fits-all type of gift to fall back on if you are uncertain regarding what to get someone else. Kids are primarily the recipients of gifts and can be quite easy to shop for, but there are moments when you wish to give back to the fellow adults in your life as well. When it comes to these figures, gift giving can become a bit more tough. Still, we’re here to help guide you in your Kwanzaa journey and help you make the right decisions when it comes to finding ideal gifts. That’s why we can’t overlook easy gift ideas that are in the spirit of Kwanzaa–keep reading to explore the gift ideas we have in store!

Easy Gift Ideas for Kwanzaa 

Talking about what kind of gifts are appropriate to give and receive during Kwanzaa is one thing, but actually knowing what to give to a loved one is another. Whether this happens to be your first time celebrating the occasion or you have simply exhausted all of the gifting resources you can think of and need a dose of creativity, you can definitely find the perfect match in terms of Kwanzaa gifts with these simple and sweet picks. 

Remember that Kwanzaa is primarily about highlighting African-American culture, deepening familial relationships, and giving back to the whole community. Gifts should refrain from being indulgent and excessive; instead, emphasis should be placed on how these gifts pay homage to African-American culture and how they recognize the significance of bonds between parents and their children. 

1. KwanzaaMe

In the true spirit of Kwanzaa, KwanzaaMe is all about honoring the African-American roots of the holiday and celebrating the traditions that black people share. KwanzaaMe was created as a response to the lack of Kwanzaa supplies and education held by the general public. To combat the lack of knowledge, KwanzaaMe crafted specially curated Kwanzaa kits to help folks celebrate the occasion. They have since expanded their offerings beyond curated kits and now include cultural programming and education services.

The vision behind KwanzaaMe is to make the values of Kwanzaa–unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith–a regular part of everyday life. The goal is to help inspire a world that lives by these principles throughout the whole year, and not just at a certain time or month of the year. KwanzaaMe is meant to empower individuals and entire communities with purpose and respect, fostering strong relationships between communities around the globe. 

Check out KwanzaaMe for a gift card that you can share with loved ones this holiday season!

2. GlobalGiving 

In the simplest terms, GlobalGiving is a nonprofit organization that connects other nonprofits to potential donors and companies. For over twenty years GlobalGiving has spear-headed efforts to enact change across the globe, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and plenty of other places in between. Individual donors can easily find countless nonprofit organizations that are rooted in the causes they care about when using GlobalGiving’s directory. Corporate partnerships are also available to encourage companies to develop powerful corporate social responsibility, grantmaking, and employee engagement strategies. 

You can learn more about gifts you can make with GlobalGiving when you check out the link!

3. Artisana Market

There are a lot of ways that people can give back to the community that they are a part of through the work they put forth, and Artisana Market is an example of a company that is committed to that mindset. With efforts to minimize their environmental impact throughout the production process as well as giving back to the local community through honest partnerships, Artisana Market strives to make a positive impact on the environment and the well-being of employees and customers alike. 

Artisana Market sources and sells high-quality products that are eco-friendly, safe, and effective. Products sold by Artisana Market are strictly curated to meet the high standards of the company for taste, quality, and healthfulness. Browse a vast selection of fully organic nut and seed butters, along with other selections of equally as compelling high-quality products. 

Get a Kwanzaa gift card for Artisana Market and surprise a loved one with an array of tempting handmade spreads and butters!

4. Visa 

Buy a Visa gift card

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While this choice of gift deviates slightly from the rest, we felt that Visa gift cards are far too popular nowadays to neglect mentioning. Now it is important to remember the principles of Kwanzaa and the guidelines of gift giving that go alongside; gifts should not be excessive in nature. A Visa gift card has the potential to become almost anything the user would like, though some self-restraint may need to be put in place to ensure purchases are not overindulgent. 

A Visa gift card can effortlessly be incorporated into the values of Kwanzaa as long as it is used with some awareness. Visa gift cards may be used to make donations to nonprofits that you care about, they can help families afford festive decorations and products specifically made for Kwanzaa celebrations, and they can be reinvested in local communities by making purchases at small businesses. Visa gift cards have many more uses than simply using them to spoil yourself and buy things you do not really need; they can be an excellent choice of gift to give to loved ones to honor the highlights of Kwanzaa. 

You can purchase a Visa gift card in time for your Kwanzaa celebration by following the link!

Gift giving is a traditional part of the Kwanzaa holiday, however the giving of gifts is not what Kwanzaa is all about. Gifts come second to the familial and community bonds shared by those celebrating Kwanzaa, and all gifts given and received during Kwanzaa should serve as a symbol of commitments made and kept. Kwanzaa is about so much more than giving gifts to family members and close friends, but the gift-giving practice can be used to inspire positivity and goodwill in others. 

However you choose to celebrate Kwanzaa this year and in the future, we hope that you have a very special holiday filled with jubilation and cheer!