How to Buy Gifts for Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa gifts, or zawadi, recognize achievements of the recipient while stressing the themes and principles of the holiday. Gifts related to education, African and African-American culture, or the arts make good zawadi.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kwanzaa Guidebooks
• Internet Access
• Notebook Papers
• Pencils Or Pens
• Computers

1. Determine who should receive the gifts. It's traditional for parents to give gifts to children. Other family members and celebrants can also exchange presents.

2. Decide when your family will exchange the gifts. They are usually given on January 1, the last day of Kwanzaa, but some prefer to exchange zawadi on each of the seven days of the celebration. If given daily, the gifts should represent the Kwanzaa principle, or nguzo saba, being celebrated that day.

3. Consider the recipients' behavior and achievements during the past year. Kwanzaa gifts are not given automatically, but rather to recognize achievements, challenges overcome, commitments honored and progress made.

4. Buy educational gifts or those that emphasize African and African-American culture. Crafts and dolls, educational games and toys, and tickets to cultural events are good zawadi. Books are also ideal, especially those written by African or African-American authors.

5. Buy creative gifts. Clothing or other items made from African prints and African artwork and sculptures are all good zawadi ideas.

6. Make the gifts, rather than buying them. Handmade gifts are consistent with the principles of Kwanzaa. Some ideas include herbal, spicy or fruit vinegars and homemade potpourri and sachets.

7. Wrap the gifts in African prints or papers, or in the traditional colors of Kwanzaa - red, green and black.

Tips & Warnings

• Maulana Karenga, who created Kwanzaa in 1966, advises that gifts "must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history."
• Kwanzaa gifts may be purchased online at http://www.tike.com/kwanzaashop.htm and http://melanet.com/kwanzaa_bazaar, among other sites.
• The U.S. Postal Service sells special commemorative Kwanzaa stamps and related gifts at branch locations and online.