Things You'll Need:
- Brocade fabric or kente cloth
- Fruit
- African basket
- Musical instruments
- Coffee and tea
- Wood art
- African flag or bow
- Stuffed animals
- Packaged foods
- Seven candles
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Step 1
Permeate your home with all things African during Kwanzaa by filling a traditional gift basket. First, decide what type of basket you want to use as your base.
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Step 2
Create an authentically cultural look with an African-made Zulu basket. You can get one in traditional materials made of native plants and grasses or a modern Zulu basket made of recycled telephone wires that come in an array of lively colors.
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Step 3
Enlist a Swazi Sisal basket made in South Africa, which can offer your gift bundle a more natural texture and detailed, colorful patterns. A well-made, thick wicker-style basket is also acceptable.
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Step 4
Select items to fill your Kwanzaa basket. Part of the celebration of Kwanzaa is derived from the ancient African harvest celebrations. You'll want to express this theme within your basket.
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Step 5
Fill up your basket with mazao, or fruits and vegetables, to bring the idea of a plentiful abundant harvest to the Kwanzaa table. Combine apples, grapes and citrus fruits in your basket. Find out more about a base for your Kwanzaa gift at the Baskets of Africa website (see Resources below).
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Step 6
Gather fabrics of brocade and kente cloth to symbolize African heritage. You can line your basket with these fabrics for a more textured look. Or create mats for the celebration out of the fabrics, which will lend a colorful and strong cultural touch.
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Step 7
Select packaged items like African gourmet coffee and bags of beans and rice to make soups and meals out of later. Embellish your basket with the seven candles of Kwanzaa in red, green and black.
