How to Set a Karuma Holiday Table

The Kwanzaa Karuma, or Kwanzaa Feast, is celebrated on December 31, the sixth night of Kwanzaa. Karuma is a day to be celebrated with loved ones, be it family, friends or even new acquaintances. Dinner is a big part of the festivity, which is why the dinner table takes a central stage on this day.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Candles
• Cup
• Small presents
• Fruits
• Candleholder
• Red or green tablecloth or large piece of cloth with African-inspired designs

Decorate Your Table

1. Use a large piece of cloth with African designs instead of a regular tablecloth on the holiday table. You can also choose a plain tablecloth in green or red (the colors of Kwanzaa). If you can't find an appropriate tablecloth to use, you can buy a large piece of cloth at a sewing shop and simply throw it on the table.

2. Set the unity cup, or "kikombe cha umoja," on the table. You can fill it with wine now or wait until after dinner to share it with other guests. This cup will be used at the end of the meal in a traditional celebratory toast.

3. Create a special Kwanzaa centerpiece using a "kinara," or candleholder with seven candles. You can use the same candles you have been using for the first 6 days of Kwanzaa or replace with new ones especially for the day.

4. Surround the candleholder with special family mementos, small presents, fresh fruits and ears of corn. At the end of the meal, encourage children to take the presents home with them and the adults to leave with fresh fruit.

5. Use decorative bowls to serve snacks or to place fruits and vegetables on the holiday table. You can also set special art objects surrounding the centerpiece or decorate the candleholder with ribbons and beads.

6. Encourage guests to be creative and bring small surprise gifts to place in the centerpiece of your Karuma holiday table. Ask everybody to come up with something original without spending more than a set price (keep it as low as possible, so people really have to be creative to find something in that price range).

Tips & Warnings

• Since this day is the celebration of the Kuumba (creativity) principle, you can ask guests to bring original, one-of-a-kind dishes to share. If you choose to do this, be sure to fill the table with your best serving dishes or trays so your guests can place their own food as they arrive.