How to Make a Kwanzaa Centerpiece

Setting up a Kwanzaa table is an important part of this holiday celebration. While there's much that goes into creating the right table setting, having the perfect centerpiece makes decorating much easier. Just by following the principles of Kwanzaa, you can make a great centerpiece that holds meaning and looks elegant at the same time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fruits
• Cup
• Candleholder
• Bowl
• Straw mat
• Candles (black, red, green)

Create a Centerpiece

1. Use a kinara, a seven-candle holder and a simple straw mat (known as Mkeka) to create a basic centerpiece. Place the mat at the center of the table and position the kinara on top. Surround the candleholder with dried ears of corn, fruits and vegetables and a special cup (known as the unity cup), which will be used at the end of the meal as a communal cup to drink during the libation statement (reading of the Kwanzaa poem).
2. Select a large wood bowl and fill it with different types of fruits to place in the center of the table. The more varied the fruits in the bowl, the more abundance it will attract to your home. Make sure to include many examples of tropical fruits, such as starfruit, mangos and papayas.
3. Place a series of small presents on the mkeka, making sure all items are "enriching" and have a connection to African history and culture. Hand-made presents are preferred, as are those that drive knowledge, such as small books or musical instruments.
4. Prepare the candles you will use for the kinara in advance. You can either put all the candles in the candleholder from the beginning and then light an additional one each day, or add the candles as the days go by. In both cases, you will need one black candle, three red candles and three green candles.
5. Add small items to represent African heritage to the centerpiece. This can include ribbons on the colors of Kwanzaa (red, green and black), small wood sculptures, bowls or other decorative items. You can also select a large wood tray and arrange all items of your centerpiece on top of it.

Tips & Warnings

• The number of ears of corn you place on the table should correspond with the number of children you have. Families with no children can use two ears to symbolize the unity in the couple.
• If you want to make the centerpiece more colorful, you can use ribbons to tie everything together, select a bright bowl or add ornamental plastic fruits adorned with glitter.