How to Decorate for Kwanzaa with Fruit

Kwanzaa literally means "first fruits," which explains the importance of including fresh fruits into the celebration of the festivities. Fruits play an especially important part in the celebration of Karuma, the sixth night of Kwanzaa, on December 31. On this day, fruits are part of the centerpiece and integral to the decoration of the table and even the room where the celebration will take place.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Candles (unscented)
• Plastic or glass fruits
• Decorative bowls or trays
• Essential oils (fruit aromas)
• Different fresh fruits (tropical, in-season, etc.)

Use Fruit to Enhance Your Kwanzaa Decoration

1. Select a few serving bowls or trays to place the fruit that will go on the Holiday dinner table. Use bowls that complement the color of the fruits and try to include all three colors of Kwanzaa (red, green and black) in each bowl.
2. Decorate your home with a variety of fruits as a way to indicate the richness of the harvest and hope for abundance. Pick an assortment of tropical fruits to represent Africa plus some of your favorite fruits to indicate a personal touch.
3. Use plastic or glass fruits to decorate other tables. For example, you can place a group of three or four plastic fruits on the coffee table in the living room, or a set of glass grapes near the TV set.
4. Place a small candle near synthetic fruits to provide light and enhance the look of the setting. This looks particularly attractive if the fruits are covered in glitter or are made of glass, as the light will reflect and multiply. Try mixing plastic fruits of different colors to make the effect even stronger.
5. Burn some essential oil to complement the look of the fruit arrangement. You can use orange or apple essential oil or choose a variety of them depending on the room. Just remember to keep essential oils away from real fruits you plan to eat, as oils can be toxic if ingested.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a large centerpiece for the Karuma table with fruits and vegetables that are in season. Add some additional details to complement and fill out the bowls and then place on the dinner table.
• Decorate with fruits that are as fresh as possible, so they will stay in good shape through the Kwanzaa festivities and can then be shared by the guests on the last day of the celebrations, during the Karuma feast.
• Replace fresh fruits used as decorations as they ripen. If you leave them for the entire 7 days, they may attract gnats or cause a bad odor in your home.