Some people feel sad when Christmas is over. Not Bayo. She is happy on December 26th because it’s the first day of Kwanzaa!​

Kwanzaa is a holiday celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. It is a time for African Americans to honor family, culture, and unity. Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. Instead, it was created in North America as a reflection of harvest festivals in Africa.​

This year, Bayo helped her dad decorate the house with straw mats and ears of corn. They also got out their kinara. A kinara is a candleholder with red, green, and black candles. ​

Each candle color has a special meaning. Red represents ancestry and unity. Black symbolizes the people. Green represents Africa. Each day of Kwanzaa, Bayo, and her dad will light a candle and give each other a gift.​

​On December 31st, Bayo and her dad will go to a party at the community center with their family and friends. There will be traditional African music, and modern music too. There will be lots of dancing. ​

There will also be lots of food! Bayo’s favorite Kwanzaa treats are sesame cookies, also called benne wafers. Her dad likes hummingbird cake, made from the traditional African harvest food, pineapple.​

There are seven principles of Kwanzaa. The first principle is unity, and the second is self-determination. Next comes responsibility and then cooperation. After that, it’s purpose and creativity. The last principle is faith. ​

​Bayo has faith that Kwanzaa is going to be special this year. As long as she and Dad are celebrating together, it’s sure to be wonderful.​