Kwanzaa yenn iwe ha heri!

I'll bet you didn't know all this stuff about Kwanzaa. I know a lot of it was news to me. Hallmark Cards has the scoop on Kwanzaa here. It sounds fun. Maybe I better STOP Dreaming Of A White Christmas.

More than 15 million people in various countries now celebrate the holiday, which begins on December 26 and ends on January 1. Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, and though families and friends exchange gifts during Kwanzaa, it's not a substitute for Christmas. It is a time for people of African heritage to come together and celebrate the unique cultural identity and heritage that they share.

Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to celebrating one of the Nguzo Saba, or seven principles, which represent values and beliefs traditionally found in African cultures. These principles, which are all described using the African language Swahili, are:

Umoja (unity)
Kujichagulia (self-determination)
Ujima (collective work and responsibility)
Ujamaa (cooperative economics)
Nia (purpose)
Kuumba (creativity)
Imani (faith)

Kwanzaa begins on December 26 with the lighting of the first candle in the kinara, the special candleholder that holds seven candles. It continues for seven nights, and each night, more candles are lit. The candles are black, red and green — black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for their future and their hope. The kinara, along with six other important Kwanzaa symbols, is displayed on the Kwanzaa table. Each night, all of the people at the celebration talk about what that day's principle means to them. On December 31, families and communities hold a Karamu, a special feast including readings, remembrances and a festive meal.