2016-12-26 Mon

Kwanzaa is a seven-day festival that celebrates African and African-American culture and history. Kwanzaa takes place from 26th December to 1st January of every year. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase 'matunda ya kwanza' which means 'first fruits' in the Swahili language. Kwanzaa is mostly celebrated in the USA.

During Kwanzaa, a special candle holder called a kinara is used. A kinara holds seven candles, three red ones on the left, three green ones on the right with a black candle in the center. The seven days and candles in Kwanzaa represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Unity, Self-Determination, Cooperative economics, Purpose, Collective work and responsibility, Creativity, Believing in people, families, leaders, teachers and the righteousness of the African-American struggle.

The U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa by issuing forever stamp. On 1st October 2016, USPS issued a Kwanzaa stamp which marks the 50th anniversary of this widely celebrated holiday.

The stamp features a young African-American woman as the embodiment of Africa. She wears a lavender dress with a collar of African design that also appears in her earring. In front of the woman sits a large purple bowl. It overflows with fruits and vegetables, symbolizing the abundance of African first harvest celebrations.