Celebrate an important culture this Kwanzaa when you bring together friends and loved ones for your Kwanzaa party. Although you may have spent quite a bit on getting your party together in previous years you may want to look into more cost efficient ways to keep your celebration fun. Sometimes Kwanzaa is particularly hard to fund because it falls between Christmas and New Year’s which can really overtake a budget. There are numerous ways to make Kwanzaa less about the money and more about learning about and celebrating a beloved culture though. With these easy to follow steps you’ll be able to utilize every aspect of Kwanzaa without having to stretch your budget even farther. So, stop stressing out about how you’ll meet all three holiday demands and let your Kwanzaa celebration begin.
1. Use Fruit
Kwanzaa is actually a celebration of first fruits so it makes sense that fruit would be one of the most prominent aspects of your celebration. Instead of worrying about decorations for your party you may want to utilize fruit to give your party an exciting look that can’t be beat by more expensive decorations. Fruit is simple to add onto wreaths, displays and other crafty ideas so don’t be afraid to get creative with your designs. To make your fruit last longer you may want to give it a vinegar bath which helps keep the fruit edible for longer. This will allow your guest to grab a snack whenever they feel hungry during the seven day celebration. If you aren’t really interested in using real fruit for your decorations then you might want invest in some plastic fruits. These are usually fairly inexpensive and can be used year after year to create the perfect Kwanzaa vibe in your home.
2. Celebrate Colors
When it comes to Kwanzaa you may want to keep things simple by following a simple color scheme. Typically you’ll want to decorate in red, black and green which opens up your decorating possibilities substantially. One easy way to add some colorful décor to your home is to shop the clearance section of a fabric store and find fabrics that fit the theme. If you stick with solid colors then you’ll easily be able to reuse the fabrics for other celebrations throughout the year. You can easily hang the colors on your wall for a simple background or you can create table clothes and napkins for a fun dining experience. You might also want to find flags for the kids to color in with these colors which will always make them feel like a part of the holiday while still providing your home with some fun décor.
3. Be Artistic
When it comes to Kwanzaa nothing is more fun than bringing out your artistic side. Instead of spending hours online looking for cultural pieces that could cost you a fortune you may want to take measures into your own hands. Instead, try looking up some traditional art online and using clay to mimic to the statues. You might even want to get some green, red and black playdough for the kids so they can come up with their own cultural statues to display in the home. After a few years you’ll have so many decorative pieces you won’t know where to put them all. You could also download some Kwanzaa printouts to keep the younger kids busy. If you aren’t into sculpting then you could lay out paper for and paint images of what Kwanzaa means to you. Once they’re dry make sure to find the best place to display them so everyone can talk about your art and how they feel about Kwanzaa too. If you’re low on artistic ideas then you may want to take to the internet to find even more crafts you can do for this holiday.
4. Utilize Farmer’s Markets
When it comes to your holiday feast you may want to steer clear of the local grocery store. Kwanzaa is a time to celebrate the fruit of the land, so what better place to shop then your local farmer’s market. Try to make a menu that works around some of the best priced local fruits and vegetables so you can feel like you’re celebrating the season as well as your culture. The Farmer’s Market is the best place to find the fruits you’ll want to serve, snack on and decorate with so make sure you find an abundance of delicious taste. It is also the best place to buy the ears of corn that are meant for your table. For each child in the household you should have one ear of corn to represent your family’s prosperity. If you don’t have children for your celebration then come up with another reason to celebrate and use the corn to represent that. With the farmer’s market items you’ll have the best quality foods you could hope for at a price you’ll want to celebrate.
5. Homemade Gifts
Although Kwanzaa isn’t all about the gifts many family’s still like to give out a little something for the holiday. This could be pretty difficult considering many people have a small budget due to Christmas. Instead of going all out and buying gifts you may want to try to make something for each guest that comes from the heart instead. There are so many things you can make for people that spread the meaning of celebration as well as your love for them. A poem is a great way to use your talents to give someone something special that helps represent Kwanzaa and your personal relationship. If you don’t want work with words then you might want to try painting a picture, knitting a scarf in the classic Kwanzaa colors or creating a decoration that can be used for next Kwanzaa. Another simple gift is to create a bracelet that represents the seven candles of Kwanzaa by using beads. Whichever direction you decide to take your creativity in your guest will certainly feel the love.
6. Candles
Kwanzaa requires a certain kind of candle to help kick off the celebrations. Typically the candles are meant to be made of all natural ingredients and have no scent at all. You will also need three red, three green and one black. Sometimes finding these candles at a decent price could be a bit troublesome which is why it might be a better idea to learn how to make your own candles. There are many kits available now that are low cost and can get you started making your own holiday candles. If you are experienced with candle making then you should be able to buy the ingredients at a low cost. This will also allow you to make bulk candles so you can stock up for next year, give them out as gifts or keep an extra set just in case something happens to your original set.
7. Kinara
The Kinara is one of the focal points of the Kwanzaa dinner table, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on a new one. In fact, you want to try to be as natural as possible if you can. The Kinara is a simple piece to make so don’t worry if you’re not great with crafts. Typically it is made out of a piece of driftwood or other woods that don’t really cost a whole lot at the lumber store. You can easily pick out the best piece for your home though because there is no set wood for the design. Typically the Kinara has seven holes that are easy to drill to fit your candles. If you aren’t interested in making your own then you may have an easy time finding a Kinara in a drift store on a clearance sale after the holiday is over. You might even have your kids make their own Kinara made out of toilet rolls or paper to give them a key role in the holiday process.
8. Invitations
Finding invitations to send out for Kwanzaa might be a bit tough because you tend to have to order them online. It might also be a bit pricey because the invites tend to be custom orders that rarely have a discounted price. Of course, sending out invitations also means you’ll have to pay for postage and hope that the invites get to the guest in time for the party, which is particularly hard since Christmas takes place the day before Kwanzaa. Instead of worrying about all of these factors you might want to look for a cute e-invitation you can send through the email. You could also easily form an invitation group on your favorite social media site or simple text the invite to each guest. If you want to be creative then you may want to take to a photo editing program to create your own Kwanzaa card, or print out a premade invite from the internet. If you don’t want to mail them then hand them out as you see each guest throughout the season.
9. Make Own Clothes
If your family is looking to go the traditional route this season then you might want to look into making your own traditional clothing. This will allow you some creative freedom while also allowing you to save a whole lot of money on the clothing. Typically you can buy a pattern for African clothing online for fairly cheap, but if you’re looking to save even more money then you may be able to download one from the internet or watch a tutorial that will serve as a good guide for your task. You should also be able to find fabric for these clothing at a fairly low price, especially if you’re willing to shop around a little bit before you buy. Usually if you stick with solid colors you’ll save more than you would on patterns, but if you want to go the extra mile you could also use the scrap material to serve as napkins and other décor items. You might even enjoy making the clothes so much that you’ll start creating more for next Kwanzaa to sell as a side business.
10. Entertainment
Kwanzaa is one of the easiest holidays to entertain for. Traditional songs will keep your guest pleased for hours so make sure to do some research to find music to play at the party. If you’re really interested in singing for the holiday then print out lyrics for everyone so you can create an entire chorus in your home. You should easily be able to find a Kwanzaa playlist on internet radio or you might even find videos of the songs online which can help guests learn dances and songs. As the party begins to cool down then you might want to have guest ease into traditional stories or classic Kwanzaa tales that can be found in a wide assortment of books or online. Guests may also want to talk about their heritage or the meaning of Kwanzaa which is great for younger kids to learn more about what they’re celebrating. If things tend to get boring then you might want to pull out some games. You should be able to find some traditional games online that can be recreated with household items or you can easily pull out a classic board game to unite everyone.
Although Kwanzaa is placed between Christmas and New Year’s it doesn’t have to get pumped because of your budget. You should be able to pull off a holiday everyone will remember with these easy to follow steps. So let Kwanzaa become a celebration again and forget all about the expenses it might cause you because this year your holiday will be measure in love spread and fun memories rather than how much it cost to throw your party.
