How To Celebrate Kwanzaa With Your Family On A Budget

Kwanzaa is one of the most important holidays celebrated in America. So it is important to learn how to celebrate Kwanzaa with your family this year. Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American culture that is celebrated every year in the last week of December.

Kwanzaa is based around the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa and celebrations typically include family and community events. The holiday season is coming up fast and it’s time to think about ways that you can celebrate Kwanzaa with your family. Here are some ways to celebrate without breaking the bank.

Celebrate Kwanzaa Without Hurting Your Wallet

Lighting The Mishumaa Saba

One of the central traditional celebrations of Kwanzaa is the ceremonial lighting of the Mishumaa Saba. The Mishumaa Saba is a set of candles that represent the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa. This is one of the most important options for how to celebrate Kwanzaa.

The Mishumaa Saba consists of one black candle, three red candles, and three green candles. These candles are placed in the Kinara, a special candle holder. The Kinara itself is placed on a straw mat called the Mkeka.

The black candle is in the center of the Kinara, the red candles are placed to the left of the black candle. The green candles are to the right of the black candle. Each of the Mishumaa Saba candles has a different meaning, according to the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa:

• The black candle represents “Umoja” or “unity”. This is lit on the first night.
• The first red candle represents “Kujichagulia” aka “self-determination”.
• The second red candle represents “Ujamaa” aka “cooperative economics”.
• The third red candle represents “Kuumba” aka “creativity”.
• The first green candle represents “Ujima” aka “collective work and responsibility”.
• The second green candle represents “Nia” aka “purpose”.
• The third green candle represents “Imani” aka “faith”.

Volunteer Work

One of the central aspects of Kwanzaa is the importance of community. This means that one of the best ways to celebrate Kwanzaa on a budget is to volunteer for community service. If you are thinking about how to celebrate Kwanzaa, a great option is to volunteer for an organization that supports the African American community.

Depending on your work or family situation, it might be difficult for your family to do volunteer work together. If this is the case, you can also donate money or other resources to the organization of your choice. There is no shortage of ways for you to give back to your community in honor of this holiday.

Attend A Kwanzaa Celebration

Another option for how to celebrate Kwanzaa on a budget is to attend an official Kwanzaa celebration either in your community or online. Many African American cultural organizations and community centers hold Kwanzaa celebrations. It is especially common to host Karamus, the feast that is normally held on December 31.

Karamus

Karamus is the traditional feast associated with Kwanzaa. If you are learning how to celebrate Kwanzaa, this is a feast you shouldn’t miss. It is typically held on December 31st and is a community event. The room where the feast is held is typically decorated with red, green, and black colors.

There are candles and entertainment. There is also a special communal cup called the Kikombe Cha Umoja, which is passed around for all of the attendees to drink from. This feast is one of the most crucial parts of how to celebrate Kwanzaa.

Arts And Crafts

Another great option, if you are learning how to celebrate Kwanzaa, is making arts and crafts with your family. “Kuumba” or “creativity” is one of the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa. What better way is there to practice creativity than by making Kwanzaa-themed arts and crafts to gift to your friends, family, and neighbors?

Learn Kwanzaa Greetings

Another way to learn how to celebrate Kwanzaa is to learn the traditional greetings. Greetings and salutations are an important part of the Kwanzaa tradition. The traditional Kwanzaa greetings match up with the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa. Here are the seven principles you should know about:

• December 26: “Umoja”
• December 27: “Kujichagulia”
• December 28: “Ujamaa”
• December 29: “Kuumba”
• December 30: “Ujima”
• December 31: “Nia”
• January 1: “Imani”

 

 

Staying Financially Secure During The Holidays

The holidays are always a stressful time, and you don’t want to have to add financial woe to your stress. Kwanzaa is not a consumerist holiday, and it requires almost no money to celebrate. But sometimes in life, you run into situations that will require you to spend money, and you need to be able to respond to these emergencies.

For those times where you need help with emergency expenses, you should look to get a payday loan from Cash Cow of Louisiana. This loan helps you bridge the gap between pay periods when you really need help. Plus, you can get a quick payday loan online even if you have poor credit.

Get A Payday Loan With Cash Cow

The first step to getting a payday loan is to get in touch with your nearest Cash Cow of Louisiana location. You can do this either over the phone or by filling out the online form. Either way, you will then be contacted by a Cash Cow representative who will go over the materials that you need to bring to the meeting.

To get a payday loan you need to have your most recent paycheck, a state-issued photo I.D., and a blank check from an active checking account with your name on it. You will then be guided through the application process at the nearest payday loans Louisiana location and – if approved – you can get the money as soon as the same day.

Come Celebrate Kwanzaa This Year In Louisiana

Kwanzaa is an important holiday for building community in African American culture. So grab your family and come celebrate with us in Louisiana. Be sure to check out all the ways you can experience a piece of African American culture this year.

And while knowing how to celebrate Kwanzaa on a budget is not hard because this isn’t a consumerist holiday, sometimes emergency situations arise that require you to spend a lot of money. In these times, it is important to have a backup plan. In these situations, consider Cash Cow of Louisiana payday loans as an option. Fill out the online form to begin.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.