The holiday season is officially here. While there are several holidays that people celebrate in December, many of them are often overshadowed by thoughts of Christmas, Santa and presents. Some people may even think that Christmas and Kwanzaa are one and the same, but they are actually very different holidays. Christmas is a religious holiday, while Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday. Many people celebrate either one or both.

For those of you who either don’t know what Kwanzaa is or have very limited information on the holiday, there’s more to it besides the cultural aspect. Kwanzaa is a secular holiday celebrated by the African-American community, lasting from December 26-January 1. It’s a celebration of cultural heritage and traditional values, honoring our history and traditions.

Days of Kwanzaa

Each day is dedicated to the different principles of Kwanzaa, including unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), cooperative economics (ujamaa), collective responsibility (ujima), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani). There are also three African colors that represent Kwanzaa, which are red, green and black and seven symbols of the holiday:

1. Fruits, vegetables and nuts
2. A straw mat
3. A candleholder
4. Ears of corn
5. Gifts
6. A communal cup to signify unity
7. Seven candles in African colors that represent the seven principles

On each day of Kwanzaa, the family comes together to light one of the candles in the candleholder and celebrate the principle of the day with dancing, music, food and tradition. While Kwanzaa is all about celebration and appreciation, an aspect that may slip under the radar for this holiday is the decor. Having decorations is an important part of celebrating Kwanzaa and will keep you in the mood for all-day traditions and celebrations. Decorating parts of your home with the Kwanzaa colors is a great option to prepare for the holiday. Because Christmas is a more celebrated and popular holiday, there’s always Christmas decor in stores and online. But, where exactly can you get Kwanzaa decor? How can you utilize the colors to turn your home into a Kwanzaa celebration? Here are the Kwanzaa colors and decor pieces to prepare for this cultural holiday in your home.

Kitchenware and Dining Room

December 31 is Karamu Ya Imani, also known as the Feast of Faith. If you’re hosting this event, it’s the perfect time to celebrate with Kwanzaa-themed dinnerware sets. Set the dinner table with a beautiful centerpiece and decorate around it. Use red and black candles, red napkins, and green or black silverware for decor. A red or black tablecloth is fitting for this feast as well. Kwanzaa dinnerware sets from Wayfair are great for the occasion, but if you want to use disposable dinnerware for an easy cleanup, Amazon is a great place to look.

Living Room and Home Decor

Another way to celebrate Kwanzaa is to decorate your living room for the holiday. Use accent throw pillows, blankets and baskets in Kwanzaa colors to add a warm and cozy vibe to your home that still acknowledges the holiday. Decorate other parts of your home with framed prints and artwork, vases, banners and flags to showcase the cultural and historical aspects of the holiday.

Ornaments and Holiday-themed Decor

Another way to have festive holiday decorations is to combine Christmas and Kwanzaa decor. Add Kwanzaa ornaments to your Christmas tree or utilize Kwanzaa colors to create a red, green and black-themed Christmas tree with ornaments, a tree skirt, garland and lights. Hang up a Kwanzaa wreath on your door or banners outside of your door. Make the inside and outside of your home as festive as possible.