Countdown to Christmas – Day 7

We are now 7 days away from Christmas, and today the countdown is featuring Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrating family, community, and culture and is celebrated for seven days, beginning the day after Christmas. There are seven candles of Kwanzaa and three official colors: 3 red, 1 black and 3 green. Each candle represents one of the seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa, and a candle is lit each day.

Day 1 Umoja: The black candle represents unity of family, community and race. It stands in the center of the Kinara (candle holder) and is the first to be lit.

Day 2 Kujichagulia: This red candle represents the principle of self-determination and advocating for one’s self. This is the second candle lit.

Day 3 Ujima: This green candle represents the principle of building community and developing it as a way of restoring African American and Pan-American traditional greatness. This is the third candle lit.

Day 4 Ujaama: This red candle represents the principle of cooperative economics. This symbolizes locally owned stores, shops, and other businesses working together to profit as a community. This is the fourth candle lit.

Day 5 Nia: This green candle represents the principle of purpose and self-reflection and setting personal goals as well as goals that benefit the community. This is the fifth candle lit.

Day 6 Kuumba: This red candle represents the principle of creativity. The goal of this principle is to do everything possible to make a difference and to leave the community in a better condition than what was inherited. This is the sixth candle lit.

Day 7 Imani: This green candle represents the principle of faith. It challenges people to believe in each other and honor each other’s struggle as righteous and able to be conquered. This is the last candle to be lit.

On the seventh day, all seven candles will have been lit.

So today on the 7th day before Christmas we have counted down the 7 candles of Kwanzaa. Join me tomorrow as we count down the 6th day until Christmas and remember don’t just count down the days, make the days count…Sincerely Jan

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