# What's the deal with Kwanzaa **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752 "2014-12-09T12:39:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/1 "2014-12-09T12:39:20Z")
I have never met one single human being of any color,race or creed that has celebrated this Holiday. I have plenty of African American friends who think its ridiculous. I like the concept, but it may have had a chance if it were in a different season. Anyone ever ‘do Kwanzaa’? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/2 "2014-12-09T13:11:44Z")
You mean poor Kwanzaabot has been giving out [these](http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090531165120/en.futurama/images/2/2d/Kwanza_book.png) in vain? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/3 "2014-12-09T13:14:30Z")
It’s an artificial holiday based on pure racism. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/4 "2014-12-09T13:20:08Z")
And Christmas is an artificial holiday based on the Roman desire to integrate the new state religion of Christianity with the existing holiday of Saturnalia. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/5 "2014-12-09T13:31:07Z")
I’m sure there are some that celebrate it. They do sell cards, and they wouldn’t sell them if nobody bought them. For non-African Americans, all we see is the obligatory piece on the local news every year right after Christmas. I’m sure there are plenty of African-Americans who don’t think it’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/6 "2014-12-09T13:48:07Z")
I get the impression it is a holday driven more by white political correctness than black solidarity. But no, I don’t know anyone, black or white, who takes it very seriously. Sort of like Secretary’s Day, except for black people. Or maybe Channukah, because it’s longer. Now if only I could convince everyone to give the same respect to Steak and Blowjob Day. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/7 "2014-12-09T13:54:25Z")
Some people on this board have claimed to celebrate it, but it definitely does seem that even most blacks don’t care about it. It’s continued survival appears to be at least 95% pure political correctness. It was started in the 1970’s by a racist black guy why felt that Christmas was the white man’s holiday, and blacks shouldn’t celebrate it, so he invented an alternative holiday. In recent years the holiday’s promoters have tried to paper over its anti-Christian & racist origins, but I’m sure it’s still carrying that baggage in the minds of many, many people. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/8 "2014-12-09T13:54:35Z")
I think it is more popular on an institutional level than an individual one- that is, schools, churches and social organizations are more likely to observe it than individual families. This is not that unusual. When is the last time your family celebrated President’s Day? But a school or Rotary Club or whatever might. ALL holidays are made up, of course. And many are mostly relevant to a particular group. I don’t see Chinese New Year or Passover as big racist holidays, after all. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/9 "2014-12-09T15:29:06Z")
Kwanzaa is an invented holiday meant to link the black family’s holiday experience with something (supposedly) more culturally relevant to black people. As a result, it draws on vaguely pan-African stuff along with some elements of traditional US black culture to produce a holiday that’s intended to reinforce family, community and cultural bonds. Where it goes wrong, IMO, is that the majority of Black americans are Christian, and Kwanzaa doesn’t really include any of that. Plus, it immediately follows Xmas, so if your family celebrates both, you’re talking twice the time, cost and trouble. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/10 "2014-12-09T16:00:54Z")
Kwanzaa was created to annoy and confuse white people, thus compelling them to start [threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=293211&highlight=kwanzaa) [like](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=399661&highlight=kwanzaa) [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=152510&highlight=kwanzaa) [at](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=445618&highlight=kwanzaa) [an](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=677180&highlight=kwanzaa) [uncanny](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=633737&highlight=kwanzaa) [frequency](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508174&highlight=kwanzaa). As you can see, it has been very effective in reaching its aims. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/11 "2014-12-09T16:06:51Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Kwanzaa was created to annoy and confuse white people, thus compelling them to start [threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=293211&highlight=kwanzaa) [like](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=399661&highlight=kwanzaa) [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=152510&highlight=kwanzaa) [at](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=445618&highlight=kwanzaa) [an](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=677180&highlight=kwanzaa) [uncanny](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=633737&highlight=kwanzaa) [frequency](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508174&highlight=kwanzaa). > > As you can see, it has been very effective in reaching its aims. Well at least it’s not February yet. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/12 "2014-12-09T16:28:35Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > ALL holidays are made up, of course. And many are mostly relevant to a particular group. I don’t see Chinese New Year or Passover as big racist holidays, after all. True, but Chinese New Year and Passover weren’t started for explicitly racist reasons. Possibly another factor against it is that the holiday’s most visible symbol is something that is obviously a set of Hanukkah candles in African Nationalist colors. Which is pretty wierd if you stop to think about it. Well, maybe not to Sammy Davis Jr. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/13 "2014-12-09T16:33:38Z")
Currently on the thread list, it says: “Can we talk about Cosby? What’s the deal with Kwaanza?” The combination of the comedian’s “what’s the deal with…” and the word “Kwaanza” which seems like a perfect word for Cosby-voice has made this pairing seem worth noting. So I bequeath that note to you. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/14 "2014-12-09T17:29:51Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Now if only I could convince everyone to give the same respect to Steak and Blowjob Day. > > Regards, > Shodan You need greeting cards, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/15 "2014-12-09T18:07:11Z")
A few friends used to get really into it 15/20 years back but what force it had seems to have died out quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/16 "2014-12-09T22:05:09Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > …the holiday’s most visible symbol is something that is obviously a set of Hanukkah candles in African Nationalist colors Are you whooshing us? A \*hanukkiah \*(Hanukkah menorah) has 9 candles - one to represent each day plus one that’s lit first and used to light the others. A Kwanzaa _kinara_ has 7 candles, each of which represents a specific concept. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/17 "2014-12-09T23:32:16Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > Are you whooshing us? A \*hanukkiah \*(Hanukkah menorah) has 9 candles - one to represent each day plus one that’s lit first and used to light the others. A Kwanzaa _kinara_ has 7 candles, each of which represents a specific concept. I only wanted fork handles. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/18 "2014-12-10T00:16:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’m sure there are some that celebrate it. They do sell cards, and they wouldn’t sell them if nobody bought them. I imagine that 98% of the cards are purchased by clueless, well-meaning white people and given to their bemused black friends. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/19 "2014-12-10T00:17:27Z")
Why does it bother you? ---
**Author:** ![Waymore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Waymore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waymore)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752/20 "2014-12-10T00:37:42Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Where it goes wrong, IMO, is that the majority of Black americans are Christian, and Kwanzaa doesn’t really include any of that. Plus, it immediately follows Xmas, so if your family celebrates both, you’re talking twice the time, cost and trouble. This. I would wager the Christian church is much more vital to most black communities than it is to Americans as a whole. Replacing the biggest Christian holiday of the year probably wasn’t a good strategy to generate buy in. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-kwanzaa/706752.md?page=2)