When is the Start of Kwanzaa 2013?

When is the start of Kwanzaa 2013? Here is a chart of the exact dates through 2014.

Need to know when Kwanzaa begins? Read below to learn more about this holiday and to see a chart of when it starts each year.

Do you plan to celebrate with a feast? Check out our kwanzaa stew recipe page.

Too late to send a card? Send this free e-card to family and friends!

If you observe Kwanzaa, please share your traditions below!

Kwanzaa Start Dates 2013

Kwanzaa History

For seven days beginning on December 26 and lasting through January 1, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, a relatively new holiday introduced in 1966 and named for the time of year when African tribes traditionally celebrated the first harvest of their crops. On October 22, 1997, the Kwanzaa U.S. postage stamp was first issued. Synthia Saint James did the artwork.

Celebrating

During Kwanzaa, people decorate their homes with straw mats, ears of corn, and a candleholder called a kinara. They light a candle in the home each evening and may exchange homemade gifts. The seven-day celebration ends with a feast, usually held at a community center and featuring music and dancing. This spiritual holiday focuses on seven basic principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani).