Winter Holidays Around the World - Kwanzaa Place Mats
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration observed in the United States from December 26th to January 1st each year honoring African heritage and culture. As you and your children celebrate - or perhaps simply wish to learn about and explore the various winter holidays celebrated around the world - here are some great craft ideas that will open the door to discussion about the symbols, traditions, and history of the holiday.
The mkeka, a place mat made from straw or cloth, is used to symbolize the importance of history and tradition. Just as the other six symbols of the holiday are set atop the place mat, it is important for those celebrating Kwanzaa to reflect upon how the present and future is founded upon the knowledge and values that have been passed along through previous generations. We found a beautiful mkeka craft over at Crayola that, not only offers a great tutorial for creating an important holiday symbol, but ties in with one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa - Umoja or unity among people.
Be sure to visit Crayola for this great tutorial! We know your kiddos will have a blast weaving the place mat {a great fine motor builder!} and it's a wonderful way to celebrate or simply learn a little bit more about Kwanzaa!
