Kwanzaa, which begins Dec. 26, is a beautiful holiday honoring African American culture and community. Red, black and green are the official colors of this holiday and are used in decorations and candles. So here are a couple of ecofriendly activities to make the green a little bit brighter this Kwanzaa.

Decorations

Instead of purchasing new decorations for Kwanzaa, create your own. Use scratch paper or recycled construction paper to create strips of paper. Link the paper together in circles to create a garland to hang up around your house. This is a great, easy activity to do with children. More detailed instructions about this activity can be found here, but be sure to use the colors of Kwanzaa instead. Also, Care2 has instructions on how to create an ecofriendly mat using recycled construction paper as well as many other tips to make Kwanzaa decorations greener.

Cards

Send a free e-card to family and friends instead of mailing Kwanzaa cards. Check out E-cards and 123 Greetings for a wide variety of paperless selections.

Gifts

Traditional gifts for children on Kwanzaa typically include a book about African culture and a symbol of African heritage. Check your local used book stories or secondhand stores to find used gifts instead of buying brand new ones. Another activity you can do with kids is to make your own book from scratch paper or left over wrapping paper. Let kids draw and write what they think best symbolizes the African American community and how they incorporate the seven principles in their every day lives.

You can also use your creativity or kuumba this Kwanzaa to create your own eco-friendly activities. To learn more about Kwanzaa, visit the official Kwanzaa Web site.