People have made reference to "Kwanzaa" being a made up holiday. Aren't all holidays " made up"?

Question

Do we require a "holiday" to have an historical past dating back before time was invented before it can be considered a holiday?

Answer 1

Great question! Christmas is actually even more "made up" than Kwanzaa, if you think about it; Kwanzaa was a deliberate response by Maulana Karenga in support of African American and Pan-African people to give them a focal point for celebration, whereas 'Christmas' was a name laid on top of the pagan Saturnalia/Winter solstice celebration so Christians could celebrate Christ's birthday without getting in trouble with the Romans. Ironically, Christ was probably born in September or October (according to what few clues there are), so you can argue Christmas is celebrated on the wrong date, which you can't say about Kwanzaa!

Answer 2

You are free to consider anything as a private holiday. Most are remembrances of happenings of the past. Some honor present day heros. As I understand it, Kwanzaa was made up in order to have a holiday especially for the blacks. If it commemorates something special in the history of dark skinned people, nothing wrong with that. If it has no special meaning, just something out of someones head to make a holiday, that dilutes it considerably in my estimation.

Answer 3

I agree. All holidays are made up to celebrate something. Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day... and many more. Not only that, but look at the silly traditions of each one. You can't tell me that those traditions would've been around way back in the day......I think today when holidays are made up, they are made often for the wrong reasons, such as boosting retail sales (Sweetest Day).

Answer 4

The people that say that are ignorant. You are right, all holidays start somewhere. Martin Luther King 's birthday is a holiday of sorts and that is pretty new as well.

Answer 5

yes,the only difference is why.