Kwanzaa, created by Maulana Karenga in 1966, runs from 26 December to 1 January and celebrates seven principles. Its kinara holds black, red and green candles; these palettes build on those three colours with harvest golds and earth tones.
Featured Kinara Candles
#F4E9D8 #000000 #C1121F #1B7F3B
Black, red and green, the colours of the kinara candles, on a warm cream.
More Kwanzaa palettes
Showing 7 of 7 palettes.
First Fruits
#F4EBD9 #E9C46A #A4161A #2D6A4F #3B2F2F
Harvest gold and fruit reds with deep green and brown.
Woven Mat
#EADBC8 #C49A6C #A62C2B #2F5233 #6F4E37
Straw and woven tones with red and green threads.
Candle Glow
#1A1A1A #7F1D1D #14532D #F59E0B #FDE68A
Deep red and green on black with candlelight gold.
Earth and Gold
#E0C097 #B85C38 #5C3D2E #2D4739 #1E1E1E
Clay, rust and earth browns with forest green and gold sand.
Unity
#F2E2D2 #DDA15E #B23A48 #2E8B57 #3A3A3A
Cream, gold, red, green and charcoal in balance.
Gifts
#FFF8F0 #EE9B00 #9B2226 #005F73 #0A0A0A
Warm paper with amber, brick red, deep teal and black.
Soft Gathering
#F7EDE2 #E9A6A1 #C25B56 #7FA37C #2F3E36
A gentle take on red and green: rose, sage and slate.
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Ways to use these colours
Decorations
The kinara colours black, red and green work well with natural straw and wood.
Cards
Softer palettes keep the three colours but lower the contrast.
Dates
| Date | Where or which tradition | Calendar | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 December to 1 January | Observed mainly in the United States | Gregorian | 2026 | Wikipedia |
Dates differ between countries and traditions; check local calendars. The palettes work any time of year.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kwanzaa. Origin, dates, seven principles, kinara candle colours (black for unity, green for the earth, red for struggle). Checked 2026-10-25.
Original palettes by PaintColorKE. Colours are digital values: screens differ, and a HEX value is not a paint formula. Use “Similar paint colours” for approximate matches from published paint catalogues, then check a physical sample.