holidays
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Kwanzaa 101 for the Uninitiated, Self-Conscious, or Confused
Y’all, Kwanzaa is LIT. Seriously. What other uniquely African-American holiday invites you to spend seven days talking about the realest shit? People get so caught up in how it’s a made-up holiday, but come on—a holiday is a group decision. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a federal holiday is younger than Kwanzaa. I’m not…
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If You Didn’t Listen to The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack, Did Christmas Even Happen?
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. My family always cooked just as much food as they did on Thanksgiving, but I got presents as a bonus. Win-win. In my excitement, I was always first in line to help put up the Christmas tree and decorations for the year. Of course, once I was old…
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Celebrating, Celebrity-Style: What Did the Famous Do This Christmas?
So…assuming you celebrate, what did you do for Christmas? Was it filled with family and food, celebrated with your chosen “framily,” or spent binge-watching and bingeing on Chinese food *raises hand*? Whatever your holiday looked like this year, we hope it was everything you wished it to be, because ‘tis the season to do whatever…
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The Perpetual Stoner's Guide to Surviving Christmas Day
If you’re reading this, you made it to Christmas, the day your inner child wakes you up ahead of your alarm for a day full of joyful, healthy interactions with family and friends. You’ve spent the previous few days stressing over gift sizes, jockeying for position in your nearby grocery store, and avoiding the requisite…
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Welcome to Kwanzaa Week at The Root!
Yes, we’re serious. When I was asked (or, um, “volunteered”) to edit our Kwanzaa Week series, I was hype! Last year, I decided to try to celebrate the holiday for the first time in a long time. This was pre-Donald Trump, and my family and I admittedly bumbled through it, but now more than ever, this…
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The Best Gifts Come Unwrapped This Holiday: Treat Yourself to Some #SelfLove, Part 4
“No matter how uncomfortable, how intense or how inconvenient your feelings are, facing your emotions, feeling them and accepting them for what they are is the best way to heal yourself and live a more balanced and peaceful life.” —Aletheia Luna Signs of the holiday season had barely rolled around before I began experiencing the…
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Traveling Light: Do You Know How to Pack Like a Pro?
True story: I’ve been more or less living out of a suitcase for the past 20 years. Actually, maybe more: As a child of divorced parents living in different states, I began boarding planes on my own at age 6 and remember well the annual ritual of packing for a full summer at my father’s…
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She’s Smokin’: The Running Fat Chef Has a Holiday Dinner Hack for You
Step away from the grills, people. It’s cold outside! Based on the temperatures I’ve been experiencing here in New York City, winter is already here. And while I love fried and smoked food as much as the next person, I’d like to keep my limbs frostbite-free if possible. Admittedly, I also don’t have a backyard.…
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Watch: Kwanzaa Is Like Christmas, Just 7 Times Blacker
This video originally appeared on Dec. 19, 2017. Have you ever looked at your kids and thought their little narrow behinds could show more appreciation for the countless Jordans and Apple products you buy them for Christmas? Have you been looking for seven ways to be a better person as you usher in the new…