I work in a care home for the elderly so I was on duty this xmas and expected to get into the "xmas spirit", dress up, etc. So I put on my kente cloth shirt and a couple beads and came as an African wise man from the east. I got to play them some Bob Marley and dance around with them and they were loving it (these are all 80- to 90-something white welsh folks). Like you (Ayinde) said, the good things that are promoted in xmas, I try to do all the time anyway, so it is just another normal day to me except the buses don't run. But most people round here celebrate it, and I have no problem joining in with them to an extent; in that it's good to hang out with family you haven't seen for a while, have a slightly more relaxed and informal day at work, etc. I have no problem enjoying these things with people who celebrate xmas, however I won't pretend to be something I'm not and go singing carols in the name of jeeza$$ etc.
I went and visited my grandmother in London before Christmas, yeah I bought her a couple presents; she is 92 and lonely and a visit and a couple of presents can brighten up her life and doesn't cost me much so I don't see any problem with that. I also got small gifts for everyone at the home cos my job's about to finish and I wanted to give everyone a little something to show that I like and respect them as individuals (which I do, pretty much all the residents if not all my co-workers). And I got a couple books for my aunt and uncle who have saved me hundreds if not thousands of quid in rent by giving me a dirt-cheap place to stay for the past year. So it is just a token of appreciation.
I don't deal with the xmas trees, holly and ivy, etc.
Kwaanza promotes good principles (obviously to be applied year round) but seems a bit contrived to me, and I generally am not a big fan of Karenga (there are those who think he was/is an agent; he certainly violently opposed the Black Panther Party which I see as the most progressive force for change in the society of that time). So I guess not being a fan of Karenga kind of prejudices me against his creation. But I think it's better for Black people to celebrate Kwaanza than xmas.
Really we should celebrate life and love seven days a week thirteen months a year.
Theme song for the day... Macka B "Christmas is Cancelled".