Whether you call it a “real” holiday or not, the first Kwanzaa was celebrated 50 years ago this week. Apparently 1966 was a big year for holidays… Kwanzaa, the TV yule log, the Grinch. (Legend goes that Festivus started in ’66 as well.)

So is Kwanzaa a real holiday? A made-up holiday? Let’s face it, all holidays are made up at some point, so yeah, Kwanzaa’s as real as any other in my book.

And if 50 years is our definition of a classic, a classic it is.

Happy Kwanzaa, everyone!