Kwanzaa is no more an invention than any other holiday. All holidays were "invented" for some reason or other. Actually, Kwanzaa is an attempt to celebrate African-American traditions. No one in their right mind would insist that there are no African-American traditions. It can't be compared to religious holidays because it has more of a cultural base than a religious one. But even Christmas is more of a pagan holiday than it is a Christian one. Christ was certainly not born on December 25th according to the most reputable scholars of biblical history. The Christmas tree, the yule log and the giving of presents have more to do with pagan traditions. Thanksgiving was an arbitrary holiday declared by past presidents. Chanukkah, a festival of lights and taken for the eight days of oil that sustained Jews has it's origins in antiquity and is probably more ancient than many of the other holidays we celebrate but it was originated as a holiday by someone and is honored as a religious and a cultural holiday.

Kwanzaa is for the purpose of honoring the African-American cultural life which; I support whole-heartedly and think of it as much deeper than a Hallmark card.
It isn't for the purpose of commercialization (that is nonsense) but for the solidarity of a specific cultural group and in the same way that Christians and Jews band together culturally for Passover or Easter. To denigrate it is to also denigrate any other accepted holiday in America.

Frank