Hawaiians adorn trees of all description with colorful lights during the Christmas holidays.
Most people don’t think of the balmy weather in Hawaii as a Christmas-like setting, since there’s not much snow, except atop Mauna Kea on the “Big Island,” and there aren’t many chimneys for Santa to pop down with gifts. Nonetheless, Hawaiians start lighting the skies and decorating their homes just after the last bite of Thanksgiving turkey like many of us do on the mainland. Shops and hotels display exceptional Christmas scenes, hold scores of concerts and community plays to entertain residents and visitors alike, and “Mele Kalikimaka” (Hawaiian for “Merry Christmas”) joyously rings out all over the Aloha State.
The first Christmas celebration in Hawaii was rather modest and very English. Captain George Dixon landed his ship, the Queen Charlotte, in Kauai’s Waimea Bay in 1786 and had his crew prepare a Christmas dinner of roast pig, pie, and, of course, grog. They then toasted their friends and relatives in far off England.
But the real Christmas celebrations didn’t formerly begin in the Islands until around 1820, when the first Protestant missionaries came from New England. As it turns out, the introduction of our Christmas then coincided with a traditional, four- month long native Hawaiian festival called Makahiki. Wars and regional conflicts, which were prevalent at the time, gave way to great feasts, athletic tournaments, dancing, singing, and peace toward one another. In fact, fighting, except in planned competitions, was taboo.
In 1856, King Kamehameha IV decreed December 25 as his kingdom’s national day of Thanksgiving. Two years later, Santa Claus made his first appearance in the Islands and handed out gifts to the children at the governor’s residence called Washington Place.
The missionaries also introduced new words to the Hawaiian people; however, many of these words were difficult for the native residents to pronounce. Those they had trouble with were translated phonetically, such as “Mele Kalikimaka” (Merry Christmas) and Hauoli Makahiki Hou” (Happy New Year).
Santa leaves the sleigh and reindeer behind when visiting Hawaii and often prefers a surfboard when delivering gifts in the Islands.
Today, Hawaiians and visitors from around the world celebrate the holiday season in their own unique ways; religious or secular. Here, you’ll also often see Santa dressed in board shorts and Aloha shirt, and, maybe, paddling his outrigger canoe out into the surf. Trees of all description are emblazoned with colorful lights and traditional Christmas music and Hawaiian carols fill the tropical air. Holiday luaus with special leis abound.
The hotels, in particular, are centerpieces of the holiday season with amazing decorations, first class entertainment, special menus, and events for young and old. On Maui, check out the Royal Lahaina Resort and, on the “Big Island” of Hawaii, don’t miss the Royal Kona Resort. Both properties truly get into the Christmas spirit. For more information, go to www.hawaiihotels.com.