Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka. Hawaii offers a tropical atmosphere with touches of Christmas traditions for your holiday vacation. You can enjoy the sun, beaches, umbrella drinks, Christmas decorations, a Hawaiian Santa, and even a little snow. So don’t hesitate to choose Hawaii as your holiday vacation destination.
History of Christmas in Hawaii
Before the introduction of Christmas in Hawaii in 1837, Hawaiians celebrated Makahiki, a four-month festival honoring the god, Lono, and the earth by resting and eating. Like Christmas, Makahiki focuses on peace on earth. During the four-month celebration, warring between factions was forbidden.
Protestant missionaries introduced Christmas around 1820. However, sailors ate the first Christmas dinner in Hawaii in 1786 aboard the Queen Charlotte anchored in the port of Kauai. The dinner featured roast pig. King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma held the first official celebration in 1856 as a day of Thanksgiving, and Mary Dominis hosted the first private Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve in 1856 at Washington Place. It featured Santa and a Christmas tree. Christmas became an official holiday in Hawaii in 1862 by the declaration of King Kamehameha IV.
Mele Kalikimaka
Hawaiians greet each other with Mele Kalikimaka during the Christmas season in Hawaii. The phrase originates from Merry Christmas, but the Hawaiian language contains no r or s. So, Merry Christmas becomes Mele Kalikimaka. This phrase was the source of a song sung by Bing Crosby and later by other artists.
Parades
Christmas parades include the Keaau Christmas Parade and the Pahoa Christmas Parade. Some locals present their own parades with decorated and lighted trucks and cars.
Christmas Trees, Lights, and Decorations
Since pine trees don’t grow in Hawaii, you’ll see the trunks of palm trees wrapped in lights. However, some people want a traditional Christmas tree, so they buy one of the fir trees shipped from the mainland.
You can visit lighted holiday displays at Honolulu City Lights, Kauai Festival of Lights, and Pahoa village. Honolulu City Lights includes a 50-foot Norfolk pine, a giant Santa and Mrs. Claus, and outdoor movies. The Kauai Festival of Lights offers outdoor displays in the Park and indoor displays with an opportunity to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. In Hawaii, you will find mostly poinsettia wreaths. The island of Oahu provides the most holiday events and decorations.
Santa Claus or Kanakaloka
In Hawaii, Santa doesn’t arrive in a sleigh or on skis. He lands on the beach with an outrigger canoe pulled by dolphins. Santa also discards the red suit and adopts a tropical vibe in his apparel also. You will find him wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
Christmas Dinner
Many Hawaiians enjoy Kālua pig for Christmas dinner. To prepare Kālua pig, they cover it in banana leaves and cook it in a pit. Other families eat turkey or host a luau. They may gather in their homes, backyards, or on the beach. Instead of potatoes and stuffing, they eat sticky rice, poke bowls, and tropical fruit. For dessert, they may serve mochi, a Japanese rice cake. To make mochi, they pound sticky rice, mix it with dough, and make balls or patties. They believe mochi brings good luck in the new year.
Caroling
You will enjoy carols sung in Hawaiian and played on guitars or ukuleles. Caroling can become a sing-a-long with hula dancing.
Snow
Most visitors don’t expect snow in Hawaii. Instead of building snowmen, you can sculpt sandmen on the beach. However, you can travel to the top of the Mauna Kea volcano and have a snowball fight, snowboard, or ski. Mauna Kea also offers an observatory for stargazing.
Christmas Day Activities
As you might expect, Christmas attire encompasses Hawaiian shirts and shorts, and after-dinner activities focus on the beach. Locals enjoy swimming, surfing, listening to guitar and ukulele players, and hula dancers. Some surfers don Santa hats.
You can also enjoy whale watching during this time. Maui provides a good spot for whale watching.
New Year’s Eve
For New Year’s Eve, you can visit Poʻipū Beach Park on Kauai and Waikiki. Poʻipū Beach Park offers an outdoor movie, food trucks, and fireworks. Waikiki provides live performances, DJs, and fireworks.