The Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the land where palm trees sway!

By the time you read this Brent and Tammi will have made it through their first Thanksgiving and Christmas apart since being married. How was it? Now we can say it was okay but on those special days it was rough. Tammi immersed herself in work preparing for year end in payroll and accounting by working 16 hour days. Brent volunteered to be on call for Thanksgiving and Christmas staying busy with work and household chores. Tammi started a Hawaiian Christmas tradition of spending time at the beach and putting her toes in the water. Brent enjoyed some good home cooking as his parents made the trip from Fulton to Wichita for both holidays.

So, you know what Thanksgiving and Christmas are like on the mainland but you may be wondering what they are like in Hawaii. Well, basically the same just a little warmer. For Thanksgiving, meals differ from family to family as they do on the mainland. Most people I talked to had the traditional turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. Some have never tasted scalloped potatoes or my famous, fattening mashed potatoes but the menus seem to be the same. Oh, but add rice to the meal! I think rice is served with every meal here! For Christmas most people I talked with were having ham, turkey, beef or prime rib for dinner. A few were heading to the mainland to enjoy some skiing and others were heading to another island to be with family.

The big retail stores were selling fall decorations but there didn’t seem to be the large selection that I remember in Kansas. I also didn’t see many decorations as I travelled around Oahu. Of course, I don’t go very far now that I’m working long hours. Christmas is Christmas is Christmas. The stores were full of decorations, gifts and shoppers! People go all out here decorating just like they do on the mainland. The major differences I see in Hawaii are the weather and the people. It was 80 degrees and sunny on Christmas Eve and Christmas on the leeward side of the island. The windward side wasn’t as lucky! Christmas Eve it rained like cats and dogs (so heavy they said it was coming down at the rate of 2 inches per hour for awhile)! The windward side of the island happens to be where the Obama’s are staying.

About the people. I can’t believe the number of people who were out and about on Christmas! Waikiki was packed with tourists and the stores and restaurants were open 10 am to 10 pm. As they say in Waikiki, every day is a holiday. I don’t miss the days I spent in retail! Most gifts on the shelves seem to be the same that you would find on the mainland but add a bit of an Asian feel. Lots of rice cookers and small food items that are popular in Japan. It makes sense since most tourists here are from Japan and I think most everyone living on the island has Japanese ancestry.

Oh the lights, the lights, the lights! If you ever get to Oahu in December be sure to check out the Honolulu City Lights! Very nice! However, at this point I don’t recommend visiting Hawaii in December unless you like rain! Winter in Hawaii is the rainy season. Although, if you want a white Christmas I can guarantee one in Hawaii; white sand! And while it may rain the temperature remains around 80 and shorts are still the best attire!

I promised some interesting holiday facts or trivia about Hawaii in my last post. Hopefully this fulfills my promise…

Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas. The words "Mele Kalikimaka" are a phonetic translation. When the missionaries and other Westerners first brought the custom of Christmas to the islands the Hawaiians had difficulty pronouncing Merry Christmas and turned it into words that rolled more easily off their tongues.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou - Happy New Year. The western Christmas and New Year fell during this same time of the year that the Hawaiians traditionally honored the earth for giving them plenty to eat. This period of resting and feasting was called Makahiki (mah-kah-HEE- kee). It lasted for 4 months, and no wars or conflicts were allowed during this time. Because makahiki also means "year", the Hawaiian phrase for "Happy New Year" became "Hau'oli (happy) Makahiki (year) Hou (new)"(how-OH-lee mah-kah-hee-kee

Mahalo Nui Loa - Thank you very much. When you receive a nice gift or are treated to a s pecial meal or beautiful song, you'll want to express your appreciation for the kindness.

Until New Year’s eve, love, hugs and prayers to my faithful followers, if your still out there!