Celebrating Christmas in Hawaii
Like in so many other parts of the world, Christmas is a special time in Hawaii. Some aspects of Christmas are the same, like families gathering to spend time with each other and the giving of gifts. But other aspects are different due to Hawaii’s unique mix of cultures and warm climate.
The first thing you’ll notice is that Hawaii doesn’t snow at Christmas time, because the temperature seldom dips below seventy degrees, so Hawaii doesn’t have a “White Christmas.” So instead of snowball fights and sledding, families may choose to spend a sunny Hawaiian Christmas Day at the beach, wearing shorts and bikinis, and santa hats, instead of overcoats.
Christmas trees are much more expensive than in other parts of the world, because they have to be shipped across a large ocean to get here. Some families compensate by growing their own Christmas trees in their backyards. While, others substitute coconut trees or palm trees for traditional Christmas trees. But in any case they are still decorated with bright lights and ornaments.
Often families will celebrate with a luau rather and a roasted pig, rather than a Christmas Ham. The luau will be filled with tropical flowers like anthuriums, heliconias and ginger, rather than mistletoe and holly. When Santa and the Elves arrive they will often be sporting shorts and aloha shirts, instead of thick winter coats. Traditional and Hawaii Christmas carols may be sung, and they’ll often be accompanied by an ukulele instead of the more traditional instruments.
In summary, Christmas in Hawaii combines the foods and traditions of Hawaii’s numerous ethnic groups and is shaped by Hawaii’s unique climate. So don’t be surprised if you find a little bit of everything here. And remember to say “Mele Kalikimaka” which is Hawaiian for “Merry Christmas” when you are visiting.
Hawaii’s Must-See Sights
Hawaii's Must-See Sights
If you want to make sure that you don’t miss out on seeing Hawaii’s most spectacular sights, things that only locals know about, then you might want to enter your email below to get my free report on Hawaii’s Must-See Sights.
I’ve listed all of my favorite places; places that you do not want to miss, in Hawaii’s Must-See Sights. Enter your email and you’ll discover:
- The name of one of the world’s best beaches
- Where to get the most stunning view of the Hamakua coast
- How to get up close and personal with an active volcano
- A spectacular waterfall that is ridiculously easy to get to
- Where to find a fully restored Hawaiian village
I’ve lived in Hawaii for many decades. My parents were born here. Several of my grandparents were born here as well. So my family and I have spent a lot of time exploring every nook and cranny of the Big Island and I’ve put this knowledge into Hawaii’s Must-See Sights.
Kava Kava High
“You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply.” Woops, that’s Rocky Mountain High. I suppose you’re looking for Kava Kava High.
Sorry to disappoint you but the Kava Kava High is not like the high from hard drugs. (Not that I’ve tried any hard drugs.) But I have tried kava. In fact, here’s a picture of my current bag of kava. It is Hiwa Kava from the folks at Hawaiia Kava Center.
Hiwa Kava
According to them, it was the favorite variety of kava (or awa as we say in Hawaii) of the Kahuna. Now the Kahuna were the high priests and advisors of Hawaiian royalty. They were really smart and also really scary dudes, who were not to be messed with. And they liked this variety of kava the best.
Why did they like it so much?
Well it produces amazing cerebral effects. It generates a sublime state of calmness and focus like no other. I feel like my mind can go places that it normally can’t. It relaxes my muscles and my whole body. It makes my lips and tongue a little numb and it produces a mild euphoria. It seems to lower my overall levels of stress and anxiety. It is totally unlike the effects of alcohol. When I drink it, my mind stays completely sharp and I don’t experience any hangover like effects the next day.
A word of warning. Don’t buy this if you have sensitive taste buds. I buy it and I drink it because I like the effects, but I hate the taste. In my opinion it is the worst tasting of the Hawaiian Drinks.Some people say its taste has hints of cocoa, but I think it tastes like dirt mixed with leaves and a dash of pepper. But that might just be me.
Kona Coffee Review
Hawaii received its first coffee trees in 1828. They were brought to the islands on HMS Blond, which was a British warship. Soon after, coffee was planted in the Kona district of the Big Island. Kona’s rich volcanic soil and unique climate work together to produce a coffee like no other. Kona coffee is by far one of the best tasting Hawaiian Drinks.
Recently I tried 100% Kona coffee from a company called Royal Kona. I sampled their Private Reserve, Medium Roast, Whole Bean. It’s not cheap. In fact, it costs roughly $2 per ounce, but it was definitely worth it.
My Bag of Royal Kona Coffee
It has a very fragrant, intoxicating coffee aroma. I really can’t describe it. I can only imagine what it must smell like when it was being roasted.
And it has a rich, complex flavor. It has a smooth, almost buttery mouth feel, with just a hint of acidity. And I really like the earthy notes that I got from it, which are much more complex than other coffees.
As long as you are a one or two cup a day coffee drinker like me, I think that you’ll love this coffee. But if you drink more than that, you will probably love this coffee, but hate what it does to your wallet.
Ka’u Coffee
You might not be able to tell this from its name, but Ka’u coffee is grown in the district of Ka’u. Ka’u is located on the Big Island of Hawaii just a few miles outside of the Volcano National Park.
Now Kona Coffee is thought by many to be one of the finest coffees in the world and if you are interested in kona coffee you might want to view my Kona Coffee Review, but I think coffee from this obscure area, called Ka’u, that few have heard of is one of Hawaii’s best kept secrets. Now I’ve tried both Kona Coffee and Ka’u Coffee and if Kau Coffee isn’t comparable to Kona Coffee, I’d have to say that it is very close in quality and flavor and it is one of my favorite Hawaiian Drinks.
A bag of my Ka'u Coffee from Big Island Coffee.
And you know what the best thing about this little known coffee is? It’s the price; it is significantly less pricey than Kona Coffee, because so few non-locals know about it. But how long will this incredible coffee from Ka’u remain Hawaii’s best kept secret? My wallet hopes that the answer is forever.
P.S.: You didn’t hear this from me…You may have already had Ka’u coffee and not even realized it. I’ve heard a few rumors that some “kona coffee” was really grown in Ka’u and secretly smuggled into Kona for roasting and packaging under the Kona coffee label. But these are just rumors after all.
Gifts from Hawaii
Are you looking for gifts from Hawaii? Hawaii is a special place that produces many unique gifts that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Whether you are looking for a gift for a grandchild or a grandparent or anyone in between, these Hawaiian gift ideas are sure to put a smile on their face.
Kona coffee is one of the best coffees in the world. It has a deep rich aroma and a very rich taste and an almost buttery finish. What makes it so special is that it is only grown in a tiny area on a single tiny island in the middle of the Pacific, an island that I happen to call home. Kona coffee is only grown in the districts of North and South Kona on the island of Hawaii. This growing region is about two miles wide and twenty miles long. The growing region sits at roughly 800 to 3000 feet of elevation and has deep, fertile volcanic soil which produces amazing coffee. Many of the growers have been growing coffee for several generations and are absolutely fastidious with their processing and roasting methods to produce an exceptional coffee.
Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts
Some foods are amazing all by themselves. Chocolate definitely ranks very high on my list of incredibly yummy things to eat and the salty crunch of dry roasted Macadamia nuts also gets my taste buds tingling. But what is really spectacular is when you put the two of them together. It’s almost impossible to stop eating them. Chocolate covered macadamia nuts make fantastic gifts, assuming you are willing to part with them.
The Ohia tree produces fiery red Lehua blossoms and it is the most abundant native tree species in Hawaii. It can grow as tall as 98 feet and it is a sight to behold when it is blooming. But not only do the Lehua blossoms look beautiful, they also produce wonderfully sweet nectar that Hawaiian honey bees seem to really enjoy. These Hawaiian honey bees work hard to produces a creamy rich honey with a subtle flavor of the islands.
If you are looking for a great gift for someone who already knows the ins and outs of caring for salt water fish, seahorses might just be a unique gift for them. These seahorses are not caught from the wild like many other seahorses are, but they are instead bred in captivity. Natural stocks of seahorses that are caught in the wild are dwindling, so buying farm raised seahorses helps to prevent the extinction of seahorses in the wild.
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies, the name says it all. I really don’t see a need to get into just how delicious these cookies taste. They are made right here in my hometown on the island of Hawaii out of the finest local ingredients. They are so good that they are almost mandatory gifts when we visit friends and relatives on other islands.
I’d almost be remiss if I didn’t mention gift cards. Some people in our lives are almost impossible to shop for and gift cards can be the perfect solution.
At other times, we may simply run out of time to buy gifts. The great thing about gift cards is that they can be purchased and even printed out or emailed directly to the person that you are buying a gift for.
So if you are in a pinch, you can buy a gift card and let the recipient of your gift choose their own ideal Hawaiian gift.