In Hawai'i, Christmas is a three month climax to every year. It begins in early October when Islanders start sending gifts that go to the mainland, to the Orient the Philippines and Europe.

The ancients of this land, Hawai'i, called the period between the months of October through January Makahiki. It was the time of Lono. Lono, expressing life, productivity and harvest. It was a time of  celebration. Through music, dance and games. A time to pay tribute to the Alii, to insure protection and social existence. The month of December is called Ho’oilo, the cool season. Not many nice things are said of Ho’oilo. Heavy are the rains, unkind the winds, but it brings people closer to each other. In search of warmth, comfort and fire.

But days are not always cold or rainy. Visitors arrive to spend Christmas in Hawai'i in days of soft island breezes fragrant with flowers. Where else would you find a barefoot Santa arriving in a canoe on Waikiki  beach and giving a shaka? Or stroll through Waikiki with its hotel’s elaborately decorated lobbies in Island Christmas style and musicians singing both traditional Christmas songs and our own unique Island Christmas mele. Sometimes people remark that it just wouldn’t seem like Christmas without snow but St. Luke didn’t mention anything about snow in Bethlehem.

Christmas is a time to get together and celebrate family and friends in our islands ~ with piles of slippers at the door and with tables laden with kaukau and to sing and talk story. Lots of hugging Aunties and Uncles, waiting on Tutu, admiring and carrying the new baby and the keiki playing outside with their new toys.

Christmas in Hawai'i

The Hawaiians didn't celebrate Christmas prior to the arrival of Europeans, of course, but it was during this same time of the year that they traditionally honored the earth for giving them plenty to eat. This period of resting and feasting was called Makahiki . It lasted for 4 months, and no wars or conflicts were allowed during this time. Christmas came slowly to Hawai'i. Hawaii’s hymn-singing, pace-setting missionaries from New England brought Christianity – but not Christmas - to Hawai'i. In New England their strict Puritan laws had once forbidden the celebration of festivals and customs that flourished in the Europe they had fled. When the first missionaries arrived in 1820, the doctrines of the church were still faithfully followed and for almost two decades Christmas went unnoticed by Hawaii’s Pilgrims and their Hawaiian converts.

It remained for Kamehameha IV to bring Christmas to Hawai'i with a flourish and to establish once and for as Hawai'i’s favorite holiday. As heir apparent he had been sent to England where he was introduced to the Church of England and the great Christmas traditions. After his return to Hawai'i and his coronation, he was successful in establishing in 1862 a mission of the Church of England. Then he and the queen were confirmed. As Christmas approached he decided the church’s holy festival should be observed. Accordingly, he proclaimed Christmas a national holiday. That did it.On Christmas Eve all the churches were ready and beautifully aglow. The midnight service in the Anglican Church lasted until 1 a.m. after which guns were fired from Punchbowl and the king and the bishop led a slow impressive procession to the palace. Behind them followed the choir, and then torchbearers brightened the way for members of the congregation. The assembly marched in slow cadence singing Christmas hymns. At the palace there were fireworks, rockets, shouts of praise to the king, another carol, champagne, the national anthem, more hurrahs. What the missionaries had held to a quiet murmur the king had unleashed . . . and . . Christmas had come to Hawai'i.

Hoku Paoa Stevenson presented this feature at the Summer palace to a keiki halau. She actually paraphrased a book which she had bought at a yard sale, a very old publication of Hawaiian Dredging's.

How Christmas Came to Hawaii

Article by: Dorothy Chu
Shaka Boy Graphic by: Michele Deal