The Christmas Traditions of Hawaii
The Christmas traditions of Hawaii is a labor of love and
creativity. Hawaiians import their Xmas trees long before
the season arrives from across the Pacific Ocean, which arrive
on the Xmas Tree Ship. They look for the best grand firs,
noble, and other popular varieties of fir or pine. Many grow
their own trees in their backyard. More creative Hawaiians
create Xmas trees by decorating the Palm trees for outdoor
displays and they substitute Santa Claus’s sleigh and
reindeers with an outrigger canoe and dolphins.
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They also provide the elves with aloha shirts. With creative
twists, the Christmas traditions of Hawaii become surprises
each year. This way, Santa wears aloha shirts and the Holiday
dinner is a community luau with a kalua roast pig and Xmas
leis.
Before the arrival of Christianity, the forerunner to the Christmas traditions of Hawaii is the four-month New Year celebration of rest and feast to honor the earth called Makahiki. This period was Christianized into Christmas but retained Hawwaian flavors of candy, fruitcake, sushi, lumpia, tamales alongside turkey and roasted pork.
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The Xmas carols are sung in Hawaiian and accompanied by
ukulele or guitar by choirs and bands while families celebrate
luaus and picnics on the beach or in their backyards. Those
who go to the beaches wear Santa hats and leis to go with
their shorts and bikinis. Even Santa Claus is a barefoot
big man wearing Hawaiian clothes. Because Hawaiians love
the spectacular, they put up thousands of lights on their
vehicles and parade them through the streets, horns blaring
and people flock the sidewalks to watch them go by.
The different cultures and ethnic groups that have settled
in the islands celebrate the Christmas traditions of Hawaii
in their own unique ways, which may be also religious or
plainly secular. These celebrations are never without singing
and hula with guitars and ukeleles. The beach is never far
away after the Xmas meal where most go to swim or surf.
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Related:
Other countries:
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