Christmas in Hawaii: Your Guide to Paradise During the Holiday Season

Join host Bryan Murphy as he unwraps the magic of Christmas in Hawaii! Discover unique island holiday traditions, from Santa's outrigger canoe arrival to festive beach celebrations. Learn essential tips for planning your Hawaiian Christmas vacation, including must-book luaus, favorite local events, and insider advice for making the most of your holiday in paradise. 🌺🎄

What we discuss with in this episode:

• Santa's unique arrival by outrigger canoe on Waikiki Beach
• Popular Christmas luaus
• Beach and ocean activities on Christmas Day
• Island-specific holiday events across Hawaii
• Best times to book reservations for Christmas
• Tips for planning a Hawaiian Christmas vacation

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Christmas in Hawaii (blog)
Christmas on Oahu(blog)
Christmas on Kauai (blog)
Christmas on the Big Island(blog)

👉 Full show notes and resources can be found here: hawaiisbesttravel.com/131

Intro: "Mele Kalikimaka - Instrumental Version" by Christafari

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This podcast is for travelers looking to plan a trip to Hawaii. Discover travel tips, itineraries, and traveling tips & hacks with guides to help you explore Hawaii. Whether you’re planning a vacation to the Hawaiian islands, dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway, or visiting Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Oahu, or Big Island we’ll help you travel with aloha.

Edge of the Ocean, Stick Figure (w/ permission)

Ukulele and Chill, Coby G (w/ permission)

Chapters

• 2:19 Unique Hawaiian Christmas Traditions
• 3:54 Christmas Luaus and Outdoor Celebrations
• 7:09 Holiday Events Across the Islands
• 8:13 Top Tips for Planning Your Christmas Vacation
• 9:26 Conclusion and Additional Resources

Transcript

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[00:00:00] Bryan: have you ever dreamed about spending Christmas in Hawaii? I did last year and I can't wait to tell you about it. Was it worth it? What do you need to know in today's episode? We're diving into all of that and everything you need to know about experiencing a Hawaiian Christmas from unique Island traditions to unforgettable holiday events.

[00:00:19] Bryan: I'll share all my tips and everything you need to know if you're thinking about spending Christmas in Hawaii. Let's go.

[00:00:27] Bryan: Welcome back to Hawaii's Best. Today we're talking all about celebrating Christmas in Hawaii. And if you're thinking about spending Christmas in Hawaii, but aren't quite sure what to expect, then this episode is definitely for you. One of the things I love most about Christmas in Hawaii is how it blends traditional holiday spirit with unique island culture. And instead of bundling up in winter coats and sipping hot cocoa by the fire, you're.

[00:00:54] Bryan: Sipping hot cocoa. By the fire you're wearing board shorts, sipping to mi tie, and watching Santa arrive, you are wearing board shorts sipping to ma tie and watching Santa arrive on Waikiki Beach in an outrigger canoe throwing chaka to everyone on the shore. Well, maybe that's an over exaggeration, but it's possible. We spent Christmas in Hawaii before and it was awesome. Honestly, it kind of felt like the movie Christmas with the cranks. This is a 2004 movie, already 20 years old, which is crazy. Where the actors, Tim Allen And Jamie Lee Curtis planned to skip out on Christmas and travel to somewhere tropical.

[00:01:33] Bryan: However, they never end up going. It's a fun movie. We watch it every year. But it was a fun experience spending Christmas in Hawaii as a family. I'm excited to share some of my family's experiences with you along with some of the things you need to know prior to visiting Hawaii around Christmas time.

[00:01:50] Bryan: Now I go deeper into this topic on a blog post that I'll link in the description of this episode. You can check it out by going to hawaiisbesttravel. com slash 130. So Christmas in Hawaii isn't about just time at the beach and palm trees with twinkling lights, but that's pretty amazing too.

[00:02:09] Bryan: It's about experiencing this incredible blend of Polynesian traditions, Asian influences and the Christmas spirit that makes celebrating the holidays in Hawaii.

[00:02:19] Bryan: So let's talk about some of the unique Hawaiian Christmas traditions that you'll find in the islands. First up is Santa's arrival, and no, it's not by chimney, there's no sleigh involved. In Hawaii, Santa arrives by outrigger canoe wearing aloha shirt and throwing shakas to everyone on the beach. You can check out these canoe arrivals throughout December with probably the most famous one happening right on Waikiki Beach. At Honolulu Hale you'll find The famous Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele on display.

[00:02:54] Bryan: It's become such an iconic photo spot that you really can't miss it if you're on Oahu during the holidays. And I'll be sure I'll post a pic of this in the show notes. 

[00:03:04] Bryan: Christmas luau's blend traditional holiday dishes with Hawaiian favorites. You'll find Kalua pork and Lomi Lomi salmon served alongside of holiday ham. And trust me, it works. It's so good. Plus many hotels and resorts offer special Christmas luau's with hulu performances and live Hawaiian music.

[00:03:26] Bryan: One of my favorite things about Christmas in Hawaii is how so much is focused on spending it in the outdoors. Christmas morning is about surfing sessions And many locals take part in that as well as beach barbecues.

[00:03:41] Bryan: Both of those are super common in Hawaii on Christmas.

[00:03:45] Bryan: Instead of gathering around a fireplace, families gather on beach mats. Families gather on the beach and talk story around the beach.

[00:03:54] Bryan: Since Christmas luaus are so popular, I want to give you more details around what to expect. The Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider on Waikiki Beach both host some of the best Christmas luaus. They go all out with decorations like Christmas lights mixed with tiki torches and Hawaiian music groups performing both holiday songs and traditional Hawaiian music.

[00:04:17] Bryan: The hula dancers even incorporate some Christmas themes within their performances. But if you want more of a local experience, check out the Paradise Cove Christmas Day luau on the West side of Oahu in Kapolei. They do traditional luau activities like lei making and pom fron weaving, but with a holiday twist.

[00:04:38] Bryan: The food is great and they usually end up with Santa arriving.

[00:04:42] Bryan: And it usually ends up with Santa arriving as well. Now, an important tip about any Christmas luau is that they do sell out fast, usually months ahead. Most start taking reservations in July or August. So book early if you want to join when I know this episode is being released in December and many people start planning ahead a year.

[00:05:01] Bryan: in advance, six years or a year in advance, six months, nine months in advance. So if you're listening to this right now, isn't too early to look at booking reservations. If you're thinking about spending Christmas in Hawaii, maybe next year.

[00:05:14] Bryan: Now, beach and ocean activities are also really fun and unique during Christmas in Hawaii. Christmas beach activities are what makes Hawaii's holiday season truly special, really.

[00:05:26] Bryan: Truly unique and you know why, while people back on the east coast on the continental U. S. are probably building snowmen, people in Hawaii are building salmon right on the beach.

[00:05:39] Bryan: The water stays around a comfortable 75 to 78 degrees all year, so You'll see lots of people hitting the waves on Christmas morning. Waikiki beach is perfect for beginners during the winter season, while professional surfers head up to the North shore during the winter. So if you want to go watch some epic waves from a safe distance and see some of the best surfers in the world, be sure to head up to the North shore during this time of winter on Oahu.

[00:06:09] Bryan: Family beach celebrations are huge on Christmas. Groups set up early with pop up tents, coolers full of food and drinks, and even small Christmas trees. Kids open presents right on the beach, and families spend the whole day swimming, playing beach games, and enjoying Christmas picnics.

[00:06:28] Bryan: Many beaches also offer special Christmas activities, places like Kailua Beach Park and Ala Moana Beach Park, get pretty busy with holiday volleyball tournaments, sandcastle building contests, and really just people hanging out and experiencing the warm tropical Christmas day. But just remember the sun is still strong during the winter months in Hawaii.

[00:06:53] Bryan: So be sure that you bring your. Reef safe sunscreen and wear that if you didn't bring sunscreen. That's probably the best bet actually Just to buy sunscreen in Hawaii because you know, that is perfectly legal to use while you're in Hawaii

[00:07:08] Bryan: There are many fun holiday events and celebrations across the island. Each island has its own special celebrations and some of the ones you want to make sure you check out on Oahu Honolulu City Lights is the biggest display on Oahu the whole Honolulu highway area turns into a Christmas wonderland with the famous Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele.

[00:07:34] Bryan: The festival lights at Kauai's historic county building is amazing. The decorations are made from recycled materials and the building gets completely transformed. It runs from early December through New Year's.

[00:07:49] Bryan: And over on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Kailua Kona Christmas Parade is a local favorite. It's got that small town feel with definitely a tropical twist. Plenty of others to check out. So if you're visiting, just make sure you get, like an event calendar and you see there's plenty of fun, events, no matter which island you're staying on or what side of the island you're on.

[00:08:13] Bryan: So here are my top tips for planning your Christmas vacation. It probably goes without saying, but book everything early. Hotels, flights, and restaurants can get super busy during December, late December through early January. So start planning at least six months ahead. Christmas week is peak season in Hawaii, so prices are usually the highest then.

[00:08:38] Bryan: If you can come early December, you'll save money and still catch all the festivities that happen in the beginning parts of December. You want to make sure you make reservations for dinner way ahead of time, especially for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

[00:08:55] Bryan: Most restaurants offer special holiday menus, but they do fill up fast. Look at those restaurants that you have in mind on which island you're staying on and see how far in advance you can book reservations.

[00:09:09] Bryan: It's still warm in December in Hawaii. So be sure that you pack accordingly. You want to pack maybe a light sweater for evenings. Don't forget your swimsuit. It's kind of like summer in December in Hawaii. So just be aware of that.

[00:09:26] Bryan: So there's so much more I think I could have gone in to detail and I did that on our blog at hawaiisbesttravel. com slash one three zero about some more tips about spending Hawaii in Christmas Just want to kind of give you an overview of what to expect. It's really a fun time It's definitely worth doing at least once And yes, it's busy.

[00:09:49] Bryan: Yes, it can be expensive. But, if you plan accordingly and take some of these tips and some of the tips that I share over on the blog, to heart, I think it'll be a great time to do at least one time.

[00:10:04] Bryan: So thanks again for listening to this episode and to find everything that we talked about, go to hawaiisbesttravel. com slash episode slash episode slash Slash 1 3 0. And until next time, mea. And until next time, my friend mea, and until next time, my friend me.