Christmas
Mele Kalikimaka & Aloha, Richard Tajiri's Christmas in Hawaii has been bringing the best quality trees to Hawaii for 37 years.
Kate was simply amazed. Hawaii to her meant palm trees, and while there were a lot of those around, you could even get flocked trees. Dark blue, light blue, purplish blue, kind of a purplish pink and of course white.
There were Noble Firs, Grand Firs, Nordman Firs, Frasier Firs and Douglas Firs.
Their home didn't have two story ceilings so they had to choose something around the 12 foot height. Alexis had found it first and Kate, Martha and Rick had to agree. It was going to fit perfectly.
They had also bought a few wreaths to hang around the place. Then Rick showed her all the Christmas decorations they had collected over the years of doing this.
There were four big boxes just for the ornaments that went on the tree alone. The Castle's didn't want lights on their tree. It was going to be filled with ornaments instead. Literally hundreds of them.
A lot of the wreaths were fake and had sea shells attached to them. Then there were the Christmas lights that went outside.
Rick had these mesh lights that you draped over bushes and simply plugged in.
4.5' Airblown Inflatable Animated 4 Wheeler Santa and Elf.
6' Animated Airblown Inflatable Illuminated Santa and Snowman on Airplane.
6.5' Animated Airblown Inflatable Illuminated Caroler Scene.
Candy canes to line the driveway with.
An entire Santa Village made from porcelain with lights inside and a Christmas train running through it and around it. Complete with switching and inside of it going in a small circle was a Christmas Trolley car like the ones in San Francisco.
There was even a Christmas doll house Alexis had gotten for Christmas last year.
(flickr dot com/photos/melaniecholy/4168881497/)
Plus a number of nut crackers, electric candles to put in the windows and these vinyl like window stickers that just seemed to stick to the windows and peeled off easily if you wanted to move them.
The center piece for the dining room table was a pineapple with flowers sticking out of the hollowed out center. And their were wood carved totem poles 'Kukailimoku' images in avocado wood 15 inches high on either side of it.
There were ginger bread cookies that had to be made. There were scented candles filling the air with Christmas everywhere.
And of course Christmas bells, paper angels and Mistletoe hung in strategic locations with Rick getting kisses from Kate every chance he got. Along with an occasional one from Alexis and his mother.
Kate even got double teamed one time. Martha kissed one cheek then Kate kneeled down so Alexis could kiss the other.
There were also Poinsettia's everywhere along with something Kate had not seen before. Red and yellow Heliconia Caribeea plants as well as a few Heliconia Wagneriana Rainbow plants.
They were all like nothing Kate had seen before and they were gorgeous looking.
Alexis and Kate made handmade snowflakes and taped them to every wall they could find.
Kate had only made one request. It was an old idea and she had done it with her mother when she was a little kid, about Alexis's age. Popcorn on strings to be hung on the tree or anywhere else.
This turned out to be easy to accomplish since Rick had a popcorn machine. All they needed to find was some string and a needle.
"I wish we could have brought Sparky." Alexis moaned a little. she was missing her dog.
"I know sweetie but your father told you, Hawaii has strict rules about allowing animals on the island. We aren't going to be here long enough for him to clear quarantine. You would only get to see him when you visited him.
He's fine back at home sweetie, honest. He'll still be there when we get home." Kate tries to comfort her.
Though to be honest even Kate missed having Sparky running around the house chasing down Alexis.
And of course there was candy spread around the house in little crystal bowls. Sugar coated gun drops in tropical colors, gummy bears, cinnamon bears and jelly beans.
When they were done Kate had to sit back and take it all in.
"It's amazing Rick. You do this year after year?" Kate asks with Rick's arms wrapped around her and a tear running down her face.
"Since I got full custody of Alexis, yup. We used to shoot off fireworks on Christmas eve just at midnight, but they outlawed fireworks a few years ago. Well, that's not entirely true. You can get them and shoot them off, you just need a permit which costs a small fortune. And even then you are limited to how much you can use.
It's just not as much fun anymore. Though I can see their reasoning for it. Back then you could fire off hundreds upon hundreds of fire crackers. So many in fact that the beach would be covered in paper an inch or two deep. It was quite a mess, which costs the city money to clean up.
But still I miss those days." Rick tells her. Then lifts his hand high up above them. "Mistletoe." Rick would point out.
Kate giggles and kisses him soundly, then rests her head on his chest. "You know you could just ask for a kiss." Not like she was going to refuse him.
"True, but this is so much more fun." Rick points out.
Kate holds her head against him as new tears start. God she loved him. She was sure she would never feel like this or anything close to this again after her mother died.
Kate wiped away a few tears and sniffled. "Maybe we can get my dad to come next year." Kate had wanted him to come this time, but he didn't.
"We've got an entire year to wear down his defenses for next time. He'll come, you just wait and see." Rick sounds convinced.
Kate pulls her head back and lifts up on her toes and kisses him again. "I love you Rick."
"I love you too Kate."
Christmas Eve dinner:
Hawaiian Christmas Candle
Items needed for each "Christmas Candle"
1 pineapple slice
1/2 banana
2 maraschino cherries
1 candy mint leaf
1 leaf of lettuce
Place lettuce on plate, put pineapple slice on lettuce, put the cut end of the banana in hole of pineapple, top with cherry. Place mint leaf on side with another cherry. This can be made into a fun activity by putting out the ingredients and a completed example then have your luau attendees create their own. You can even have competitions to see who can create one the fastest.
Hawaiian Reindeer Snacks
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
2/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups regular oats, uncooked
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
1-1/2 cups candied pineapple chopped into small pieces
Combine peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Stir in vanilla. Spread oats in a lightly greased 15z10x1 inch jellyroll pan. Pour peanut butter mixture over oats; stir to coat evenly. Bake at 300 F for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in macadamia nuts. Turn oven off and let cool in oven 1-1/2 hours with door closed, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; stir in candied pineapple pieces. Makes 8 cups.
Mele Kalikimaka Punch
1 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 can frozen pineapple concentrate
1 can cream of coconut
2 liters ginger ale soda
1 bottle sparkling mineral water
Pineapple sherbet balls
Mix all ingredients in a large punch bowl and serve!
Santa's Hat Ice Cream Float
1/2 gallon pineapple sherbet
1 bottle of ginger ale
1 can refrigerated instant whipped cream
Red decorator sugar crystals
8 long-stemmed maraschino cherries
Spoon 1 cup ice cream into each of 8 glasses or mugs; pour 1/2 cup ginger ale over each. Top each with whipped cream, colorful sugar crystals, and a cherry. Makes 8 servings.
Chewy Hawaiian Snowball Cookies
1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1-1/2 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt then set aside. In a medium bowl cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture then mix in the coconut. Drop dough balls by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cookies balls should be about 3 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly toasted. Cool on wire racks.
Santa's Favorite Hawaiian Trail Mix
Macadamia Nuts
Candied Pineapple Chunks
Chex Cereal
Pretzels
Mix and serve in a large bowl!
Crock Pot Guava Jelly Meatballs
1 1/2 cups chili sauce
1 cup guava jelly
1 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine chili sauce, jelly, and mustard in Crock Pot and stir well. Cook, covered, on high while preparing meatballs. Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Shape into 30 meatballs. Bake meatballs in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes; drain well. Add meatballs to sauce, stir to coat, cover and cook on low for 6 to 10 hours. This is a tasty Hawaiian variation of a sweet sour meatball dish!
MACADAMIA NUT CREAM PIE
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Dash salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 egg whites
1 9 inch baking pie shell
1 cup heavy cream, sweetened and whipped, or use a container of real whipped cream in a can
OVEN KALUA PIG
Ingredients:
3 lb pork butt
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 1/4 teaspoons Hawaiian salt, or sea salt, or kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees F. Pierce pork butt all over with carving fork or score with a knife. Rub salt and liquid smoke into meat. Place pork fat side up in a roasting pan or deep casserole dish. Cover and roast in oven for 2 1/2-3 hours. Remove the pork from pan and shred with two forks. Makes six servings.
Just before sitting down to eat Martha gave her son a Lei that she placed around his neck.
Men's Maile style Ti Leaf and Orchid Lei
Kate gave a Lei to Alexis, Rick gave one to Martha, and Alexis gave one to Kate.
Fresh Double Dendrobium Orchid Lei
With everyone seated at the dining room table ready for Christmas dinner.
The Lords Prayer in Hawaiian
Ka Pule a ka Haku
E ko makou makua i loko o ka lani,
E ho'ano 'ia kou inoa
E hiki mai kou aupuni;
E malama 'ia kou makemake ma ke honua nei
E like me ia i malama 'ia ma ka lani la.
E ha'awi mai ia makou i keia la, i 'ai na makou no neia la.
E kala mai ho'I ia makou i ka makou lawehala 'ana,
Me makou e kala nei i ka po'e i lawehala i ka makou.
Mai ho'oku'u 'oe ia makou I ka ho'owalewale 'ia mai,
(aka)
E ho'opakele no na'e ia makou i ka 'ino;
No ka mea, nou ke aupuni,
A me ka mana, a me ka ho'onani 'ia a mau loa aku.
'Amene.
Rick's presents to Kate:
One present Rick got Kate was a gift certificate to a local shop where she could have her nails done.
Pinky finger – wrapped presents
next finger – Tiki totem wearing a santa hat
middle finger – Santa on a surf board
trigger finger – christmas tree
thumb – surf board with a christmas tree on it and the words Mele Kalikmako
All with a light blue background
dutch-diana dot blogspot dot com/2013/12/santa-goes-to-hawaii dot html
(hope that worked)
Wave Earrings with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold - 12mm
A pair of 14K yellow gold pierced dangle earrings set with thirty-eight faceted round Diamonds totaling 0.156 carats, total weight, in the 12mm "Double Wave" design, with leverbacks. Approximately: 1 1/8" x 7/16".
Wave Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold - 24mm
A 14K yellow gold pendant set with thirty faceted round Diamonds totaling 0.415 carats, total weight, in a cut-out 24mm "Double Wave" design, without chain. Approximate size: 15/16".
Wave Ring with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold - 12mm
A 14K yellow gold ring set with nineteen faceted round Diamonds totaling 0.078 carats, total weight, in the 12mm cut-out "Double Wave" design. Approximate width: 7/16".
Plumeria Scroll 8mm Bracelet in 14K Tri-Color Gold
A 14K yellow, white, & rose-gold bracelet in a cut-out 8mm "Plumeria Scroll" design.
Kate's presents to Rick:
Bailey's Antiques and Aloha Shirts
517 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
It was a Vintage 30's – 50's Aloha shirt.
Turbo Ace X830-F C-RTF (23-30min Flight Time)
It was a remote controlled Helicopter. This one was more for fun than surveillance like the one used to get Bracken that day.
Rick opened his next one from her with one more to go. "Kate what's this?" As he holds it up for all to see.
Martha was first to react. She sucked in her breath and slapped her hands over her mouth.
Rick had a little blue stick that had a + sign on white in the middle. "What does it look like?" Kate responds with tears starting down her face.
Rick looks at it again to see if there is a hidden message written on it. It was just a stupid little blue stick. Maybe it was a magic trick, but there were no directions on how to do the trick. Then it hit him and he launched himself at Kate. "Does this mean, …..?"
Kate nods her head and whispers in his ear with Rick wrapped up in her arms. "I'm pregnant."
Kate was pretty sure when it had happened to; based on the dates the doctor had given her. It was the day after Thanksgiving. The night Rick had sent her into orbit again using one of the red licorice whips he had ordered earlier.
Just thinking of that day got her all mushy again and started crying even harder.
Kate was sooooo happy! It was like a dream come true. And while in Hawaii, in the living room, with Christmas all around her she couldn't stop the tears.
Rick had told her that he was going to make Christmas magical for her, and all she could do was cry happy tears on his shoulder while telling him she loved him. And that she was going to be the mother of his child. Their child!