Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 2015 — What Christmas Means To Me [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What Christmas Means To Me

// 1 A # hen I was but a \ / \ / youngster, Christmas » / 1 / meant one

\/ \/ thing; that V V I'd be getting lots of toys that day. I learned a whole lot different when Mother sat me down and taught me to spell Christmas this way." C - is for the Christ child born upon this day . . . In thinking back to my childhood days growing up in Waimea, I ean remember how festive our home was at Christmas. Mv Pana

would kalua a pig and my Mom and Aunts would prepare the fixins to go with a holiday menu. There was always music in our home. Ukulele and guitar would be readily available for anyone feeling in-the-mood. It would just take one person to piek up an instrument and the kanikapila would begin. On Christmas Eve, Parker Ranch had a big lūau for all the families that worked for the Ranch. A huge Christmas tree was erected — I have not seen any tree as large as the Parker Ranch Christmas Tree for was it sooo large because I was sooo small. Every child of every employee received a gift under that tree. We children waited excitedly until the end of the evening when our names were called to piek up our gift. The lūau food was sooo 'ono. One item that I remember so vividly was the palau or sweet potato pudding, whieh I just loved. The raw stuff were scrumptious — 'a'ama, 'ake, opihi, poke with inamona, limu (two kinds — limu 'ele'ele and limu kohu). When we were done with the Ranch party, our family would go house to house in Waimea serenading with Christmas carols until midnight. Our music would awaken people from their beds and bring them to the door to join us. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but let us not forget the purpose for whieh we celebrate. Imagine receiving a visit from an Angel telling you that you have been chosen to bear the son of God- who will

walk among us and his kingdom will never end. Mary was that person chosen.

H- for herald angels in the night. In a land far away in the hills and fields outside a little town called Bethlehem, the angel Gabriel appeared before the shepherds that were looking after their sheep through the night. R- means our Redeemer. The angel announced, "Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born for you. You will find him in a manger." The baby would be named Jesus.

I- means Israel; S- is for the Star that shown so bright. T- is for three wisemen - they who traveled far. The Wise Men followed the star towards Judea and when they got to the eapital called Jerusalem they began to ask the people where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews. Herod, the king of Judea, got very angry to think that someone might be going to take his plaee as king. Thus, he devised an evil plan to kill the new king. M- is for the manger where he lay. The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem until it seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the manger. Upon entering, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. So we learn gift-giving at Christmas from the three Wise Men. A- is for all he stands for; S- means shepherds eame; and that's why there's a Christmas Day. Please remember the significance of Christmas. Love your 'Ohana! Know that Families are Forever! Mele Kalikimaka a Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! ■

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Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey Trustee, Maui