Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 78° Today's Paper


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Holiday freebies

COURTESY PHOTO
Take in the Honolulu Academy of Arts' Family Sunday on Dec. 19.

Fun, festive and free. You really can’t beat that combination.

The countdown to Christmas offers a wide array of free events to fill the season with cheer even if shopping has left your wallet feeling slim.

Here’s a list of events that won’t cost a dime while creating priceless memories — at least one for each day of December.

Dec. 1: Head over to Kailua for the Castle Medical Center Community Tree Lighting Ceremony. The annual event starts at 6:15 p.m. and features music, Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday munchies, a free gift (while supplies last) and free trolley rides to see the lights on the Windward side.

Dec. 2: Kaimuki gets into the Christmas spirit with a parade down Waialae Avenue, featuring schools, lighted city vehicles and music at 6 p.m.

Dec. 3: The Windward Choral Society will perform its Winter Concert at 7 p.m. at the Windward United Church of Christ. Call 254-5717 for more information. (The concert repeats at 2 p.m. Dec. 4.)

Dec. 4: Experience wintery weather at Calvary Church of the Pacific’s Winter Wonderland from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring food, Christmas crafts, Santa pictures, craft fair booths and 10 tons of snow. The church is located at 99-400 Aiea Heights Drive. Call 488-6825 for information.

Later, head over to the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony/Parade. Features more than 2,000 marchers, 40 vehicles, and 15 floats and bands. Begins at Aala Park at 6 p.m., proceeds to King Street, and ends between Punchbowl and South streets, where the city tree will be illuminated.

Dec. 5: Celebrate Hanukkah with storytelling, a sing-along and games at 3 p.m. at Borders. Events vary by store, but celebrations will take place at the Waikele, Pearlridge, Ward and Kaneohe stores. Best for ages 3-8. Visit www.borders.com for more information.

In the evening, Central Union Church will put on its 63rd presentation of Handel’s Messiah at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Call 941-0957.

Dec. 6: What better way to start the holiday season than a visit to the big man. Mall Santas arrived in late November and will be poised to listen to the requests of good girls and boys through Christmas Eve.

Dec. 7: Listen to "The Smiley Snowman" by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton at Barnes and Noble story time at 11 a.m. at Ala Moana Center. Call 949-7307.

Dec. 8: Enter the Star-Advertiser’s Keiki Kalikimaka ornament contest for the chance to win $100, $75 or $25. Click here for the entry coupon.

Dec. 9: See Santa sign at the 19th Annual Deaf Santa Celebration from 9 a.m. to noon at Pearlridge Center, Uptown. Call 488-0981.

Santa will also visit the Pearl City Public Library at 10 a.m. Keiki can tell Santa what they want for Christmas and will receive a goody bag from Santa’s helper. Registration is requested. Sign up at the Children’s Reference Desk or call 453-6566.

Dec. 10: Shaka Santa visits the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa three Fridays for photo ops from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 10, 17 and 24. Call 923-1234 or visit waikiki.hyatt.com.

Dec. 11: The second Saturday in December is always the height of the season of Christmas fun and this year is no different. Here is a sampling of events:

» Santa arrives on the beach local-style in a canoe at 9 a.m. on the beach fronting the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. There will be keiki hula performances and complimentary photos with the man in red. Visit www.outrigger.com for more information.

» Have a snowball fight in the sun at Pearl Highlands Snow Days in Hawaii Nei event. The shopping center is bringing in 40 tons of snow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free train rides for the keiki.

» Take a ride on an antique firetruck, walk down Candy Cane Lane for holiday crafts and treats, and visit with Santa and Rudolph from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kapolei Shopping Center. Visit www.inKapolei.com.

» Hawaii Yacht Club and Aloha Tower Marketplace will host a Christmas Boat Parade, with decorated boats leaving Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor about 5:30 p.m. and heading to Aloha Tower before returning to the harbor.

Dec. 12: Find a display good enough to eat at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani resort lobby. Santa’s German Gingerbread Village, a 14.5-foot-high by 24-foot-wide edible "Winter Wonderland" is on display through Jan. 3. Call 922-5811 or visit www.princess-kaiulani.com.

Dec. 13: The weather forecast at Windward Mall calls for blizzards, courtesy of the Snow Flurry Tree. The tree produces a simulated 15-minute snowfall at the top of every hour from 1 to 8 p.m. daily (except at 4 p.m. Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, and 5 p.m. Dec. 24).

Dec. 14: Learn to create Christmas boxes and tags from Jacob Nihipali using Cricut at 6:30 p.m. at Kahuku Public & School Library. Registration is requested and limited to 25 participants. Call 293-8935.

Dec. 15: The trees get all the glory, but the 25th annual Holiday Wreaths Exhibit at Honolulu Hale is worth a trip in itself. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Jan. 2. Call 768-6622.

Dec. 16: Learn how to make Christmas cards at a 90-minute demonstration at 11:30 a.m. at Ewa Beach Public and School Library. Registration is requested. Call 689-1204.

Dec. 17: Christmas in Hawaii always brings the mermaids out of hiding at the Mermaids Hawaii Water Show at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel. For more information on the synchronized swimming performance, visit www.MermaidsHawaii.com.

In the evening, see the lights of Pearl Harbor from the water with 30-minute boat tours presented by the National Park Service and U.S. Navy on Dec. 17, 18 and 19 from 6:10 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center on the day of the tour. Tours depart approximately every 10 minutes. Canned good donations are appreciated. For information, call 487-3327, ext. 21 (after Dec. 7).

Dec. 18: The Honolulu Boy Choir presents its 36th annual Christmas concert, "Merriest Hawaiian Christmas," at 7 p.m. at Central Union Church. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Call 592-5043.

Dec. 19: The Honolulu Academy of Arts Family Sunday takes a holiday turn with its "Keiki Christmas" theme from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.honoluluacademy.org.

Dec. 20: Shoppers will welcome the distraction at Ala Moana Center’s Mele Trees of Light, an automated light show at Centerstage synchronized to music. The Christmas music cues up every half-hour, evenings through Dec. 23.

Dec. 21: Bring your dogs, cats and other small animals (caged or leashed) to Windward Mall to pose with Santa from 6 to 9 p.m. Call 235-1143.

Dec. 22: Salvation Army Nativity will perform its annual live Nativity show Dec. 21 to 24 at the Waioli Gardens, 2950 Manoa Road. Shows run every 35 to 40 minutes from 7 to 10 p.m. Call 988-2136.

Dec. 23: Write a letter to Santa at Windward Mall’s "Dear Santa Letter-writing Station," open during mall hours through Dec. 24 at Center Court. Keiki who send their wish lists to Santa will receive a reply in the mail (44-cent postage stamp required).

Dec. 24: Wrap your gifts and watch the Holiday Classics marathon all day on ABC Family, with Rudolph, Frosty and all the iconic stop-motion animated critters of your youth.

Dec. 25: Stay home and enjoy Christmas with family and friends.

 

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