Hawaiian Holiday

I've always wondered what Christmas in the islands was like. Do they decorate palm trees? Drink hot chocolate out of coconuts? Make sandmen instead of snowmen? It all seemed so foreign to me.

And now I've experienced it. No, they don't typically decorate palm trees. Instead, they choose to decorate the downtown streetlights with garland and red and green ukeleles. Apparently, that's totally normal. Mele Kalikimaka is played give or take every 3 minutes on the radio and snow actually does exist so snowmen are possible.

Yes, it's true. There is snow on the Big Island of Hawaii! In fact, just this past weekend there was a snow and blizzard advisory for the top of the 13,000 foot Mauna Kea Volcano. Driving towards the mountain was crazy. I felt like I was back in Colorado, giddy over the first "fresh pow" of the season.

And if snow wasn't enough to get you in the holiday spirit...we had our own Hawaiian Christmas this past week. We decorated our mini Christmas tree, lined the table in presents and candy and woke up early to see what Santa left. Seeing as it is Munson's first Christmas...she was a little spoiled. Lots of new toys, treats and clothes. (Just to make her even more adorable). Tommy got a new longboard which he let Munson pull him on all morning.

Next Thursday, we are headed back to the Mainland for a Christmas/New Years Extravaganza. First off to Des Moines for Christmas, then meeting the Spivey and Willey family in Orlando at the most magical place on earth! We are absolutely so excited and cannot wait to feel that crisp Mainland air. It's been dropping to nearly 60 degrees here at night and I'm freezing so this trip could turn out to be a near death experience. I'm slightly worried.

As wonderful as the Hawaiian holiday feel is, I'm really looking forward to bundling up, playing in the snow, smelling real Christmas trees and being with family. There really is no better place than home for the holidays.