Festival of Lights (Hawaii)
Encyclopedia
The Festival of Lights is an annual celebration held in Hawaii
during December.
, the Festival of Lights began in 1996, focusing on the preservation of Christmas folk art
. Its origins begin 50 years ago with "Auntie" Josie Chansky, a folk artist born and raised on Kauai. It is because of her art and contribution to the people of the islands that Festival of Lights was created. For nearly 40 years, first on Oahu
and then 18 years on Kauai, Auntie Josie opened her home to neighbors, strangers, tourists - everyone and anyone. People just started showing up on her lawn and then at her door. They wanted to see all the Christmas folk art decorations that she created and displayed on the outside and inside of her home. Auntie Josie’s home became known as “The Christmas House.” Generations of families began making “The Christmas House” part of their holiday traditions to see favorites such as a Christmas tree
made of 7,500 green toothpick
s, wreath
s formed from egg carton
s, table decorations constructed with seed pods, and a chandelier
fashioned from wire coat hangers. Auntie Josie transformed these humble materials into sparkling treasures.
Auntie Josie’s husband died in 1996. Out of grief and the sad realization that she did not have the strength to put up all the decorations herself, Auntie Josie held a garage sale
. Luckily, the loss of the “The Christmas House” to the community was recognized and her entire collection was saved by a community member and donated to the County of Kauai
. Festival of Lights was born and continues to be run by community volunteers with funding by the County of Kauai, Office of Economic Development, Hawaii Tourism Authority, individuals and private businesses.
In 2006, Auntie Josie was honored by both the Senate and the Office of the Mayor for her 50 years of contribution to Hawaii’s holiday season. The Hawaii House of Representatives
had also recognized her work in 1975. In 2006, Auntie Josie was honored with Proclamations by both Senator Hooser of the Hawaii State Legislature and Former Kauai Mayor Baptiste for her 50 years of contribution to Hawai‘i’s holiday season. A week before Auntie Josie’s passing on February 3, 2009, Kauai Mayor Carvalho also issued a Proclamation to Auntie Josie.
Festival of Lights also showcases decorations created by the local community. In 2010, high school students from Kauai High Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT) were invited to the Washington D.C. office of Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) to create an "Aloha Recycled Treasures" Christmas tree. More than 500 handcrafted ornaments created from discarded water bottles decorated the tree. Every U.S. Senator was also presented an ornament along with a request to share the beauty of recycling. The 2009 Festival of Lights was the first to showcase the results of the AOHT students’ “Aloha Recycled Treasures” project, which were snowflake and flower Christmas tree decorations. In 2010, the AOHT students expanded to pineapples, coconut trees, surfers and more.
Other decorations created by various members of the local community for display at the Festival of Lights include Kauai-style themed trees: SPAM, Hula Bear, Kilauea Lighthouse and Peacock.
More than 5,000 people attend Opening Night at the Historic County Building on the first Friday of December. Visitors enjoy caroling by the Kauai Chorale and Santa leading a Lighting Countdown of the Historic Park. The doors then officially open for viewing of the interior of the Historic County Building and its illuminated Christmas decoration
s. Visitors can continue to view the Festival of Lights through Christmas Eve.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
during December.
Kauai
On KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, the Festival of Lights began in 1996, focusing on the preservation of Christmas folk art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
. Its origins begin 50 years ago with "Auntie" Josie Chansky, a folk artist born and raised on Kauai. It is because of her art and contribution to the people of the islands that Festival of Lights was created. For nearly 40 years, first on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
and then 18 years on Kauai, Auntie Josie opened her home to neighbors, strangers, tourists - everyone and anyone. People just started showing up on her lawn and then at her door. They wanted to see all the Christmas folk art decorations that she created and displayed on the outside and inside of her home. Auntie Josie’s home became known as “The Christmas House.” Generations of families began making “The Christmas House” part of their holiday traditions to see favorites such as a Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
made of 7,500 green toothpick
Toothpick
A toothpick is a small stick of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, bone or other substance used to remove detritus from the teeth, usually after a meal. A toothpick usually has one or two sharp ends to insert between teeth. They can also be used for picking up small appetizers or as a cocktail...
s, wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
s formed from egg carton
Egg carton
An egg carton is a carton designed for carrying and transporting whole eggs. These cartons have a dimpled form in which each dimple accommodates an individual egg and isolates that egg from eggs in adjacent dimples...
s, table decorations constructed with seed pods, and a chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
fashioned from wire coat hangers. Auntie Josie transformed these humble materials into sparkling treasures.
Auntie Josie’s husband died in 1996. Out of grief and the sad realization that she did not have the strength to put up all the decorations herself, Auntie Josie held a garage sale
Garage sale
A garage sale, also known as a yard sale, rummage sale, tag sale, lawn sale, attic sale, moving sale, or junk sale, is an informal, irregularly scheduled event for the sale of used goods by private individuals, in which "block sales" are allowed, so that sellers are not required to obtain business...
. Luckily, the loss of the “The Christmas House” to the community was recognized and her entire collection was saved by a community member and donated to the County of Kauai
Kauai County, Hawaii
Kauai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Kauai, Niihau, Lehua, and Kaula, in the state of Hawaii. As of 2000 Census the population was 58,463...
. Festival of Lights was born and continues to be run by community volunteers with funding by the County of Kauai, Office of Economic Development, Hawaii Tourism Authority, individuals and private businesses.
In 2006, Auntie Josie was honored by both the Senate and the Office of the Mayor for her 50 years of contribution to Hawaii’s holiday season. The Hawaii House of Representatives
Hawaii House of Representatives
The Hawaii House of Representatives is the lower house of the Hawaii State Legislature. Accord to Article III, Section 3 of the Hawaii Constitution, amended during the 1978 constitutional convention, the House of Representatives consists of 51 members representing an equal amount of districts...
had also recognized her work in 1975. In 2006, Auntie Josie was honored with Proclamations by both Senator Hooser of the Hawaii State Legislature and Former Kauai Mayor Baptiste for her 50 years of contribution to Hawai‘i’s holiday season. A week before Auntie Josie’s passing on February 3, 2009, Kauai Mayor Carvalho also issued a Proclamation to Auntie Josie.
Festival of Lights also showcases decorations created by the local community. In 2010, high school students from Kauai High Academy of Hospitality and Tourism (AOHT) were invited to the Washington D.C. office of Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) to create an "Aloha Recycled Treasures" Christmas tree. More than 500 handcrafted ornaments created from discarded water bottles decorated the tree. Every U.S. Senator was also presented an ornament along with a request to share the beauty of recycling. The 2009 Festival of Lights was the first to showcase the results of the AOHT students’ “Aloha Recycled Treasures” project, which were snowflake and flower Christmas tree decorations. In 2010, the AOHT students expanded to pineapples, coconut trees, surfers and more.
Other decorations created by various members of the local community for display at the Festival of Lights include Kauai-style themed trees: SPAM, Hula Bear, Kilauea Lighthouse and Peacock.
More than 5,000 people attend Opening Night at the Historic County Building on the first Friday of December. Visitors enjoy caroling by the Kauai Chorale and Santa leading a Lighting Countdown of the Historic Park. The doors then officially open for viewing of the interior of the Historic County Building and its illuminated Christmas decoration
Christmas decoration
A Christmas decoration is any of several types of decorations used at Christmastime. The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green , snow white, and heart red. Blue and white are often used to represent winter, or sometimes Hanukkah, which occurs around the same time. Gold and silver are...
s. Visitors can continue to view the Festival of Lights through Christmas Eve.