The beginning of the year 2024 in Hawaii was a rainy season-like first sunrise. As I waited for the sun to appear from behind Diamond Head, as it always does, a gentle rain was falling in the opposite direction of the sun, and there was a large rainbow in the sky. The New Year dawned with the first sunrise and a rainbow.
What is the first thing to be done in Hawaii in January? The answer is to clean up the Christmas decorations. …… In the United States, Christmas trees can be found all over town even after the New Year. As a country with a large Christian population, Christmas is considered to be an event that lasts until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, so the trees are decorated around this date until early January. As a Japanese, I still feel uncomfortable having a Christmas tree on New Year’s Eve, so I put it away on New Year’s Eve. ……
With the custom of exchanging gifts along with important events, the locals are masters at gift selection. Every time I see them, I am amazed. I am always amazed. So this time, I would like to introduce their ideas and the culture I learned from them.
A classic, but not to be missed, is the limited-time-only sweets. On the left is Chocolea, a handmade chocolate store in Manoa, Oahu. Their chocolates stand out for the presence and fine taste of each piece. On the right are peppermint brownies and chocolates available only during the holiday season at Big Island Candies, which has its main store in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii and a branch in Ala Moana Center.
Locals have been choosing Christmas gifts for dozens of people every year for decades now. So it seems that “something that can be used daily” and “something to eat on a daily basis” are also key points.
This is lilikoi butter, which tastes great on bread and pancakes (but now that the price has gone up, it’s hard to buy it for yourself). It’s rich, but with the sweet and sour accent of lilikoi (Hawaiian passion fruit). Mac Nut Crumble by Kahuku Farms on the North Shore is crunchy and macadamia nut-scented when drizzled over acai balls or ice cream. It comes with chocolate nibs for a cocoa flavor. It has become such a favorite that I plan to bring this as a souvenir on my next trip back home.
Breakfast Series Gifts. This set includes the Hawaii exclusive DEAN & DELUCA granola and Hawaiian honey. The taste will lift your spirits when you eat it in the morning in Hawaii, but it will definitely bring a smile to your face when you bring it back to Japan.
Even in Hawaii, winter is chilly. At that time, Yoko gave me a kit for making hot spiced rum “for Yoko who loves to drink”. It comes with a recipe. Add spiced rum and organic honey to hot water, squeeze a squeeze of lemon (lemon was also included in the gift), take a cinnamon stick out of the bag (a cutter to cut the bag was also included), mix slowly, and enjoy the hot spiced rum slowly. I was even gifted a moment of bliss.
Manoa Honey & Mead is located in the Manoa area. Mead, a liquor made from fermented Hawaiian honey, is a rare drink that can only be found here. The mead and a local brewery, BeerLab Hawaii, collaborated to create this super-rare island-style honey ale. It was a waste of money, so I had a sip. It was a slightly effervescent beer with a deep acidity.
This was a gift from myself, but someone who has always taken care of me said “Japanese rice is expensive but tasty,” so I wrapped and presented him with Yamagata Prefecture’s Tsuyahime, which made him very happy. Coincidentally, I was also happy to receive a gift of “Japanese Koshihikari” from another local. This may be unique to Hawaii, but what do you think about ……?
Many people give ornaments to put on their trees as Christmas decorations each year. While there are events in Hawaii where Santa Claus comes from the ocean on a surfing boat, “Tomte,” a Norse elf and protector of farmers, is also a common sight during this season. This is interesting because it is also a part of the culture. This winter was the first time I received one, so I decorated it.
A gift from an acquaintance who moved to Hawaii from Japan 30 years ago. A handmade shimenawa rope for the New Year. It was a nice idea gift focused on the New Year, and I thought, “It’s nice to have a gift that anticipates the next seasonal event.
One of the most surprising staples in American food culture is Chex Mix. Once you start eating it, you will never be able to stop! I can’t stop eating it once I get started! In Japan, it is like a combination of cereal, Sapporo Potatoes, nuts, and pretzels, and can be sweet or salty. Rocco and his friends arrange them in their own way, sprinkling furikake (sprinkles) on them, adding dried fruit, or putting butter on them. They put them in small portions in their gift bags. I still wonder if I should eat it as a snack or a nibble, but I am grateful for the taste that they have worked so hard to create.
It is also an American custom to always include a card with a gift. At Christmas, so many people use family photos as cards. I remember that in Japan there are many cases where only the children’s growth is tracked, but in the U.S., in most cases the whole family is photographed together. Some people include an A4-size letter in this card, reporting on the year of each family member. My husband XX retired this year and is now devoting himself to his hobby of gardening. My daughter XX graduated from a university in the US mainland and got a job in California.
Then January. A thank you card for the gift is sent. Thank you for the gift of ________! I’m using it right away. Have a great year!” I am touched every time by their feelings as they send cards to dozens of people, one by one, with words of gratitude such as “Thank you very much for your gift.
We choose one gift at a time with the recipient in mind, the card to accompany it, and then present it to each other with a hug and send a thoughtful card at a later date. This is one of the customs I learned from the locals in Hawaii.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.