Holiday Lights, a Kauai Tradition

A great Holiday activity on Kauai is to amaze your family with a winter wonderland in a tropical climate. Despite the summer weather, Kauai residents get into the Christmas spirit with outstanding displays of holiday lights. There are numerous displays to be found around the island, just take a drive and you are sure to be dazzled. For those of you looking for more specific locations, keep reading.

The  located inside Kauai’s Historic County Building is a tribute to Auntie Josie Chansky and her Christmas house in Kapaa. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6-8pm through Christmas Eve, your family can participate in this spectacular island-style holiday celebration.

Highlights include: the “SPAM Can Tree”, and the “ Surfin’ Santa’s Sleigh” pulled by roosters. Auntie Josie is known for recycling ordinary items like six-pack rings, egg cartons and toothpicks to make extraordinary holiday decorations to share with the children of Kauai and beyond. The display has become a Kauai tradition but was missed last year when the County Building was being remodeled.

Neighborhood displays are also popular and plentiful and have become somewhat of a social event. If you are passing through Kalaheo, there are several elaborate displays that are sure to delight you. An entire neighborhood behind the old CampHouse Grill is lit up with thousands of lights, the Polar Express, the Nutcracker House, vintage Snowmen, and of course, Santa is on hand to hand out lollipops to the Keiki. That Santa sure gets around! Just turn mauka on Opu Road and look for the lights.

If you are coming from Lihue, don’t forget to wave to Santa on the roof of the famous Lawai Christmas house, just past the intersection of Kaumualii Highway and Koloa Roadd. On the East Side, the Wailua House Lots also boasts a Christmas Street where nary a house declines to participate.

As a reminder, when visiting lights displays, please drive slow as children and families are walking the streets, be courteous to the residents and their driveways and of course, don’t forget your camera. Happy Holidays!