Eve Gonzales, a senior from Texas majoring in accounting, said every year her family goes Christmas caroling. “Even though it’s embarrassing, it’s memorable because of that. It’s probably my favorite tradition.” Gonazles said her family used to live in Hawaii, and her two brothers learned to play the ukulele. “We usually carol with my brothers playing.”
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
Shangjun Yang, a sophomore from China majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said they don’t celebrate Christmas much in China. However, Yang said since coming to Hawaii, he has enjoyed celebrating the holiday. “My favorite is the food of course, but more so being with friends. Obviously, I don’t have family around, but being around people you like and love.”
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
Kiana Hekekia, a senior from Colorado majoring in psychology, said, “My family always opens Christmas pajamas the night before, on Christmas Eve.” Hekekia said her family recently started getting matching pajama sets.
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
Sean Somoray, an alumnus from the Philippines, said, “My family gathers together with my extended family on Christmas day and we have a party.” At the party, Somoray said his family eats a typical Filipino Christmas meal called hamon de bola, a ball-shaped ham with a fruity glaze.
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
Teraina Mataoa, a senior from Tahiti majoring in biomedicine, said, “For Christmas we always love to get any type of seafood. We go all out. We always have oysters, clams, shrimp and fish.” Mataoa said some of the fish they get in Tahiti include parrot fish, mahi mahi and white tuna. She said they sit down and have a big meal together, and the food feeds them for multiple days.
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
Christopher Putong, a junior from the Philippines majoring in finance, said, “My favorite is to be with my family.” Putong said on Christmas Eve, his family likes to stay up all night making noise and laughing together.