Deck the Halls - Hana hou!

Click for a better view, as usual!

(cheating with reposting 12/18/18 - work's gotten a little wild with trying to get things done for people who are going on vacation, and I did just put these up again on Sunday evening. I was reminded of this post earlier today, and having just gotten to a good stopping place for the evening's 1st project, I thought I would take a quick break to re-share. "Hana hou" is the Hawaiian pidgin for "One more time!")

Or at least the top of the bookcase. As mentioned in my I may get tired of the perpetual force-feeding of holiday spirit in the shops (and it starts too early, right), but I do have a couple of Christmas things I love to put out (in December, when it's actually time!)

The little train is from when I was a kid growing up in Hawai'i - folks who lived in Hawai'i back in the 70's would know and love these, they're genuine Emgee ornaments. I can't remember the name of the woman who owned the shop and designed and made them but it was SO much fun to visit there and see her latest things. Her stuff was all super-detailed and in addition to standard Christmas themes like this, she had tons of Hawaiian-themed stuff (my folks still have a beautiful large creche with Mary and Joseph and an angel all in aloha wear and a mynah bird in a palm tree over the stable) and then all sorts of interest-based ones, many of which you could have personalized. There were ornaments for many different occupations, sports, and other hobbies - our sailboat-owning friends down the hill had four or five Emgee sailboats, all personalized "Alize III", that friends had given them!

I got this reindeer car for myself during a shopping trip to the store when I was maybe 13 or 14 and had it personalized, and then my folks surprised me with the engine and the caboose and other cars as presents for the following few Christmases. Still love it! My dog Mistie got hold of it one year and chewed the one reindeer's antlers off - funny, I was so upset but now I look at it and go "awww, Mistie, I miss you!" - she did eat a few prized possessions during her puppy years, as puppies do, but boy was she a good dog. 

The "On Vacation" Santa was also a present from my folks after they retired and moved back to O'ahu - Emgee was gone but these "Poi People" ornaments were popular. My mom also got me the little music box Christmas tree, which plays "The 12 Days of Christmas", guessing correctly that I was unlikely to ever actually put up a real tree.

The blue and white cardinal ornament was actually a great idea for a gift for guests at a relative's wedding I went to some years back - it was a winter wedding and these were the table decorations at the reception, lovely idea and I think back to what a good wedding it was every time I get it out for Christmas. 

And no, that's not Christmas-themed - that's the cartoony little wa'a kaulua model that I made as a table display when the Hokule'a was coming to town. Just couldn't resist showing her off, I was so happy with how she came out.

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season!