Travel. Christmas day is the perfect day to fly somewhere. I went to the airport yesterday to pick up my Mother-In-Law who came to visit from Florida. It was empty. It was so easy.
Of course I managed to miss the parking lot entrance more than once and drove around HNL a few times too many. But this gave me a clear perspective of how not busy the airport was yesterday afternoon.
And we are very happy to have her here for a visit, just in time for the rain.
When I was a kid my family often drove to Vegas on Christmas to be there just in time for my birthday the next day. I spent many a birthday there, including #21. I clearly remember being in the bathroom with Kathy (Brown) Goetsch at midnight on December 25 and joyfully cutting up my fake I.D.. Please don’t tell my kids!
My parents took us to see Joan Rivers one year and Frank Sinatra another in honor of all the great people born around December 25. I’m pretty sure I share a birthday with Joan Rivers’ daughter.
That’s another reason it was so easy for me to get comfortable with the local culture once I moved to Hawaii. Locals love to go to Vegas and I grew up with a father who did too.
I have combined this love of going to Las Vegas and my Jewish tradition of flying on Christmas on more than one occasion with excellent results.
For my 40th birthday we flew on December 25 to be there in time for my for the big day. Kathy met us there along with other childhood friends from California and we had a blast.
We met my sister there a few years ago. This time I was treated to a Jerry Seinfeld show for my birthday!
So, if you are looking for a good day to travel, I highly recommend Christmas. And if you are looking for something else to celebrate when all is said and done, there is always my birthday on December 26. I am happy to share!
Being Jewish in Hawaii 
Dec 26, 2010 @ 19:27:19
Happy birthday!
Because Christmas Eve fell on Erev Shabbat this year, we attended the community dinner at the temple. We sat with Jewish news correspondents who are here to follow Obama. Dinner conversation was interesting, and we had a lovely time with a hundred or so other people who choose to “opt out” of Christmas. Following dinner, we dropped off Christmas gifts, took my mother on a tour of the Honolulu City Lights, and cruised Waikiki.
Christmas day was spent at the beach. In the evening we performed the ancient Jewish ritual of eating at a Chinese restaurant on Christmas. The restaurant was packed, with a waiting line out the door. And I do believe we were the only Jewish people there. Try explaining “kosher” to someone who speaks only Chinese! We tried “no shrimp, no pork, no oyster sauce”. We ended up with a very bland meal, and bits of char siu in our rice.
Even though we don’t celebrate Christmas, we found ways to commemorate this day set aside for “peace on Earth, goodwill toward men”. The day felt solemn, peaceful, even holy.
Dec 26, 2010 @ 21:54:20
Happy Birthday, Lori. Aloha to Barbara and the Weisman clan. Enjoy your visit with the mespuka (family). Might see you at AJC.
Best wishes on your stay in Hawaii. May you all have a wonderful 2011.
Aloha,
Phyllis Donlin