Mele Kalikimaka: Merry Christmas in Hawaiian

Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian. The phrase combines mele (song, music, to sing) with Kalikimaka, a phonetic rendering of the English word Christmas into the Hawaiian alphabet. It became widely known outside Hawaii through the 1950 recording by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters and remains the most recognized Hawaiian phrase in the wider world alongside aloha and mahalo.

What mele kalikimaka means

The word mele has a broad meaning in Hawaiian: it refers to song, poetry, chant, and the act of singing. It appears in many contexts beyond the Christmas greeting: mele oli is a chant, mele hula is a hula song, and mele inoa is a name chant composed to honor a person. Saying Mele Kalikimaka is literally saying "Song of Christmas" or "Sing Christmas," which carries a warmer and more musical connotation than the English word "merry."

Kalikimaka is a straightforward transliteration. The Hawaiian alphabet has no letters for C, R, S, or most consonant combinations found in English. Christmas becomes Kalikimaka because K replaces C, L replaces R, and vowels are inserted between consonants to follow Hawaiian phonological rules. The same process turned other English words into Hawaiian: Kamuela is Samuel; Keoki is George; Kawika is David.

How to pronounce it

Mele Kalikimaka is pronounced: MEH-leh kah-LEE-kee-MAH-kah. The rules are the same as all Hawaiian words: every vowel is sounded, consonants are softer than in English, and no syllables are swallowed. Break it down: ME-le KA-li-ki-MA-ka. The stress falls naturally on the third syllable of kalikimaka.

Happy New Year in Hawaiian is Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou, pronounced hah-OO-oh-lee mah-kah-HEE-kee HOH. The ʻokina (the apostrophe-like mark between the u and o in hauʻoli) indicates a glottal stop, a brief catch in the throat between syllables. For full pronunciation guidance, see our Hawaiian pronunciation guide.

Christmas in Hawaii

Christmas in Hawaii is a genuine local celebration that blends Hawaiian traditions, immigrant cultural influences, and mainland American Christmas customs. Neighborhoods across the islands, particularly in Honolulu's residential valleys (Mānoa, Nuʻuanu, Pālolo), put up elaborate light displays that draw nightly traffic throughout December. Some families run displays for decades, becoming neighborhood landmarks. The Honolulu City Lights display in downtown Honolulu, which has run continuously since 1985, is a major local tradition featuring a 50-foot Norfolk pine decorated as a Christmas tree, cultural performances, and light installations across the grounds of Honolulu Hale (City Hall). Tens of thousands of residents visit each year, and it opens the night after Thanksgiving.

Temperatures in December average 77-81°F during the day (25-27°C) and drop to 65-70°F at night (18-21°C), so Christmas in Hawaii involves beach walks, open windows, and outdoor gatherings rather than snow or fireplaces. Santa arrives by outrigger canoe in some communities. Local Christmas foods include traditional ham and turkey alongside Hawaiian dishes: kalua pig, poke, laulau, and haupia (coconut pudding). Portuguese sweet bread and malasadas appear on holiday tables. Filipino families often prepare bibingka (rice cake) and puto bumbong (purple sticky rice). Japanese families may serve mochi. The multicultural character of Hawaii's plantation history shows up clearly at Christmas dinner tables.

The Christmas-New Year period (roughly December 20 through January 2) is one of the busiest and most expensive travel windows in Hawaii, second only to summer peak season. Hotels and vacation rentals book out months in advance, often at 30 to 50 percent higher rates than shoulder season. Flights fill completely, and rental cars become scarce and expensive (often $100 to $150 per day vs $50 to $80 per day in non-peak times). If you are visiting during this period, book flights, accommodation, and rental cars at least 6 months ahead, ideally 8 to 10 months for best availability and pricing. See our Hawaii in December guide for what to expect and our best time to visit Hawaii page for cost comparisons across the year.