Festival of Lights (Hawaii) facts for kids
The Festival of Lights is a special yearly event held every December in Lihue, on the island of Kauai. It's a joyful celebration that uses amazing decorations made from recycled materials. This festival brings the community together to enjoy unique art and the spirit of Christmas.
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History of the Festival of Lights
How the Festival Began
The Festival of Lights started in 1954 with a woman named Josie Chansky. She lived in Lihue, Hawaii, and loved to celebrate Christmas. Instead of buying new decorations, Auntie Josie, as she was known, created beautiful ornaments. She made them from things she found around her home. This was a very early way of using recycled materials for art. Her home became a festive display of these unique, handmade ornaments.
Continuing the Tradition
Years later, in 1996, a woman named Elizabeth Freeman bought Auntie Josie's special decorations. She found them at a garage sale. Elizabeth loved the decorations so much that she wanted to share them. In 1997, she began displaying them for everyone to see. The new location was Kauai's Historic County Building. This helped the Festival of Lights become a public event.
Creative Recycled Art and Decorations
Unique "Kauai-Style" Creations
Elizabeth Freeman became the Creator and Art Director for the Festival of Lights. She works with many volunteers. Together, they make "Kauai-style" decorations. These decorations show off the island's culture and beauty. The festival also proudly displays Auntie Josie Chansky's original "folk art" pieces. These are truly one-of-a-kind.
Famous Themed Trees
The festival is famous for its creative themed trees. Many of these trees are made from recycled items. Here are some of the most recognized ones:
- Spam Tree: This tree celebrates a popular food in Hawaii.
- Hula Bear Tree: A fun tree featuring a bear ready to hula dance.
- Kilauea Lighthouse Tree: Inspired by the famous lighthouse on Kauai.
- Peacock Tree: A colorful tree designed like a peacock.
- Aloha Recycled Treasures: This tree is nationally recognized. It is made entirely from plastic water bottles.
New and Exciting Additions
The Festival of Lights always adds new and exciting displays. Recent additions include:
- If Can, Can Tree: This tree features ornaments made from recycled aluminum cans.
- CD Tree: A dazzling tree decorated with recycled CDs. These CDs come from a special center in San Francisco called S.C.R.A.P. (Scrounger's Center for Reusable Art Parts).
- Lure of the Sea Tree: This tree has ornaments made from embossed recycled aluminum cans and other recycled containers.
- Over the Rainbow Tree: Added in 2015, this tree is full of colorful flowers and butterflies. They are all created from recycled aluminum cans and water bottles.
The Festival of Lights shows how creativity and recycling can make something truly beautiful. It's a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays in Kauai.
