Darene Sano took daughters Zoe, left, age 3, and Quinn, 5, to see the spectacular llight display at the home of Billy and Leona Malama in Pearl City.
Light fantastic Signs of Christmas are everywhere, and it's times like these that I realize I'm just a big kid. I've never tired of my family's tradition of piling in the car and driving for miles in search of the handful of elaborately decorated houses. The lights and ornaments always made my heart glow. Or maybe it was just the idea that Santa Claus would soon be on his journey to deliver presents for all good boys and girls.
A cast of glowing critters and cartoon
Glittering sights
characters greet visitors to the Malama home
By Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comEven if it is only for a brief period, Christmas fosters a sense of togetherness.
The people on Hoolauae Street in Pearl City understand these feelings well. Several houses on the street are festooned with lights and decorations guaranteed to spread Yuletide cheer. (Although there's little that can change the Grinches of the world.)
A dolphin-drawn Santa sleigh and Diamond Head sit up on the roof, and a big giraffe, gorilla and winged horse are a few of the lighted wire sculptures that can be found in Billy Malama's yard at 98-649 Hoolauae St. He has been dressing up his home for Christmas for 20 years, with sculptures he shapes from wrought iron by hand. "I only use a wrench for the characters with smaller, fine details," he said. "For me it takes away a lot of stress.
"The first piece I made was a giraffe," he said. "It took about a week to make, and it looked pretty good."
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Billy and Leona Malama's home at 98-649 Hoolauae in Pearl City is a beacon of Christmas lights.
That initial success led to a menagerie that included a duck, gorilla and dinosaur. The display has grown to a point where it takes him about three to four weeks to set up the display, which also comprises 800,000 lights. "Normally, we start getting ready in October," he said.
Malama tries to add a new sculpture each year. His next project is Patrick, the starfish character from the "SpongeBob Squarepants" cartoon.
Children who stop by Malama's yard can't contain themselves, shouting out the names of other familiar TV characters such as Barney, Pikachu and Blue, of "Blue's Clues."
"When people stop by, it makes us really happy," said Malama, who hands out candy canes to visiting keikis and big kids like me.
Malama's first electricity bill was more than $700. "We thought they made a mistake on our bill the first year," he said. "My wife told me just to pay it.
"Now, when I walk by the meter, I need to look the other way so I don't see it ticking away," he chuckled.
"You don't think about the cost," said Malama, smiling as a group of children laughed at some of his singing, dancing snowmen. "It's once a year and it's fun."
Leona Malama, Billy's wife, added: "We've made a lot of Christmas friends. A lot of teenagers come to visit us and remember coming here as children. It's so nice that they keep coming back."
The Pearl City Band also shows up faithfully with Japanese students they host for the holidays, said Leona, who recalls a night when a group of Japanese tourists stopped by and sat on the sidewalk in the middle of the display.
"I made them coffee, and they stayed until 3 in the morning," said Malama. He said people from Japan also look for neighborhood light displays, and a photographer from a Japanese magazine took photos of his home last year.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Chanson Aki, 3, plays with Tigger's nose on the corner of Noelani and Hoohuali Place, the home of his grandparents, Francis and Estrella Aki.
Sometime next week, Malama expects the University of Hawaii band to stop by and play music. "They come every year and people really like that," he said.
With the crowds come the inevitable traffic jam. "Sometimes the cars keep coming by, and by the time I turn off the lights, it's after midnight."
Danette Kobayashi brings her two daughters, 6-year-old Alayna and 1-year-old Meagan, several times during the season. "It's such a big part of the Christmas tradition for us," Kobayashi said. "Alayna's favorite part was the flying fish on the roof."
"We really enjoy all of the bright lights," said Theresa Dutro, who was wandering around Malama's angel and Santa doll collection with her husband, daughter and granddaughter. "They are really giving back to the community," Dutro said.
"I don't know how he does it," said Maria Marcial, another visitor. "I get stressed out just putting lights on the Christmas tree."
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The Aki family also has been transforming their home into a "keiki wonderland" for the past 26 years as a way of giving back to the community. Their decorations take about two weeks to set up, and the whole family gets involved. Glittering sights
Their lawn becomes a playground for characters such as a lighted Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger and Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and their house could pass as a giant gingerbread home that beckons visitors to stay for a while.
"It gets worse every year because we have more stuff," said homeowner Marilyn Aki. "My husband gets the job of crawling around on the roof."
This year, the family decided to add a patriotic touch to their display. Two trees are decorated in red, white and blue. An American flag, created with lights, illuminates the background.
"People stop and toot their horns," said Estrella Aki, who started the tradition with her husband, Francis. "Some even grumble that the lights were not on when they were driving home from work," she added. Lights remain on until 11 p.m.
Estrella added: "People really appreciate it. Some people have even brought gifts."
The Akis are at 98-1297 Hoohuali Place. Here are a handful of other eye-catching displays:
91-1146 Haiano Place, Ewa -- Mr. and Mrs. Frank Suster have amassed more than 10,000 lights and a collection of more than 100 plywood characters including a life-size Santa and Mrs. Claus with reindeers and sled, a manger scene, a wooden train set with elves, a snowman and many animal characters. Lights are on 6 to 10 p.m. daily through Christmas.
1553 Miller St. -- Linda Franca and family are host to Santa and all his reindeer, including Rudolph, plus a Nativity scene, snowman, carolers, drummer boy, Disney characters, elves, a 5-foot wreath and more than 100 lighted figurines.
2627 Lowrey Ave. -- The Allen family continues its 25-year holiday decorating tradition with a display that features Disney and Warner Bros. characters, a Nativity scene, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Frosty, elves, carolers and a polar bear. The family, longtime donors for the blood bank, have also included a plug for giving blood as a part of their Christmas message. Lights are on from 6 to 9 p.m. daily.
2915 Poni Moi Road -- En route to the La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls is a razzle-dazzle display of snow and lighted reindeer with mood music.
723 Hauoli St. -- Gingerbread toys brighten the landscape at Hulali and Raphael Vares Jr.'s house, along with a paniolo on a mechanical rocking horse, Santa and Mrs. Claus, musical elves, snowmen, cartoon characters and a Nativity scene with choirboys.
McKinley Street -- The neighbors light up the street and adjacent streets for a festive drive open to all.
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