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View Point

By C. Richard Fassler

Saturday, December 16, 2000

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Christmas lights
bring neighbors together

IN the gathering darkness, a large crowd counted down: "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four..." At "three," Mr. Endo, the oldest member of the assemblage, pushed a button and thousands of colored lights blazed on.

Well, it didn't have the precision of Honolulu Hale or Tamarind Park, but the 50 or so neighbors cheered anyway.

Welcome to the "Third Annual Light Up McKinley Street Tree Lighting Ceremony and Neighborhood Potluck," held at the Neighborhood Watch community garden at McKinley and Haena Drive in lower Manoa on Sunday, Dec. 3.

In what has become one of Hawaii's most distinctive Christmas events, each year the residents of McKinley and adjacent streets hang lights on their trees, shrubs and houses. Then, as evening falls, they come together to share food and witness the lighting of the trees in the block-long garden. It's one big holiday party that's open to all.

This year the Chun family was there, as well as the Nordykes, the DeAngelos, Mrs. Martinez, and many others, with ages ranging from Mr. Endo's 68 to Malia Staab's 4. Until two years ago, most of these neighbors had no idea who lived in the next house -- let alone two doors away -- although they had lived on the same street for decades.

After the potluck, it was time for the annual stroll down the street. We "oohed and ahhed," as each homeowner explained his or her display and even offered advice on where to buy the best lights.

Every year it seems we get more elaborate. The Chuns added Christmas carol recordings to go with their grazing reindeer, and the lawn of Hale Kipa, the home for girls, sparkled with strands of red, blue and green.

How would you like to get to know your neighbors and have a great time celebrating the holidays? Here's what to do:

Choose a nearby park or community garden. Lacking that, a house with a large lawn will do.

Distribute a flyer to 50 to 100 neighboring houses about a week in advance of the event. The flyer will urge people to decorate their homes and bring a food item to a potluck (don't worry about which food items to bring -- as long as there's plenty of people, it always works out). You'll need some tables and chairs.

Hold the lighting at sunset on a Saturday or Sunday. Sunday has worked best for us.

Use namecards. Remember that the main purpose is for neighbors to get to know each other. After dinner, walk around the neighborhood and you'll get to know where everybody lives.

The benefits are enormous, not only in terms of fellowship and fun but in accomplishing the purpose of the Neighborhood Watch program: neighbors looking out for each other's property (burglaries always increase at this time of year).

An added plus: Drivers who normally speed down your street will slow to view the lights.

The event has been so successful that we're talking about a New Year's potluck. Hey, if we can't do fireworks...

Lastly, we invite each and all of you to visit McKinley Street. Merry Christmas!

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C. Richard Fassler is the vice chairman of the Manoa Neighborhood Board and coordinator of the Lower Manoa Neighborhood Security Watch Program.