Holidays truly are the best time of the year!
Since 2008, we’ve been die hard holiday goers with massive in store sales. But rewind to 2022 when we closed our final boutique and all of a sudden, holidays went from “black out period” to “binge the world period”. Since 2022, we’ve spent every holiday somewhere far and broad. Here’s how we ho ho ho’d thousands of miles away from Hawaii.
2022: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam during the holidays is straight out of a snow-globe dream. Picture twinkly lights dancing across canals, the smell of fresh stroopwafels in the air, and locals cruising on bikes in fuzzy earmuffs (so chic!). The Christmas markets feel like gingerbread come to life, carolers stroll the cobblestone streets and there’s always poffertjes – aka the Dutch version of a warm hug in mini pancake form – filling the air. We layered up, enjoyed hot chocolate with REAL whipped cream and feasted on warm apple pie. We dined on an Indonesian spread with 20 mini curry and satay dishes called rijsttafel or “rice table” in Dutch, visited the Anne Frank House and glided down the famous canals on the Christmas Lights Tour. Basically, we got lost in the glow.
2023: Sydney, Australia
Santa traded his sleigh for a surfboard down under! After a ten day New Zealand cruise, we hunkered down in Sydney to enjoy an Australian Christmas. Just like Hawaii, they have 80 degree weather – so Christmas? It’s usually spent at the beach! Think palm trees wrapped in fairy lights, BBQs instead of fireplaces, and fireworks that light up the iconic harbor like it’s one big summer celebration. We spent Christmas Eve watching the musical Beauty and The Beast and eating dumplings in Sydney’s iconic Chinatown. Best part is we flew home on Christmas Day and with the 22 hour time difference, got to celebrate Christmas in Hawaii too. Now that’s an Aussie Aussie Aussie ho ho ho!
2024: Hokkaido, Japan
After a crazy busy 2024, we decided to fly our entire team to Hokkaido for the holidays. Hokkaido is basically the North Pole’s trendier cousin with powdery slopes, twinkly lights, and onsen baths that feel like a winter spa-cation. The Sapporo Snow Festival turns the city into a sparkle fest, and every corner looks like a postcard waiting to happen. Trust us! We flew into Hokkaido for Christmas and walked the Sapporo Christmas Market, enjoyed warm gluwein (imagine a hot sangria), visited snowy Otaru and of course, had a KFC meal and a strawberry shortcake on Christmas Day. KFC is a Japanese tradition, you don’t know?? We even had to preorder our chicken and mash meal.
Being away for the holidays, as dazzling as it is, means we’re apart from the kids!
Here’s how we deck the halls together, while oceans apart…
Charlise and I always play a letter game. Everyday we text each other with one thing that starts with a certain letter. “M-E-R-R-Y-C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S-T-O-Y-O-U” was our first challenge and it was a long one! Imagine sending a combo of chairs one day and getting a text from a 6 year old of an eyeball the next day! True story. LOL!
Before I left, I wrote Journey a letter and she had to do a do good challenge while I was away. I left her $40 to pick a secret Santa from the Senior Tree. Her goal was to purchase it on behalf of both of us and snap a pic for me!
And Jax? He had a different ask. I wanted him to use the money I left him to thank his parents. I asked him to surprise them by buying them dinner one night and to set the table, clean up and cater to them. A big task for an 8 year old, huh?
Near but far…. That’s so Eden!