by Kai, age 9, asks if cactus can grow outside, how Hawaii formed, and what Mele Kalikimaka means
Dear Santa,
Aloha from Honolulu. My name is Kai and I am 9 years old. We never really need a coat here, and my mum keeps our Christmas cactus outside on the lanai all year round, which made my cousin from a colder state very confused when she visited last winter.
My first question is: will a Christmas cactus actually grow outside?
My second question is geography: how were the Hawaiian Islands formed?
My third question is from school: what does Mele Kalikimaka mean, and why do we say it here?
I left you a slice of haupia, coconut pudding, and a fresh pineapple slice.
Love, Kai, age 9, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Kai, haupia and fresh pineapple made for a wonderfully tropical stop, thank you. Now, to your outdoor cactus question, and your others.
Will a Christmas cactus actually grow outside?
It depends entirely on the climate. In warm, humid places without frost, like your own Hawaii, a Christmas cactus can indeed live happily outdoors all year long, especially in a shaded, protected spot like a lanai, much like it would grow wild in its native Brazilian forests. In colder climates, however, it cannot survive frost or freezing temperatures, so people there either keep it as an indoor houseplant year round or move it outside only for the warmer summer months before bringing it back in before the first frost. So your mum’s approach works beautifully in Hawaii, even if it does confuse visiting cousins from snowier places.
How were the Hawaiian Islands formed?
The Hawaiian Islands formed from volcanic activity, as the Earth’s crust slowly moved over a stationary hot spot of magma deep underground, creating one island after another over millions of years. The Big Island still has active volcanoes today, continuing to add new land even now.
What does Mele Kalikimaka mean?
Mele Kalikimaka is the Hawaiian way of saying Merry Christmas, adapted from the English phrase into Hawaiian pronunciation and spelling, since the Hawaiian language does not naturally have some of the same sounds. It became especially famous through a popular song of the same name, and it beautifully reflects how Christmas traditions blended with native Hawaiian culture and language over time.
Enjoy that lanai cactus, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
