Wayne Harada, Author at wayneharada.com

December 20, 2025December 20, 2025

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE YULE TUNE?

**Christmas crooners, from left, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury and Willie K.**

Do you have a favorite Christmas song?

With so many Christmas melodies recorded years ago but annually srevived and shared on radio during the holiday season, the choices are varied and plentiful.

Just asking…

So I’ll start the ball rolling.

For a holly jolly mood, I love “J-I-N-G-L-E Bells,” an increasingly popular December number, was recorded by both Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra (separately, of course). Its jingle is easy to remember, adorable and charming, and it’s a contagious sing-along that’s hard to resist. In my book, it surpasses the traditional “Jingle Bells,” and the spelling version is a novelty spin-off of the original number.

For solemnity and a pause from the hectic holiday rhythm, I turn to Willie K’s “O Holy Night.” Beats any other version available. No contest, hometown loyalty aside.

For the essence of the Christmas spirit, I vote for “We Need a Little Christmas,” performed by Angela Lansbury, in Jerry Herman’s hit Broadway musical, “Mame.” The tune establishes the holiday mood in the play’s storytelling, and has since jumped out of the soundtrack with a life and identity of its own.

A close second in the mood-maker would be “Sleigh Ride,” by Johnny Mathis, a legendary singer, with pipes had that ring-ting-jingling mood.

Sorry, Mariah Carey: I love “All I Want for Christmas” and you dominate the pop charts this time of year, so congrats.

December 19, 2025December 19, 2025

WRAPPING SCRAPS=TREE CHRISTMAS CARDS

These tree cards are colorful and easy to make. If you have wrapping paper scraps with Christmas motifs, it’ll cost you almost nothing.

Start with card-stock paper, and cut to desirable size; one 8 ½ x 11 sheet will make two cards.

I was in a creative mood today, so decided to whip out my scraps of Christmas wrapping paper and hand-cut three sizes, of differing designs and colors, for a tree top and two lower tiers to complete the tree design.

I used two-sided tape to arrange, shape and complete the tree motif, taping the three pieces to form the tree.

I always have sticker gold stars on hand, so applied one to the tree top.

For a bit of a shimmer, I glued thin, silvery tree trim, in-between the paper segments.

I cut corrugated card scraps, to form the tree base, but you can use any kind of paper – plain or with appropriate design — to mount as the base.

You’ll need envelopes, of course; the required size: 4 3/4″ by 5 1/2 ” envelopes.

And here’s how the final products looked. (Above).

The individual tree was my favorite (inserted within text) from today’s make-a-tree session.

And I’ve already mailed off seven or eight cards this month.

December 17, 2025December 17, 2025

CAZIMERO’S ‘OUR LITTLE PARTY’

Robert Cazimero’s Christmas shows at Chef Chai’s will be a five-night shindig his year; the first evening was last night (Tuesday, Dec. 16) and the run continues nightly through Saturday (Dec. 20).

Already, a Christmas tree is up and decorated, and yes, ’tis the season to be jolly. No holly, but the prevailing mood is ho-ho-ho. And heightening.

If you’ve been a Cazimero/Chai’s regular, you’ll discover a few updates but mostly familiar protocols in what the kumu hula describes as “our little party.”

**Robert Cazimero, right, with a familiar face/fan, Vi, aka Mrs. Harada.**

Highlights and summaries:

The show: Standard Cazimero fare with relaxed fun; a blend of Christmas titles, local and traditional, beginning with a savvy opening: “Christmas Island,” with pauses (for no particular reason) on the Garden Island, with “Kauai, Island of Love” and “Hanohano Hanalei.” A sweet touch: “Rainbow Connection,” the Kermit classic from “Sesame Street,” with Hawaiian lyrics midway. He’s the mixologist in charge, so “White Christmas” featured solo hula by Sky Perkins Gora, segueing into “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Keola Makaiau, aka Bully had a bouncy hula midway through the evening, but I wasn’t familiar with the title. There’s casual glee on “Jingle Bells,” or a variation thereof, which Cazimero happily discovered; it’s the infectious “J-I-N-G-L-E Bells” version, a radio favorite made fashionable annually by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and now parlayed into a sing-along. Audience participation seldom fails, but a suggestion here: get the dining audience to lift a spoon and tingle their water glasses to evoke jingling joy. This chiming effect works equally well on “Silver Bells,” if Cazimero is willing to give it a try.

The tradition prevails: Cazimero’s favorite bubbly, Louis Vitton Veuve Clicquot, is the potion that fuels his engine and keeps his stamina and momentum flowing. The myth is real; Cazimero was a few moments behind his grand piano, when a waiter delivered a glass with this magical power; and whatever he’s doing or performing, he bursts into “Drinking Champagne,” his alma mater (popularized here by Myra English) for much of the evening.

**A new entree at Chai’s: a prime rib option with mashed potato and veggies.**

The menu: There are adjustments awaiting exploration. A starter appetizer is included but not necessary – the familiar chicken sate with Thai peanut sauce, plus Asian flat bread, and cucumber salad; and an elective combination pupu platter will be easier to savor than solo choices that now include butternut squash and lobster bisque and sauteed escargot and prawns with a garlic chili ginger cream sauce. Entree? My favorite and usual choice, the Mongolian style lamb chops, is still available, but now has glided to standby. I decided to try the new prime rib entrée. Splendid option for the holidays, and the waiter brought a steak knife. New dessert offering? a 30-layer green tea crepe, which I opted to have packed to take home. Advisory: Look around the room as you exit; darn nearly every table had multiple take-home bags.
Reservations: (808) 585-0011; cost: $125; dinner service from 5:30 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. Validated parking available.
The Chai question: Chef Chai Chaowasaree relocated to Thailand, to care for his aging mother, and likely won’t return in the foreseeable future. So Pomaikai Shishido has valiantly stepped up to carry on and replicate the flavors and finery a la Chai.
The future: I asked Shishido if he and Cazimero have already put their heads together for playdates in 2026. They both want to continue the serenades, but playdates have not yet been confirmed. Shishido said that Cazimero can select a suitable agenda, but these little parties likely won’t be set on Mondays and Tuesdays, because these are dark nights to give the kitchen and serving staffs nights off, per Shishido…

And that’s Show Biz…

December 16, 2025December 16, 2025

MISTLETOE, CAROLING RARE HERE

A few Christmas customs are infrequently practiced in Hawaii. Like, have you kissed someone ‘neath mistletoe, or perhaps been kissed while under mistletoe? Mistletoe is not widely available here (markets and florists usualy sell ’em) but not commonly purchased to be hung..

And, have you ever gone caroling with a school club or an office gang. to sing the tidings over the holiday season? Caroling is not widely practiced here, but we don’t have snow to suit up in winter garb for caroling outing. Right?

Just asking…