WASHINGTON PLACE INVITES PUBLIC TO "FIRST CHRISTMAS" CELEBRATION
HONOLULU – Washington Place, the historic home of Queen
Lili‘uokalani and Hawai‘i’s governors, will celebrate the holiday season
Sunday evening, December 16, with guided tours of the famous dwelling
and a presentation of selections from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker
Suite.”
Visitors are welcome to tour the historic home beginning at 5:30 p.m.
From 7:00 – 7:30 p.m., exquisitely costumed youngsters taking part in the
Ballet Hawai‘i production of “The Nutcracker” will perform selections from
the beloved holiday story on the outdoor lanai. Lt. Governor James R.
“Duke” Aiona, Jr. and Mrs. Vivian Aiona will welcome the public to
Washington Place for this year’s celebration. The home will be open until
8:30 p.m.
In keeping with the spirit of Mary Dominis’ wish to bring children to
Washington Place for the first Christmas celebration in Hawai‘i in 1858,
guests will be able to tour the second floor of the 160-year-old mansion.
There they will find two fanciful Victorian-era Christmas trees as well as
ornaments handmade by the Washington Place Foundation.
The main tree is reminiscent of the first one displayed in Hawai‘i on
Christmas Eve 1858 for the children of Honolulu at Washington Place by Mary
Dominis, Queen Lili‘uokalani’s mother-in-law. The public is invited to help
“decorate” this tree. Also, on display on the second floor will be
depictions of some of the state’s First Families’ Christmas celebrations.
Floral displays throughout the home arranged by the Garden Club of Honolulu
will also be on view.
Upon arriving, guests will be invited to place their names in a calabash for
a drawing to attend the full performance of “The Nutcracker” by Ballet
Hawai‘i and Honolulu Symphony on December 21, 22 and 23 at the Blaisdell
Concert Hall. Names will be drawn at the end of the 7:00 p.m.
performance.
Captain John Dominis built Washington Place on Beretania Street in 1847.
Lili‘uokalani came to live at the mansion in 1862, as the bride of John Owen
Dominis, son of the Captain and his wife, Mary. That same year, King
Kamehameha IV proclaimed Christmas a national holiday in the Kingdom of
Hawai‘i.
All adult guests attending the Sunday, Dec. 16, celebrations will be
required to present a picture ID upon entrance to the property and may be
subject to a bag inspection.
Free parking will be available at the Department of Health (Kinau Hale
Building) parking lot. Enter via Miller Street.
Photos of Ballet Hawai‛i dancers at Washington Place in the Christmas
setting available upon request.
For more information, contact:
Corinne Chun Fujimoto
Curator
Washington Place
320 South Beretania Street
(808) 586-0249 direct
(808) 586-0790 fax
Corinne.Chun@hawaii.gov3
