king kamehameha IV
Honolulu, HAWAII — Despite numerous claims that the Missionaries brought Christmas to Hawai`i, that simply isn’t so.
The first Christmas celebration in Hawai`i took place 34 years before the arrival of the Missionaries – who promptly did what they could to discourage any further celebration!...

![In 1862 Kamehameha IV formally proclaimed Christmas as a national holiday of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Pictured is an early Christmas celebration at Iolani Palace in Honolulu. [image: Pictures of old Hawaii] Christmas tree and crowd in front of Iolani Palace in Honolulu](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/christmas_in_old_hawaii.jpg?itok=Yqz7rY53)