LIHUE — What do you do when Santa already left for his Christmas rounds, and the weather is producing “enhanced shower” activity?
Mrs. Claus said the elves — in this instance, Princess Belle and Moana — come out to play. And on Saturday, they stayed indoors because of the blustery weather created by a weakening weather front combined with an upper level trough over the western end of the state.
“Princess Day is not new,” said Brenda Turville of Showtime Characters. “We’ve hosted Princess Day for at least three years now. It allows the princesses to come out and meet their fans and get their photos taken with the princesses in a nice wintry setting.”
One of the visitors was 2 1/2-year-old Bell Caress who was clutching her humpback whale model while she got acquainted with Princess Belle and Moana. The youngster was photographed by her mother with the two celebrity princesses before getting a balloon rose sculpture.
Mrs. Claus said the new favorite animal for the children is the stuffed cougar that a little person presented to Santa during one of the Photos With Santa experiences.
“Almost every little kid wanted to hold the cougar,” Mrs. Claus said. “Looks like we’re going to have to find a home for the cougar somewhere. Where is the cougar hiding today?”
Mrs. Claus said the cougar was given to Santa by a child described by their father as a “miracle baby” after the child came back after being drowned in one of Kauai’s rivers.
“Santa was hesitant about accepting the child’s toy,” Mrs. Claus said. “But the child insisted and Santa agreed. We can’t get rid of the cougar now.”
Bell’s humpback whale model is a reminder that we are at the start of whale season when migrating humpback whales visit the Hawaiian waters to breed and calve. The model also reminded shoppers about the re-opening of the Kauai Ocean Discovery following its brief closure during the Christmas week.
Jean Souza, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary project specialist, returned as the on-site KOD manager to explain the island to visitors while the children were engaged in creating honu models in anticipation of going to see the turtles at Poipu.
“And isn’t this the final weekend that Mele Makeke is open?” the KOD volunteer said while helping the children figure out where to place the honu’s flippers and tail.
Mele Makeke’s final day is today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday will also feature New Year’s Jazz from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the food court stage, and Hanukkah activities from 1 to 3 p.m.
The National Weather Service said a new ridge developing north of the islands behind the front will bring trade winds to the region for the start of the new year.
