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Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club of Cerritos has a membership of 141 members in 2022, and of that number 72 members came to enjoy all the wonderful activities that were planned for the club’s Holiday Party on December 8, 2022. The tables in the Maple Room at the Cerritos Senior Center were colorfully decorated by Program VP’s Sherrie Dixon and Donna Ray and their committee with red tablecloths, small Christmas trees as centerpieces, miniature snowmen, and other decorations. Members came dressed festively for the party wearing outfits of red and green or other colorful Hawaiian shirts or dance costumes.
Marion Tesoro and her Food Committee planned an interesting and tasty lunch that included turkey or ham croissant sandwiches or tortilla with turkey rolls, assorted packages of chips, a fruit punch drink, and haupia (coconut pudding) and rainbow cake for dessert. Committee members Mary Jane Fujimura, Gail Nagaoka, and Aida Kull helped to distribute the containers to each table.
The Entertainment Committee, that was Co-Chaired by Susan McCormick and Frances McCormick, planned for 10 different performances of songs or dances. The first performance was by Co-President Ann Kho who danced a solo hula to the song “I Walk with God.” Other performances included solos by Calvin Kunimoto singing “The Party’s Over,” Larry Anduha singing “Blue Christmas” accompanied by Frank Yoshii, Pete Kahele, and Bette Kurihara, and Frank Yoshii singing “Feliz Navidad.” Calvin also sang “Yesterday” as part of a trio with Harry Aipia and Aida Kull.
Group performers included John Yanagihara & Friends singing “Whispering Hope” and “Silent Night” in five languages, Susan McCormick’s E Mele Hana, the Music Makers, singing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “Christmas in Paradise,” and Howard and Julie Koga singing “Up on the Housetop,” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
Two other performances were hulas. Frances McCormick’s Na Ipo Hula, the Hula Sweethearts, group performed a humorous modern hula to the tune of “Puka Pants.” The last hulas were performed by Na Kupuna Wahine (elderly women) O’ Cerritos led by Kumu Hedy Anduha, who danced to CD music of “The Merriest Hawaiian Christmas” and “O Holy Night.” It was impressive to see two rows of dancers in middle of the room facing opposite sides of the room as they danced the hula to “O Holy Night” in honor of the real reason for Christmas, the birth of Christ.
During breaks of the entertainment, Program Co-VP Sherrie Dixon announced the winners of the different drawing prizes at each table. Lucky members could win the a centerpieces of a tree or a snowman on each of the tables or other prizes. Sherrie also distributed bags of candy and packages of hot chocolate to each person present at the tables.
Everyone enjoyed participated in the singing of the Hawaiian style “Twelve Days of Christmas” that was led by Marion Tesoro with the club’s musicians accompanying the singing with their ukuleles and guitars. Marion said that she used art materials prepared by Glenda Ujiie for each of the 12 Days. Each table’s members sang and held up the special objects for each of the days.
As a finale, Marion asked everyone to sing “Here Comes Santa Claus” with Frank Yoshii, Susan McCormick, and Larry Aduha leading the singing. Santa Danny Chang and Mrs. Claus Nona Chang then came in wishing everyone a “Mele Kalikimaka!” They passed out more candies to everyone and joined in singing the closing songs of “Hawaii Aloha” and Aloha O’e.” They wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2023!
