Paul McGehee "The Beach at Waikiki" Christmas Card

Mele Kalikimaka! A Hawaiian Christmas greeting card by the award-winning artist Paul McGehee. The Hawaiian Islands of the blue Pacific...a paradise filled with sunshine, balmy breezes scented with tropical flowers, swaying palm trees and rolling surf. On the island of Oahu lies the beautiful beach of Waikiki, a palm-lined stretch of white sand next to aquamarine waters, nestled at the feet of the sphinx-like Diamond Head. So legendary is the beauty of Waikiki, Hawaiian royalty chose to summer here in years past. In 1928, Waikiki Beach was teeming with people from around the world. Some arrived on the steamships of the Matson Line and stayed at the Moana Hotel, Waikiki's first luxury hotel, or the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the famous "Pink Palace" that had opened the previous year. When ships docked at Honolulu on "Steamer Day," travelers were greeted with wonderfully fragrant flower leis, music, and a warm "aloha" before venturing to their hotels. Once at the beach, bathers swam in the warm waters of Mamala Bay. Hawaiians and haoles alike enjoyed "the sport of kings," surfing. Large, heavy surfboards crafted from solid redwood and pine were used to ride the waves of Waikiki. The Hawaiian beachboys gave surfing lessons to visiting tourists, or taught them how to paddle an outrigger canoe and catch the perfect wave back to shore. Meanwhile, as the happy music of ukuleles and slack-key guitars filled the air, grass-skirted wahine danced the hula at the Moana Hotel's famous Banyan Court and the Royal Hawaiian's open-air dance floor. These were Hawaii's glamour days, with the old ways mixing with the new. Each card comes with envelope.