From Perth in the west to Papeete in the east, and from Port Moresby in the north to Picton in the south—and many other cities, towns, and villages across Oceania—the 600,000 or so members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific love Christmas.
For one extended family, the Enari’s, whose members live in Australia and New Zealand, Christmas is a time for gathering, celebrating, remembering, and giving thanks.
DOWNLOAD“We celebrate Christmas like any other big Polynesian family, together over food. Lots and lots of food, may I add,” says Associate Professor Lefaoali'i Dion Enari, who is a researcher and lecturer at Ngā Wai a Te Tūī (Māori and Indigenous Research Centre) and School of Healthcare and Social Practice, Unitec.
“We also celebrate with a lot of competitive games, singing and laughing.”
He adds, “Christmas is a time for us in our family to stop from our busy schedules and spend quality time with each other. Remembering the reason for the season—our Saviour Jesus Christ. It means reflecting on the year that has passed and being grateful for what we have.”
One of the ways Pacific Latter-day Saints make Christmas special is by participating in “Light the World”, a global initiative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a special invitation to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by sharing His light with others during the Christmas season through acts of kindness.
Some Church members, and many other people, visit a giving machine when there is one in a nearby city. A giving machine is sometimes called a “reverse vending machine” where individuals and families can donate to local charities to share love and gifts with those in need, such as meals, school uniforms, and medicine.
Some people print off a list of ideas for acts of kindness they can do each day throughout the Christmas season.
Many Latter-day Saints invite family and friends to worship with them at a Christmas Sunday service.
Some invite a friend to watch “The Christ Child,” a short movie about the birth of Jesus Christ.
To learn more about how members of the Church of Jesus Christ celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, click here.