A Hawaiian Christmas with JAW

Fearless, Gina, and Beth

Today the Americans hosted the annual Japanese and American Wives Club holiday party, one of the four "at-large" events on our calendar. "At-large" encompasses the thirty Americans who belong to the conversation group that meets bi-weekly plus fifteen additional ladies who are unable to make that sort of commitment.

This year's theme was "A Hawaiian Holiday" and we all wore Santa hats made out of island fabrics. A professional dance troupe treated us to a hula performance and then tried their best to teach us how to hula to "White Christmas". I regret we did not film the result for your viewing pleasure.

Birthday Girl Ouizer made all the Hawaiian Santa hats

Katherine eschewed the tropical Santa hat in favor of a felt Christmas tree number her daughter picked up at DisneyWorld. Midway through the party, she sought me out. "Jealous?" How did she know? This is the only the third or fourth time our paths have crossed since she arrived in Japan so how did she know I am the sort of person who would lust after that hat?

I told her I wanted to borrow it for my son's wedding. I was only half-kidding.

When I came home from the party and told the Ancient Mariner about the hat I wished I could wear to James and Emily's wedding, he knew I would never, ever be so thoughtless as to attempt to upstage a bride, especially one to whom I will be related for the rest of my life.

But if I ever do borrow that hat from Katherine, the Ancient Mariner came up with a really great fashion statement to complement mine.