Holiday Spirit at Big Island Candies

Having any difficulty in finding your holiday spirit? Sometimes, I need to kick start my own. Here are my tried-and-true methods:

• I watch a Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott version) and It’s a Wonderful Life.

We plug in our fiber-optic Christmas tree (so tacky, yet so awesome).

I pop “Cracklin’ Cozy Fireplace” into the DVD player.

I go shopping at Big Island Candies.

While I’m not much on decorating myself, I enjoy it when others go all-out, and that’s the case at Big Island Candies. This year they have something sure to delight everyone.

For those uninitiated with the store (585 Hinano Street in Hilo), Big Island Candies is a beloved Hilo landmark. Park in their spacious lot and come on in. A welcoming employee will hand you a little cup of cookies and candies and invite you to also sample some Kona coffee. That’s a good way to start your shopping experience. More stores should do that. Wouldn’t that be nice?

There are big windows inside where you can watch the goodies being made. Curious about a product? The employees are very helpful and are armed with even more samples. I like the old adage that the best gifts are ones you’d like to receive, so I make sure to find gifts I’d want to eat.

As a frequent stop for tourists, you’re likely to see lots of buses and vans in the parking lot. The store can get very crowded and busy. However, the clerks are efficient and move folks quickly through lines.

I am completely hopeless at gift-wrapping, so appreciate the beautifully pre-wrapped gifts. Bonus: many of the tins and boxes are re-usable.

Hunting for holiday spirit? Start your shopping at Big Island Candies.