Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Back home in American Samoa, Christmas is more than a holiday. It’s the heart of the year and a season that brings families, churches, and whole villages together. The music, the laughter, the faith, and the smell of food cooking from early morning all make the island come alive.

This will be my third Christmas away from home since starting college. School will be on break, but I have to stay in Hawaii for work. Even after doing it twice before, it still feels strange spending the holidays somewhere else. Each year I spend the holidays away, I find myself holding onto the memories of Christmas back home more tightly. I miss the joy, the noise, and that feeling you can only get when your own people surround you.

When I am home, December feels alive. Here, it feels quiet. Most days, I stay in my room or go to work if I am scheduled. Some Christmas mornings feel like any other day. There is no choir practice, no neighbors dropping by, and no kids playing outside. The feeling reminds me that I am very far away from home.

I am 100 percent sure that other students and islanders spend Christmas away from home, too. Some of us work during the holidays or stay where we are because traveling back home is too “expensive.” We try to keep our island spirit alive wherever we go, but it never feels the same. The quiet days remind us how much family, faith, and home really mean.

Being away has shown me what Christmas is really about. It’s not the lights, gifts, or even the break from school. It is the love, faith, and togetherness that make the season real. When those things are missing, the holiday feels empty, no matter where you are.

Growing up, Christmas was all about community. Every church came alive in the evenings as families gathered to rehearse dances and choir songs for the Christmas Day service. The sound of voices and instruments carried through the villages, blending with laughter, music, and the spirit of joy that filled every neighborhood.

Even government offices, local businesses, and churches join in. They rehearse songs and dances for the government’s annual Christmas Music Festival at a center in the town of Utulei, with a population of less than 500 people. People from all over the island gather to share music, faith, and laughter in the lead-up to Christmas Day. It’s one of the biggest celebrations of the season, showcasing the island’s strong sense of community.

American Samoa’s traditions are rooted in faith and community, and those values shape the way my people celebrate. The island’s customs, from music to family gatherings, reflect a culture centered on connection and respect. Visit American Samoa’s page on our culture, shows how these traditions continue to guide daily life across the island.

According to the Polynesian Cultural Center, Christmas in American Samoa combines faith, food, and family into a single, extended celebration. For many Samoans, it’s a season built on giving, not getting, and a time when the island spirit truly shines.

Christmas morning back home starts early. Families prepare the “umu,” the traditional ground oven used to cook breadfruit, taro, bananas, chicken, and often an “umu pua’a”(Pig Roast). Some make “oka,” which is raw fish mixed with coconut milk, or “palusami,” a dish of coconut milk wrapped in taro leaves. Others cook fai’ai fe’e, octopus simmered in coconut milk, or barbecue in their yards while that island reggae music plays in the background.

The smell of smoke and food fills the air, spreading from house to house. No one cooks just for themselves. Families share with their neighbors and the whole village. The joy comes from good food, good company, and giving back. Even without snow, it still feels like Christmas. The island’s heat doesn’t stop anyone from decorating homes, churches, and palm trees with colorful lights.

Being away from that feels different. December in college feels quiet and distant compared to home. The lights and songs are still there, but the “spirit” behind them is missing. I miss the choirs, the rehearsals, and the laughter that always came with family and food. Calls and video chats help for a moment, but they’ll never match the feeling of being home with my family.

Spending Christmas alone has taught me a lot about what truly matters. It made me realize how much I took those moments for granted. Back home, I never gave much thought to the long evenings of dance practice or the hours spent helping in the kitchen. Now I see how much those traditions shaped me. They continue to guide me, whether I’m home or somewhere else.

Justin’s home during the Christmas season back in American Samoa. [photo: Justin Siliva]

Christmas away from American Samoa will always feel different. But it reminds me that the real meaning of the holiday is not about where you are. It’s about love, faith, and people who make you feel at home. Even when I am far away, I carry that island vibe with me, and that’s what keeps my Christmas alive.