Side Orders • December 15, 2016

HOLIDAY CHEER . . . On Monday, a gingerbread village lighting reception with caroling by the Sacred Hearts School Choir will get the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali jumping.

The lighting and the caroling will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the lobby. The Gingerbread Village will remain lit each evening for viewing through Dec. 31. On Christmas Day, the resort's Black Rock Kitchen will present an all-you-can-eat buffet with crab legs, turkey and more. For more details, call 661-0031.

Looking for a quiet spot for a meal over the holidays? Vietnamese Cuisine at Azeka Makai in Kihei is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily for dine-in, take-out and catering your parties.

Owner-chef Ann Carpenter is the real deal, whipping up pho, lemongrass chicken,  fresh summer rolls, crispy duck, vegetarian clay pots and more. With the recent rainy weather, hot and sour soup and vermicelli noodles are good choices, too. You may call 875-2088.

Toast to happiness and health at Relish Oceanside at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali, where superb seasonal cocktails the Okole Wow and the Fuyu Margarita have been unveiled.

Okole Wow uses locally made liquor Okolehao, aka Hawaiian moonshine, but now commercially produced. The drink also boasts vibrant hibiscus syrup, fresh Maui pineapple and lime; while the margarita has persimmon in it.

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BITS AND PIECES . . . From 5:30 to 8:30 this evening at Kahili Restaurant in Waikapu, crafty types and Hawaiian food lovers may attend Culture & Cuisine to learn to make fresh haku lei as you enjoy taro chips with poisson cru, pohole fern shoot salad, bacon-wrapped lychee, prawns in coconut curry with mashed sweet potato, and lilikoi sorbet. Sip 'Olelo Wines as you enjoy the evening.

The event will be led by Joey Kehaunani Dang of Manutea Nui E Productions. Cost of $75 per person includes food, wine, lei supplies and take-home haku lei. Call Kahili events at 866-5025.

"I feel that our ideal goal is to encourage our cultural roots and go beyond the farm to table experience," says Director of Sales & Marketing Aaron Rego. "We want to make this a cultural hub. This is where we want our direction to head."

In addition, the Friday night prime rib and seafood buffet and the Sunday buffet brunch are all of the rage. The dining room offers two lanai seating areas with stellar views of Maui's north and south shores.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua will be puttin' on Bubbles and Bites from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, a festive champagne tasting  with gourmet pupu prepared by the Banyan Tree restaurant. Dom Perignon and Moet Chandon will be uncorked and New Chef de Cuisine Alvin Savilla will pair potato chips with parmesan truffle oil; crispy Brussels sprouts with house-smoked bacon, local feta and yuzu-ginger; avocado hummus with lemon oil; grilled flat bread with smoked kampachi with Maui onion and calamansi cream; and Pacific oysters topped with uni, or sea urchin.

Cost is $50 per person. To reserve, call 665-7089. Valet parking is complimentary for attendees.

Purchase any three housemade sauces from chili pepper water to not-so-ordinary ketchup and any two shirts from Hula Grill by Friday and the shipping will be on the Kaanapali restaurant. Call Nicole or Sara at 667-6636 to order.

On Sunday, Santa and his reindeer will paddle onto Kaanapali Beach fronting Hula Grill at 4 p.m., then he'll sit with keiki in the restaurant's Barefoot Bar while Mrs. Claus passes out goodies and cookie decorating will be hosted by elves. This is a free event, but you will get validated parking with a purchase. . . You can also attend the Ugly Sweater Party in Lahaina at Down the Hatch on Tuesday.

* Got restaurant / dining-event scoop?

Call Dining Editor Carla Tracy at 242-6342; or email carlatracy@mauinews.com.