Kaua‘i Hospice Lanterns of Love Returns to Offer Community Tribute

Kaua‘i Hospice will bring back Lanterns of Love for its fifth season this winter, continuing a community tradition that invites residents to honor loved ones with wooden remembrance hearts and nightly illuminated lanterns. The lanterns will be placed on hospice grounds each evening from December 15, 2025 to January 15, 2026, with walking hours available from 6 to 9 p.m. The public can begin ordering wooden hearts and reserving lanterns on November 10, 2025 while supplies last, according to an events calendar listing published to Kaua‘i Now in early November 2025.

The program is presented as a community tribute, providing a visible, shared space for remembrance. For many families, particularly in rural and island communities like Kaua‘i, public rituals and gatherings can offer an accessible way to mark loss and find mutual support. By placing the display on hospice grounds the event also highlights the broader role of hospice providers in bereavement care and community health.

Public health research suggests that communal mourning rituals can reduce social isolation and support mental health for people coping with grief. In Kaua‘i County where services are spread across smaller population centers, community based offerings like Lanterns of Love can act as an important point of contact between grieving families and local health networks. The event may also help destigmatize conversations about death and dying, which can improve timely access to palliative and supportive care.

The program’s limited supplies and the first come first served nature of reservations raise questions about equitable access. Community members who lack transportation or who are unable to attend evening walking hours may find it harder to participate. Local health advocates say it is important that community memorial programs be accompanied by outreach to underserved neighborhoods and clear information about other bereavement resources offered by hospice and partner agencies.

Kaua‘i Hospice has placed ordering and contact details on the Kaua‘i Now events calendar, making it easier for residents to sign up beginning November 10, 2025. The lantern illumination dates and nightly visiting hours are also provided there. Organizers encourage early ordering because supplies are limited.

As the holiday season approaches, the Lanterns of Love program offers a structured, communal way to remember those who have died. For families and neighbors across the island, the nightly display on hospice grounds will be both a public expression of grief and a reminder of the local networks that support people during difficult transitions. The program’s return underscores the ongoing need for accessible bereavement services and thoughtful planning to ensure all community members can participate.