First family arrives in islands for 16-day Christmas vacation

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - President Barack Obama and his family have arrived on Oahu for the Christmas holidays.

Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam around 10:45 p.m. Friday. About ten minutes after landing, the aircraft came to a stop on the tarmac.

There was no arrival ceremony since the President and First Lady decided to skip the formalities this year. Admiral Samuel Locklear of the U.S. Pacific Command greeted the family. There are plans for a departure ceremony where dignitaries can see them off when they return to Washington.

The arrival was not open to the public and the president did not make any statement.

The president headed out to play golf at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe on Saturday.

This is the first family's seventh Christmas in Hawaii.

Earlier Friday, President Obama held a news conference where he ended saying "Mele Kalikimaka and Mahalo."

Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi created a bit of a stir Thursday night at a community meeting, making a joke that President Obama should come view the lava flow. Many on social media hope the President does come. However Mayor Kenoi's office has not officially sent an invitation to the White House.

We will have the latest on the Obama's Christmas vacation on Hawaii News Now and HawaiiNewsNow.com.