Marine Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Maupai could barely contain his enthusiasm at having his four children meet his commander in chief on Christmas Day at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

"It was a great opportunity to have a family picture with the president," Maupai said Sunday after meeting President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama Sunday at Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Anderson Hall dining facility. "It was a great honor."

The president and first lady spent their fourth consecutive Christmas Day visiting about 250 military members and their families. Obama had arrived in Honolulu Friday — six days after his wife and daughters — for his annual Hawaii vacation after Congress approved an extension of the payroll tax.

The Obamas spent about 20 minutes shaking hands with the military families and thanking them for their service following a meal that included a choice of roast turkey, roast pork loin or roast beef, salad, fruit, vegetables and starches.

"Merry Christmas, everybody," the president said in greeting the troops and their families at about 3:40 p.m.

His first stop was for a photo with 1-month-old Adeline Valentina Hernandez Whitney and her father, William Whitney, 25.

"She’s very excited to meet the president," Obama said as he held the baby and posed for the cameras.

Marine Capt. Greg Wagner, 25, and his wife, Meredith, said they were proud to have the president pick up their 8-month-old-son, Cooper, and hold Cooper up to the first lady.

"He asked, ‘Where are you from?’ and he said, ‘Thank you for your service,’" said Greg Wagner, who is from Memphis, Tenn.

Cooper groped at the president’s mouth and smiled.

The president said the baby appeared to "see that big nose and say, ‘I want some of that big nose.’"

"He was totally fascinated," Wagner said.

While some military members wore street clothes for the Christmas Day meal with the first couple, Marine Gunnery Sgt. David A. Cleaves donned his Marine Corps dress blues for the opportunity to meet the president.

"He is the commander in chief," Cleaves said after his moment meeting the president. "It is an honor."

The White House press poll noted that the Obamas left for the Marine base at 3:29 p.m., not long after the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 88-87. Obama’s political career took root in Chicago.

The president and his family woke up early Sunday to open gifts, the White House said, then had breakfast and sang Christmas carols at the multimillion-dollar house they rent in Kailua.

Obama made two trips Sunday to the Marine base, a few minutes from his Kailuana Place vacation rental. The first was at about 11 a.m. when the president, first lady and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, went to attend church services at the base chapel.

The president dressed casually in dark khaki pants and a short-sleeve blue shirt, and his wife and daughters donned sundresses for Christmas services on a bright, breezy day on Oahu.

As the morning motorcade went to the base, a few people stood along the road and cheered. One driver in a stopped vehicle held a cellphone out of his window to snap photos.

Michelle Obama wore a white dress with an orange band around the waist and one stripe each in orange, pink and yellow around the full skirt. She was wearing orange flats.

Sasha wore a dark dress with a colorful dot pattern. Malia was in a white dress with white dots throughout. All three wore their hair in buns. They motorcade took them back to Kailua at 12:15 p.m.

Obama spent part of Saturday evening making holiday phone calls to members of each branch of the U.S. military.

The first family is expected to stay in Hawaii until early January. No date has been announced for their return to Washington.