Holiday Happenings in Hong Kong
If you are thinking of traveling over the Christmas/New Years holiday, Hong Kong is an excellent destination.
Granted the focus here is on the commercial aspects of the holidays but then many people come to Hong Kong to shop anyway. Also, just because the focus is commercial doesn’t mean the resulting decorations and events aren’t worth your while. They are.
Each Shopping mall, especially in the tourist areas, puts up beautiful decorations. As I get around town, I’ll be adding photos of some of the better ones. As I’ve mentioned in the past there is a sound and light show every evening at 8:00 P.M. The show is best seen from the promenade on Kowloon side as the show itself takes place on Hong Kong side. The show is particularly spectacular during the holiday season, which by the way lasts from about December 1st to the end of the Chinese New Year celebration – in 2009, January 28. In addition, many of the tall buildings are bedecked with holiday decorations that make an incredible sight every night.
You can see photos of some of the decorations on my .
Many malls also offer entertainment and I’m not talking shlocky entertainment. The in Central has a swing band from called the Jazz Cannons. in Mongkok has booked an A Capella group named MilkShake for the weekends. The (home of the Airport Express) in Central has a ferris wheel. Unfortunately it’s for viewing only. No riders allowed. IFC will also have circus style performers doing their thing on the weekends. The highlight is an ex-Cirque du Soleil performer, David Dimitri, doing a tight rope walk twice a day at 12:45 and 6:30 PM. IFC also books Christmas Music acts that appear at 2:30 and 5:00 PM.
in Taikoo Shing will be featuring David and Dania who made the top ten in the “America’s Got Talent” show. They are dancers and magicians who do instantaneous costume changes. They do four shows a day. features Broadway style performances around Christmas themes in the Garden Court as well as local choral groups singing Christmes Carols every afternoon and evening. in Kowloon Tong presents A Shining Christmas Parade consisting of a shimmering Santa Claus followed by a group of performers dressed as nature fairies who will dance, march and party all over Festival Walk every weekend.
One of the fun things to do, especially if you have young children, is to visit in Statue Square in the Central District. I like to go just to watch the kids having wide-eyed fun.
Some of the musical events are worthwhile. will be presenting “The Nutcracker” from December 19 through the 27th at the .
will be presenting their annual Christmas Concert including seasonal symphonic pieces as well as choral versaions of all the traditional favorites from Jingle Bells to We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Dates are December 12, 13 and 14 at the .
will be celebrating the Holiday Season in great style, as usual, with Fairy lights, Santa and fireworks. The traditional Disney parade will include snowfall and ice sculptures to give that “Christmasy” feeling. It started back in November and will be running all the way to January 2, 2009.
All of the links above contain information on how to get to each of these venues. Enjoy!
