Hong Kong is a great place to be, especially during the festive season in December.
Visitors at the end of the year enjoy a cooler, dry climate. But best of all, several festive events welcome them.
As a westerner, one may wonder whether Asians celebrate Christmas. Do they get into a festive mood as well?
I won’t say. You make up your mind.
This article will take you on a trip through Hong Kong, seen from the view of a resident during the festive season.
Christmas Spirit in Hong Kong
Hotel lobbies, shopping malls, and restaurants — all have one thing in common during the festive season in December. Decorations and a sense of feel-good and be-happy spirit.
Best sunrise viewpoints in Hong Kong
We start our day at 6:05 a.m., just 30 minutes before the sun rises. The city has some incredible spots to experience the sunrise.
1. Garden Hill
2. Shek O Beach
3. Tap Mun
4. Tai Mo Shan
5. Sharp Peak
6. Lantau Peak
To name a few…
Our day is planned out. Our camera and bottle of water are all tugged away and waiting for us to get in motion.
Social Distancing in Hong Kong
Wearing a mask has become a part of everyday life almost everywhere in the world, especially here.
It wasn’t until October 2022 that restaurants could host live events again.
Hong Kong’s lockdowns due to the COVID-19 crisis put the entire city on edge.
The cities’ social distancing policy was tight, with residents who tested positive for COVID-19 having to wear wristbands that monitored their whereabouts. If anyone with a wristband left their allowed premise, the authorities would be alarmed via the GPS tracker integrated into the wristband.
But all that has changed recently. According to Timeout, starting December 22, “Hong Kong citizens will no longer be required to present a negative rapid antigen test at bars. Additionally, premises such as banquet halls, cinemas, and performance venues will operate at full capacity.”
So what would a Hong Kong resident do in this case? The first thing that comes to mind is the food in one of the city’s many excellent restaurants.
Lunchtime in Hong Kong
After enjoying a beautiful sunrise followed by a long stroll through some of Hong Kong’s beautifully decorated shopping malls, it is time for breakfast and lunch– brunch.
While it is a beautiful city packed with life and culture, it can sometimes get overwhelming, tight, and busy. That’s why we head out to an incredible location outside the city.
In fact, it’s an island. And the way we’ll get there is by ferry.
The cloudy sky acts like a natural soft box, preventing the sunlight from overexposing the water’s surface, allowing the water to reflect a jade green color.
Oh, where are we headed?
To a place called “Discovery Bay.”
Discovery Bay
If I had to choose a place to move to as an ex-pat in Asia, I would select Discovery Bay (DB), which is half resort town and half residential.
Of the “20,271 people living at DB; over 50% are non-Chinese and” mostly ex-pats.
It’s past noon. And we’re excited about our next destination.
Since we decided to brunch, our meals will be smaller with more variety. And what better place to get the best of a light breakfast and a savory lunch than at one of the ocean-side restaurants by the beach here in Discovery Bay?
We spend a full 2 hours in this beautiful restaurant eating, talking, and just taking in the lovely ocean breeze, listening to the waves, and enjoying some traditional Hong Kong food.
Sightseeing
There is an ancient Chinese proverb related to health and walking after you eat.
“If you take 100 steps after each meal, you’ll live to 99.”
So, we decided to go some sightseeing. As a side note, this is one thing you will never fall short of in Hong Kong, with its more than 250 islands.
As we bring our day to an end, we also plan for the travels and tours of our next days.
Events
The month of December is packed with exciting stuff to do. In fact, you can enjoy events all year round, but December is the month when the Hong Kong Mega Showcase takes place.
Imagine Christmas shopping on steroids!
The Hong Kong Mega Showcase is said to be the “largest Christmas indoor carnival in Hong Kong.” It’s basically a giant indoor festival that occurs every year around Christmas in Hong Kong’s Convention and Exhibition Center. A must-see for anyone visiting during the festive season.
Counting down to New Year in Hong Kong
The New Year’s Eve countdown and fireworks are highly anticipated events that any Hong Kong resident looks forward to.
Hong Kong’s shiny harbor is a perfect backdrop “for the celebrations, which will begin with a series of live performances.”
The New Year’s Eve countdown and fireworks celebrations are packed with great performances every year.
Visitors to this year’s event can look forward to performances by:
The pianist Niu Niu (meaning ‘Little Ox’)
This upcoming pianist star has already performed for King Charles, London’s Wigmore Hall, Beijing National Center for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Oriental Center, and Suntory Hall Tokyo.
The renowned Hong Kong rope skipping club
These boys have won awards for their exceptional rope performance. This year, they will show off their skills at the Hong Kong New Year’s Eve Countdown event.
The Gekko Taiko Drummers
The team of drummers will be making sure the event is packed with enough excitement.
Despite all the events being hosted live in Hong Kong this year, what’s unique about the 2022 New Year’s event is that no attendance will be allowed.
Viewers will be able to join in remotely.
What an exciting time to travel to Hong Kong. December offers so many opportunities and events that no visitor’s heart will be left unsatisfied.
