Holidays

It’s the holiday season! It has been since Halloween, really. Hong Kong is decked out in fake snow and a plethora of poinsettias. It is actually mostly tasteful. There are lovely blooming poinsettias lining my street and in my office. Some stores have tasteful decor-the Cartier store is lovely with thick greenery and lights, for example. The big malls have grand displays; the biggest mall in causeway has a lego display!

While the decor is often adorable or even classy, it’s a bit overwhelming to have thousands of shops trying to peddle their Christmas goods. Hong Kong is the epitome of an international city, and the holiday spirit reflects the commercialism that entails. I’ve managed to shop mostly during the mornings on weekdays, for secret santas and white elephant exchanges, avoiding massive crowds.  Being a thousand miles away from my family, I also ordered things to be shipped, which is infinitely easier than braving the malls. We’ve still managed to get a pile of gifts next to our 1.5 feet tall Christmas tree in our petite apartment.

A friend of mine made a video about the HK Christmas spirit, and I think she speaks a bit better than I, so here is a Video from ML! We’re going to babysit the cat in the video next week while she’s in Thailand. I’m a tad excited, the cat is great and friendly. We’ll also go hiking, eat good food, have dinners with friends, and enjoy some time off together.

I hope you have a lovely holiday! If we haven’t talked in a while, send me a message and we’ll set up a skype.