Christmastime in Hong Kong

At the beginning of December, our little family "enjoyed" a 15-hour plane ride from New York to Hong Kong as we made our official move here. When our belongings were packed up in Spain, we expected to have them shortly after we arrived here...however, instead of an air shipment, our belongings are on a "slow boat to China". Quite literally. :)

So we are patiently awaiting the arrival of our "stuff" (including a bag of Christmas decor which will not make it here before Christmas) and enjoying Christmastime in Hong Kong.

Before we left the States, I think numerous people asked us how Christmas would be celebrated in Hong Kong. We - naively - answered that we didn't expect there to be much Christmas celebration at all. Instead we were greeted by Christmas music and decorations at the airport and amazing Christmas lights on skyscrapers around the harbor.


Lights along Victoria Harbor

Hong Kong is really like one big shopping mall, and every shopping center here has their own Christmas display.

We hear Christmas music in EVERY building we are in. The songs are often more religious than we'd likely hear in the U.S., maybe because they don't understand the words? :)

There are even REAL American Christmas trees for sell at IKEA!! We decided we didn't need one this year, especially since Charlotte would probably destroy it, but next year we are SO getting one!


Outwardly, Christmas in Hong Kong is much like it is in the U.S...or any other "Christian" country. We think much of this tradition is a holdover from the days of British rule. Hong Kong does have a very unique mixed culture of British and Chinese influences.

And maybe inwardly it is also the same as the way many people in the U.S. celebrate Christmas...shallow, commercial, consumer-minded, and not really about celebrating Jesus' birth at all.

For many reasons, this Christmas will be a very memorable one for us...maybe even moreso because that bag of decorations is stuck on a boat somewhere. :) Christmas really is all in the heart and all about Emmanuel, God with us!

Merry Christmas from Hong Kong!

Swarovski Crystal Christmas Tree