My children are both in Hong Kong. Daniel flew in from Taipei the afternoon of December 23rd. Sarah arrived later that night. I am feeling just happy and content and FAT! We haven’t had a Nill Family Christmas Eve, or a Nill Family Christmas morning, or lit the Hanukah candles and said a blessing together for many years, at least since one Christmas in Austin. We are all grown ups now, so it’s not like Christmas or Hanukah when they were little. Nobody is staying up late playing Santa Claus and putting together drum sets and dolls houses. Nobody is waking up at 5 am to see what Santa brought. Nobody is complaining about not getting presents for both Christmas AND Hanukah! Ha.
But some traditions persist. Many of the same ornaments grace our tree. We ransacked Hong Kong for the correct velvet ribbon for our wreath. I made all the requisite cookies and a few new ones too. Our apartment is filled with love and happiness. I am content.
Of course, being in Hong Kong, some things are very different. They do celebrate Christmas here, but for most people it’s not a religious holiday, or even a family holiday. The younger Chinese join their friends on Christmas Eve and go out and party like it was New Years Eve. On Christmas Day many people go out to eat. We were told not to try to go to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas!
After eating our traditional German pancake Christmas morning we decided to take the kids on one of the most famous Hong Kong Island hikes – Dragon’s Back. There were lots of people hiking, since it’s a public holiday and the weather was beautiful (sunny and 60’s). Many of our fellow hikers wished us a “Merry Christmas”! The Minibus driver wore a Santa hat. The MTR was packed and it appeared that most stores were open and people were busy shopping. That seemed very different of course, since in the US everything would be closed on Christmas Day.
Yesterday, the 26th, was Boxing Day, another public holiday in Hong Kong. We can’t quite figure out what Boxing Day is, although we know it’s a British Holiday. Lee says it’s when the royalty would box up things they didn’t want and give them to the peasants. Maybe so. We decided to go shopping instead; box things up and give them to ourselves!
First we went to Wan Chai Computer to buy Daniel a camera, one of his Christmas presents. He decided on a Casio Exlim, in a nice blue color. It has a large LCD and some interesting features, including one where it waits to take a picture until the subject smiles (fortunately this is OPTIONAL). Of course Lee and Daniel had a great time with this, Lee refusing to smile, Daniel with the camera right in Lee’s face. Those boys!
After Wan Chai Computer we took the kids to Nga Trang for lunch. We were all glad to eat something besides turkey and cookies for a change! Then we did a little bin shopping, but neither child was impressed. That’s one way I have really changed. I definitely used to turn up my nose at rummaging around in piles of miscellaneous clothing looking for bargains, but now that I’ve seen the possibilities I’m game. I guess that’s an adjustment that will pay off when I return to the US, since Marshall’s has become one of my favorite haunts!
Then the girls and the boys split up – the boys went off to the mall and Zara’s, the girls to Soho and the little boutiques. Here we ran up against Boxing Day – all the British and Australian boutiques were closed, so Sarah and I will have to go back another time. Lots of the locally-owned boutiques were open however, so we had fun browsing around. Of course Sarah hasn’t bought anything yet. She is more like her father and will have to look at everything Hong Kong has to offer before making her purchases.
Last night the kids went to Lan Kwai Fong, after going out to eat with their parents. LKF was VERY quiet; I guess most people were nursing their Christmas Day hangovers! Even the Feathered Boa is closed until the 29th. Alas! Sarah and Daniel are still sleeping this morning of course, like any good young adults after a night of adventures in Hong Kong. I’m not sure what we will choose to do today and I don’t really care. I’m just happy that we are together.
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