what's open tomorrow?

[ray98]

Not sure --- I am 30 (so maybe not Very young but still young enough) and I much rather spend Xmas day at home with the family, opening presents, watching the snow falling by the window (my parents happen to be living near the mountains), eating great food, having endless talk....than going to a Mall or cinema....this I can do it every other day of the year...Xmas is a pretty special moment, much more appreciated when you are surrounded with family in a cosy place.

Well whatever does it for you, but back in the UK, I lived with my family and use to go yum cha with them in Manchester Chinatown almost every week, so Xmas was nothing special in terms of catching up with family. And because we had phones and icq back then, catching up with extended family members wasn't a problem either.

Listening to the Queen's speech and seeing the annual Sound of Music and Wizard of Oz drove me mad!!!

Also, maybe my personal character is a bit of an action boy...

[imparanoic]

Exactly. Nice post.

i maybe wrong, could this be a clash of cultures in regards to the meaning of xmas, but it don't have to be, different thoughts can result to an amalagtion of cultures, eg, chinese thought's in regards to xmas, drinking, mah jong/cards, shopping and going out, whilst westerners, more in the line of meeting the family once a year , eating vast quantity of food, drinking, opening presents, watching genaration ago james bond on tv. nowadays, some people don't mind doing either or combination of both.

[MovingIn07]

Well whatever does it for you, but back in the UK, I lived with my family and use to go yum cha with them in Manchester Chinatown almost every week, so Xmas was nothing special in terms of catching up with family. And because we had phones and icq back then, catching up with extended family members wasn't a problem either.

But listening to the Queen's speech and seeing the annual Sound of Music and Wizard of Oz drove me mad!!!

OK - at the risk of sounding culturally insensitive - it sounds like you are not "really" British (or at least, not traditionally so). I think perhaps if you had been brought up in the whole traditional Christmas thing (including Church, irrespective of whether it meant anything) you might feel differently. Christmas just "feels" different to me than other holidays. I hope it stays that way - I'd like to ensure that future generations get to experience something of their traditions and not end up in such a culturally homogenous world that nothing means anything to anyone anymore!

[leedseagle]

spot on movingin. xmas will always be special. the fact that it's the one time you can lock yourself away from the world, knowing there's nowhere to go (other than the footy on boxing day), and that you have a freezer full of sausage rolls, is fantastic. curry on xmas eve, maybe midnight mass (not religious in the slightest), then everyone round for a mass of food and presents by an open fire while it's cold and wet outside. LOVE IT!

[thundacatchergo]

so the same tomorrow then?
i need a fridge! any suggestions welcome. so far have only checked out fortress... am guessing some of the smaller places in wanchai?

Asia at wan chai mtr queens road exit. ask the drug addicts if can't find it.

[ray98]

OK - at the risk of sounding culturally insensitive - it sounds like you are not "really" British (or at least, not traditionally so). I think perhaps if you had been brought up in the whole traditional Christmas thing (including Church, irrespective of whether it meant anything) you might feel differently. Christmas just "feels" different to me than other holidays. I hope it stays that way - I'd like to ensure that future generations get to experience something of their traditions and not end up in such a culturally homogenous world that nothing means anything to anyone anymore!

Ha! Ha! Ha! 90% of my friends were local Brits, and rest assured, they felt the same way!

As for church, I went to a C of E and was in the choir, read the Bible extensively and even went to Xmas mass with my Catholic friends. But I guess me and God had an amicable mutual separation around the time I learned sciences and concluded the Bible was in fact only to be relied upon to teach moral values and not history or science

[MovingIn07]

As for church, I went to a C of E and was in the choir, read the Bible extensively and even went to Xmas mass with my Catholic friends. But I guess me and God had an amicable mutual separation around the time I learned sciences and concluded the Bible was in fact only to be relied upon to teach moral values and not history or science

Yep - sounds the same as me - but I still go along from time to time for the music and the architecture and the 'culture'.... just not the god-delusion!

[ray98]

Yep - sounds the same as me - but I still go along from time to time for the music and the architecture and the 'culture'.... just not the god-delusion!

Well now that I am in HK, at Xmas I do the family gathering & dinner thing, then when it's bed time, I go out with my friends on the "yo"

[hullexile]

Yep - sounds the same as me - but I still go along from time to time for the music and the architecture and the 'culture'.... just not the god-delusion!

Funny thing is, when I was an atheist I used to go to Midnight Mass, but now I am a Christian I don't. Once I collapsed (drink and drugs) and came round to find myself being given the kiss of life by a fireman. Now many of you ladies (and a few of the men) would have thought Christmas had definitely arrived if that happened to you, but not for me thanks.

I'm in the "Christmas is for family" brigade on this one - but then I hate shopping any day of the year.

[UK/HKboy]

i guess it depends on what it means to you and your own experiences.

don't get me wrong, i sometimes miss the christmas in UK, but not the actual christmas day, but the build-up to christmas. the dark cold nights looking out over the christmas lights and decorations in the streets sipping some hot milk or coffee and i would remember the christmas eve when i would help my parents close the shop earlier.

but christmas day itself? i have good memories of drinking babycham when i was about 8