Christmas & New Year Celebration in Hong Kong

Christmas & New Year Celebration in Hong Kong

Christmas at Harbour City, Christmas in Hong Kong

Enjoy A Citywide Christmas Celebration at Statue Square
Date: 14 Dec to 1 Jan 2008 Venue: Statue Square, Central
Enjoy a Christmas celebration filled with music, dance and festive lights in the heart of Central at Statue Square. You’re sure to be enthralled by the 4-storey tall Christmas tree! This Christmas setting will also include a large stage and a giant nativity scene with of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. There is even a 15-foot crucifix upon which to hang your prayer requests! On Friday nights, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, between 14 December and New Year’s Day, entertainers, artistes, carolers and various Hong Kong groups will perform. On 24 and 31 December, there will be 12 hours of non-stop entertainment providing one and all with a memorable Christmas and New Year’s countdown activity.

Stop by this link and get Hong Kong Recomended Reading - before you landed!

Hong Kong Important Phrases

Hong Kong Important Phrases

Hong Kong Recomended Reading
English is not spoken as well as you might think (they will understand you in the touristy areas though!). Numbers are important since they are very handy when bargaining in the markets. You might have a higher chance of getting a lower price if you speak their language. Also remember, the Hong Kong population speaks CANTONESE and not MANDARIN which is spoken mostly in the mainland of China.

Numbers in Cantonese
Money is 'Maan' or Marn. Therefore, $1 is 'Yutt Marn'.

1 - "Yutt" (like 'putt' a golf ball)

2 - "e" or "yee" (long E sound)

3 - "Saam" or "sam" (put an 'r' sound like 'sarm)

4 - "Say" (say no more)

5 - "Um" or "Mm" (very difficult sound- put your lips together and hum - 'mmm'- that tastes great!)

6 - "Lok" ('lock' your doors)

7 - "Chaat" or "Chet" (more like 'chutt'- putt the ball again)

8 - "Paat" or "Baat" (t is a cross between the t and a d)

9 - "Caw" or "Gow" (like cow but with a 'g')

10 - "Sup" or "Sat" (as in you are late for 'supper')

For higher numbers like 21 it would be 2-10-1 so - "ee"-"sup"-"yut"

45 would be 4-10-5 so - "say" - "sup" - "mm"

When you reach the hundreds they use "baat mun", so $100 is "ee" "baat marn"

$400 is "say" "baat marn"
Other useful phrases

Hello- 'Lay Ho' literally meaning 'you good'

Good Morning- 'Joe Sarn'

Bill or check please- 'Mai Darn'

How much ($) is it?- 'Gay door Chin'?

Tasty- Ho May

Hong Kong islands

Hong Kong islands overview : The Lay of the Land

Hong Kong encompasses Hong Kong Island, the city of Kowloon, the New Territories, and a few hundred islands. Technically speaking, what we commonly refer to as Hong Kong is now part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), but because it has separate but equal status, its address is written as “Separate Administrative Region,” or “SAR” (not to be confused with SARS, the disease).
When people discuss addresses in the Hong Kong area, they may cite a particular number on a particular street, but more often than not, you’ll hear your fellow travelers simplifying directions by just naming a building and a neighborhood. And they play fast and loose with what constitutes a neighborhood. Some people call all of Victoria Island “Central” and all of the Kowloon Peninsula “Kowloon.”

Shopping in Hong Kong concentrates heavily on two areas:
Central, the main business “downtown” area on the Hong Kong Island side, and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. Central is very upscale, civilized, businesslike, and modern. Tsim Sha Tsui (often written TST) is grittier and more frenetic. As real estate continues to sky rocket, there is new interest in Mong Kok, the area of Kowloon beyond TST, which now has some luxury hotels, a mall, and Elements, a new deluxe mall in the Western- Tunnel side of Kowloon.
See Shopping Neighborhoods for a detailed discussion of Hong Kong’s shopping and commercial districts.