Finding the North Pole in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, in four words: crowds, lights, skyscrapers, sea. In a nation of more than seven million spread out in only 425 square miles, in 236 islands with only 100 of them developed land, (which results in something like 6,200 people per square kilometer) those four words make sense – where land is at a premium, the only way to build is up. Soaring towers dominate the skyline. Centers of business and high-rise housing, the buildings cast their shadow over the bustle of people below. For a first-time traveler to Hong Kong used to the long, low and wide Manila urban sprawl (in this case, me), it can seem overwhelming, at first.

People teem in the busy walkways, going to and from work, or the hundreds of malls and restaurants around the island. (The stereotype many Filipinos cast on Hong Kongers is simply untrue – when many people bump or brush past you in the street without apologizing, it’s not rudeness on their part. No one should take offense, because no one means any. It’s simply what happens when you cram that many people into so small an area, and everyone has somewhere to get to. Punctuality, in Hong Kong, is not only a virtue, but a way of life.)

It is in the heart of all this bustling activity, in Hong Kong island’s Central district by the harbor, that I found myself in what the Hong Kongers have turned into an island of Christmas, converting their Statue Square and the adjacent Chater Garden into a Yule oasis: Santa’s Town. Open since November and lasting until Jan. 2, it’s a monument to the season.

The pedestrian tunnel leading to the Square has been temporarily rechristened Mistletoe Boulevard. All along the length of the tunnel, Christmas lights, wreaths and mistletoe décor hang from the walls and ceiling, inviting everyone walking through to have, in the former British colony’s parlance, "a quick snog," or a kiss. It goes without saying that the Boulevard draws many of the young couples, many of whom go out of their way to pass through the tunnel several times.

From there, it’s on to the dazzling Santa’s Town proper. There are lights everywhere, from the groves of Christmas trees that stand along the walkways, to the many shops and displays in the Park, to the giant Christmas tree that stands at one end of the town: a towering 115 feet of leaves, decoration and lights topped by a huge, eight-pointed star, dwarfing everything else in town. At its base is Music Village, a short, animated musical performance area for a band of Santa statues that pop out of the small houses built at the tree’s base. "Parang yung C.O.D. sa Cubao dati!" a Pinoy tourist a few feet away exclaimed, saying what every Filipino there must have been thinking. The Filipinos, my tour group and a few strangers, exchanged looks and shared a smile and the memory. It’s always nice to be reminded of home, in a foreign land.

There are more places to see and go to in Santa’s Town, all of them photo opportunities. There’s Santa’s Lodge, where the jolly old Santa sits in his chair: full-bellied, rosy-cheeked and patient. He has to be, because there’s always a long line of people wanting to sit in his lap and have their photo taken. Surprisingly, many of those in line are grown-ups, jumping at the chance to be photographed with St. Nick. Across from the Lodge is Santa’s Post Office, where well-wishers can write down their season’s greetings and have them displayed later in the large LED screen by the town’s entrance. Other Yule wishes can be made by writing them down on decorative cards (provided free) and hanging them on trees set aside for this purpose. It’s a nice concept: using the season’s merriment and goodwill to make something beautiful.

From there, it’s a variety of live choir performances by the Snowy Chapel, a trip to the small Madame Tussauds wax museum, gift shops, and Nativity displays. All around, people smile and greet each other Merry Chritsmas in Cantonese, English and Tagalog. Surrounded as we were by the country’s most important (and busiest) structures, it felt good to see people slow down and take a stroll to celebrate the season.

With the chilly December air and seaside winds, it really did feel like walking in a winter wonderland, right in the middle of cosmopolitan Hong Kong.

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(For more information, log on to www.discoverhongkong.com)