Hi everyone! My husband and I live in Guam and we are planning a 4-day trip to Hong Kong over Christmas. We are staying at the Island Shangri-La and I know I'll be scouring this site for more info as our trip gets closer.

One thing I searched for but didn't find was info on HK over Christmas. What would you recommend as a "must do?" What's the overall atmosphere this time of the year? Anything we shouldn't miss?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Christmas is party and shopping time in Hong Kong. Many commercial highrises have huge decorative lights outside, so the "must do" is to go to the harbor front and look at them.

On Christmas Eve, lots of young (and not so young) people will gather at the promenade in Kowloon, and streets in Tsimshatsui will be blocked for vehicular traffic. All hotel restaurants offer special Christmas Eve dinner for big chunks of money.

The Star Ferry and MTR (subway train) runs overnight on Christmas Eve, so don't worry about getting back across the harbor.

Huge crowds will also be at Lan Kwai Fong, the expats' favorite bar area in Central.

But weather around Christmas is usually very decent, and Christmas Day is quiet in the city. It's very pleasant to walk around the city or hike at the Peak on Christmas Day morning, as it's super super quiet, which is rare for Hong Kong.

one exceptional thing is the lights that are all over the buildings....they are often animated lites and are several stories high....it is like nothing i have ever seen elsewhere....

Awesome! Thank you so much for your recommendations. We have such a long list of things to do and see now.

I suggest you subscribe to the HKTB's monthly e-zine to get updates of all the special events that are happening over the Christmas period

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/.../ez_subn.jhtml

If you're not already booked into a harbour-view room at the Shang, you might want to consider upgrading to one, especially one on a high floor. The harbour-view is wonderful all year, but at Christmas-time it's absolutely over-the-top.

Be sure to take a stroll or two through Hong Kong Park, which is not always obvious but just a few steps from your hotel. (Go out the front door and turn right.) I'm sure that on Christmas Day it will be an especially lively place with families having a great time.

Thanks for the subscription info... I'm signed up.

We do have a Harbor View room. I'm not too sure about how high it is... guess we'll find out when we get there! We're both really excited!