Every year I buy Christmas cards from charity organisations such as Unicef. I like to handwrite each card and mail them to my friends, both in Hong Kong and overseas. I understand e-mail greeting cards are so much easier, and prettier even, but the feelings are different. It doesn't matter if these friends are always around or friends who I haven't seen for ages. Through the handwritten greetings, I hope my friends can receive my care and my best wishes. I recently got a hand-painted card from a four-year-old child I supported through a charity. I was so moved by the heart-warming gift.
Charlie Yeung Choi-nei, actress
We usually travel overseas at Christmas time. The best trip was to Las Vegas, when a friend of mine threw a surprise birthday party for my wife, Peggy. He booked the entire restaurant and a pianist for the party. It's so far her most memorable Christmas. The worst one we had was about 20 years ago in Harbin, China. We checked into a hotel suite on Christmas Eve only to find that the carpet was soggy and the bed covers and blanket old and dirty. There were even cockroaches in the bathroom. But we eventually moved to a state-owned resort hotel nearby. It was like going from hell to heaven.
Robert Chua Wah Peng, TV veteran and founder of Health & Lifestyle Channel
Of all things happening around Christmas time there is one holiday ritual that I've always followed diligently: decorating our family Christmas tree. There's just something about the lights, the beautiful scent of the branches, the ornaments - some are almost vintage, brought all the way from a small shop in Salisbury, Connecticut, about five minutes from my former boarding school, Hotchkiss. And of course, the Christmas presents. To me, family is the most significant aspect of Christmas and I still have fond memories of all our family dinners, parties and reunions, especially when it was time for all of us children to crowd around the Christmas tree and chase after our presents.
Alan Lo, co-founder of Blake's and Press Room Group
I have a gift exchange with my friends at a Christmas party. Everybody must come with an agreed-value present, of say HK$300. These must be gift-wrapped with no cards, so the content and the identity of the contributor are unknown. Guests place the presents under the tree as they arrive. We draw names from a bag and the person gets to pick the gift he or she wants then opens it in front of everyone. You get to keep or pass on the gift. Because the presents are anonymously given, it's always fun to speculate on 'who gave what'. The most desirable presents are always fought for and the bottom-of-the-barrel ones passed around like smelly socks. My favourite gifts are ones that have been lovingly created by the giver, such as a work of art, a poem or something delicious. The worst ones are useless trinkets bearing an expensive label.
Douglas Young, founder and designer of G.O.D
I try to get home to Australia every other year. This year we are spending it in my hometown of Mirboo North, Victoria, population 1,000 or so, where my dad just moved back to. He now lives on the street named after my grandfather, Grogan Court, so I can't wait to go and take lots of pictures. In my family, we put up the tree on December 1 and cover it with candy canes. Because I love candy canes, we usually have to restock the tree halfway through the month. My dad's side has Swiss roots, and our tradition has always been to open at least one gift on Christmas Eve; then the rest on Christmas morning, after which begins a feast of oysters, seafood and lots of wine. By noon we are all drunk and full, and it starts all over again.
Cara Grogan, VJ and model
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