Christmas in Hong Kong

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2010, and our posting to Hong Kong, were coming to an end far too quickly. Christmas, which we had long anticipated, was suddenly upon us. For the third time we were back to visit Santa at Pacific Place. Georgia had some memory of visiting Santa the previous year, and was keen to see him again. Byron was just keen, as he usually is. The Christmas settings were delightful, and Georgia and Byron happily ran amok with many other children. And then the big meeting. Santa this year was different from the previous two years, and while he had the appearance of a prescription drug abuser, he was welcoming and almost coherant. Most importantly, Georgia and Byron enjoyed the exchange, although in the photos it seems Georgia has some reservations about the man in red.

With our move from Stanley to Wanchai, and our impending move back to Australia, Simone had done well to make this Christmas seeming settled, relaxed and fun. As there should be at Christmas, there were too many presents for Georgia and Byron, and they were delighted! The company of Joggy and Ann again added its own magic to our Christmas.

Many things made this Christmas special. Of course we were a bit nostalgic given it was our last Christmas in Hong Kong - for a while, anyway. But it was also a chance to have a nice time with friends we had made in the past three years. For dinner on Christmas Eve we feasted on Turkey and fine wine with Clemens, Jen and Summer, our neighbours in Stanley. It had been wonderful having their company during our time in Hong Kong. Clemens and I played tennis most weekends, and for the large portion of the year when the pool is open, we would all meet for a swim and often, but not often enough, a poolside wine fuelled casual meal. We expect that tradition will continue, as we have gone halves with them in a beach villa in Bali. Great times to remember and look forward to.

Christmas morning was a sleep-deprived delight. Georgia and Bryon were excited by the presents under the tree, and Simone had prepared a delicious breakfast. Georgia has become such a sweet little girl who is fond of dolls and imaginary figures such as fairies and Disney characters. Byron has just come into the age of recognising presents as an absolute good. He still has some work to do on recognising that not all presents are his, but Georgia is there to help him understand that, sometimes in an emphatic, forceful way. Nonetheless, there's real beauty in the expressions of joy that cross their faces on discovering another special gift given with love.

The morning went on and on happily. Georgia and Byron fell asleep around lunchtime, seemingly sated by the smorgasbord of new toys and books. By mid-afternoon we arrived at the Crown Wine Cellar, a UNESCO Heritage site that houses a club of fine wines and dining. Greg and Cecilia had been among our earliest friends in Hong Kong, and it was great to spend part of Christmas day with them and some mutual friends. The lunch, which went on until mid-evening, was a treat of traditional Christmas fare and gourmet dishes. About 20 of us sat around tables formed into a square, and the children ranged between the playroom, the dining room and outside. A boy of five, Luke, befriended Georgia and Byron. At one stage I saw Luke take Georgia's hand and introduce her to some of his friends. Too cute. Later, Luke and Byron were running down the driveway, and unfortunately their legs became entangled and both crashed to the ground. Given it was a concrete driveway it was lucky they rolled more than thudded to the ground. Byron emerged with a dramatic gravel burn from his left temple down his cheek. These things sting, and he wasn't happy about it, but I was a bit relieved that it hadn't been a hard landing. Other diners looked shocked as I took him through to the bathroom, but Byron was a brave little fellow and soon cheered up again.

With all the food and the gifts, Christmas could hardly end on Christmas day, and the for the next week we continued to eat and drink well and watch Georgia and Byron as they discovered new joys in their Christmas presents.

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