As seasonal festivities begin this weekend, spare some moments of reflection for the families of murdered Yuen Long schoolgirl Yim Pui-shan and her apparent fellow victim Chan Lok-man.
Their deaths - Lok-man has yet to be formally identified - at the hands of a sexual predator are among the most grotesque in recent Hong Kong history; violence at its most extreme and senseless.
Hardened veteran police officers say they have never seen anything like it; Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa last night expressed shock at the brutality involved.
Hong Kong is sometimes portrayed as a cold, tough city, yet such crimes have, remarkably, been largely unknown until now. Hong Kong's violence is often linked to business or gangland affairs or domestic disputes. Unlike other places, such pre-meditated psychopathic crime against children seldom surfaces.
In that regard, spare a thought for Hong Kong, too. As investigations develop, the girls' deaths are sure to bring deeper questions to the surface - issues for society as a whole as well as the individuals within it.
Obviously, people will focus on their own children, making sure they pay close attention to their movements and friendships. They are right to do so.
