Lu Ping
Taiwanese author and director, Kwang Hwa Information and Culture Centre
'To me, Christmas means sharing with others. With the world situation tougher than usual this year, now is the time for reflection,' she says. 'People should think deeply about what they really want, beyond material things, and look at what their heart really wants.' Though Ms Lu is not Christian, she remembers, as a child, attending midnight mass with her parents in Taiwan, congregating with others in the spirit of sharing. The fresh smell of a Christmas tree, cards depicting snow scenes, reindeers and sleighs and The 12 days of Christmas carol are the memories that most define the festive season for her.
Peter So man-fung
Fung shui consultant
Christmas holds no particular meaning to Mr So (above left) other than contributing another day to the city's public holiday calendar. He will be skiing in Hokkaido, Japan and holidaying in Tokyo before returning to Hong Kong in the New Year. 'There is no need to celebrate Christmas. I always tell people if a person is happy, it can be like Christmas every day,' he says. Mr So hopes anxious investors use the holiday to relax and take time out from all the depressing economic news. 'People shouldn't worry every second the market fluctuates. Take a break this holiday and revisit the situation again next year,' he adds.