It's that time of the year again. Christmas, as always, is filled with snow, reindeers, mistletoe ... oh wait, that's not Hong Kong. Here it's shopping, karaoke and maybe hotpot. Unorthodox? Perhaps. But some of the most memorable holidays tend to be the most unusual. Having something unexpected throw your jolly holly plans in jeopardy is not necessarily a bad thing. Here are some local personalities with their most memorable holiday.
When I think about Christmas it is often a trip down memory lane. Since I am a chef, Christmas has become synonymous with endless work and busy days. My profession also always takes me far away from home and family. But I remember at the very beginning of my career, when I first moved to Italy (from Austria), a touching moment that will stay in my memory forever. It was on Christmas Day. The restaurant was full all day long and everybody worked hard. At the end of the day, we were all tired and exhausted and nobody said a word. Suddenly, the wife of a colleague appeared together with her children. They came to give him a surprise and all of us, too. They carried a big panettone and bottles of wine. It was as if all of a sudden we remembered it was a special day and then we were all greeting and hugging each other saying 'Auguri! Buon Natale!' (Best wishes! Merry Christmas!). With this simple gesture it was like being at home again breathing the same festive atmosphere. Even after so many years, it still warms my heart.
Roland Schuller, chef, The Drawing Room
Christmas with my family can be quite confusing because we are Jewish. We don't really celebrate Christmas but we don't have to go to school because it's a holiday in the States. One year, my grandparents organised this treasure hunt for me. It was at a time when I was really serious about horse riding and was doing all these jumping competitions. They created these 16 clues scattered around their house in south Indiana. The house is not humongous but it was pretty big for a kid, and believe me, they were very professional in hiding these clues. It took me forever to look for them. The last one was hidden in the fireplace and I had to reach my hand inside the fireplace to get it. Basically, my grandparents were going to take me on a trip to ride horses down in West Palm Beach, Florida. It's a place every rider dreams of. It is the pinnacle, the top of the top, that kind of experience. Honestly, if I couldn't have found the last clue, I guess not only would I be crying but my grandparents would, too.
Lisa Selesner, model and television host
I always dreamt of being a chef while growing up but was never sure if I had the talent for it. Three years ago, I decided to cook a Christmas dinner for my whole family - my parents, my two brothers and myself. As it was Christmas Eve, the supermarket was packed and I had to push and fight elbow to elbow for the ingredients I wanted. In the end, I got some steak, pork chops, spaghetti, potatoes, seafood and sauces to make a seven-dish gourmet dinner, topped with a cream chowder soup. I literally spent the entire afternoon making the dinner, but I think the steak was a bit overcooked because everyone went very quiet when they were trying to chew the meat. However, no one got a stomach ache afterwards, I swear. But my poor mother had to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen. What really keeps me wondering was that no one ever said anything about how the food tasted or asked me to cook for them again. I guess it explains why I am a singer but not a chef.
