“So when I’m off, I either avoid going out or will just go to nearby shops or restaurants,” Tong added.

She said she had no specific plans for Christmas, and her plans to celebrate New Year’s Day in Sai Kung or Mong Kok next week with her family were also cancelled.

“The major concern is transportation. You don’t know when and where public transport will be affected.”

Protesters plan to hold assemblies during the Christmas period at several malls in Kowloon, Hong Kong Island and New Territories, in a bid to keep the momentum alive. The crisis was sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill in June but has morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

For Tong, it has become a new normal. “I’m getting used to this,” she said. “These young protesters are polite to us in general ... But I hope there will be no violence.”

Protesters often block roads, and amid the clashes, train services would end early or be suspended.

Fewer Hongkongers out for last-minute shopping on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve on Tuesday, shopper traffic at New Town Plaza was notably lighter than in previous years and the festive mood was watered down.

Unlike on past occasions, there was no Christmas tree and the mall was devoid of festive decorations, while security at its atrium was stepped up.

Glass balustrades on some floors were still under repair, and others were covered with steel netting.

Around 10 security guards with fluorescent yellow vests were seen patrolling on each floor. One told the Post that they were stationed at the mall only for these few days.

Wing Feng, a mother of two in her 30s, said she felt insecure even going out to shop. “Because I have two kids that I need to think for. So we rarely go out during weekends now,” she said.

“Surely I’m not happy – this year’s atmosphere is the worst I’ve seen in the past 13 years.”

Feng who came from mainland China, resettled in the city after marrying a Hongkonger.

She said her family planned to cross the border for a short trip during the New Year holiday. “There is not much to do in Hong Kong,” she added.

In tourist attraction Star Avenue at Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, the crowds were noticeably thinner than in the same period last year.

According to Immigration Department statistics, inbound visitor numbers dropped 28.4 per cent to about 367,30 and outbound figures plunged 40.6 per cent to about 394,400 on December 23 compared with the same day last year.

Calvin Chan, in his 40s and with experience in marketing, said the already slowing economy added to the city’s gloomy political and social climate, with consumers more cautious about spending.

Citing his experience in job hunting, he said he was turned down by initial interviewers because of shrinking headcount. “I didn’t expect the protests to break out when I quit my job one year ago,” he said. “I think recruiters are more cautious about hiring because they want to save money in such situations.”

The government said the ongoing US-China trade war and continuing political crisis meant the city’s gross domestic product would shrink 1.3 per cent from last year.

Half as many midnight masses for Hong Kong Catholics on Christmas Eve

The sour mood was shared by tourists.

Shenzhen residents Amy Wang and Cissy Chen used to visit Hong Kong for shopping at least once a month. They have not come to the city over the past three months, until Tuesday.

“I’m mostly worried about safety and disruption of transport,” Chen said. “We used to come to Hong Kong to buy stuff for our families because it was very convenient.”

Chen said tourists from her side of the border were scared off by the anti-mainland sentiments and violence from protesters.

“Many fear being beaten up on the street,” she said, adding that her friends cancelled trips to Disneyland resort and Ocean Park recently.

Wang said that they came to Hong Kong for shopping because they heard from local friends that the protests had quietened down.

“We went to Sheung Shui this morning hoping to buy some cosmetics. But many shops were closed,” she said. “I’m not sure if we will come again during Lunar New Year.

“Now I mostly buy things on the mainland.”