Sweden’s Father Christmas visits Hong Kong to help children develop an interest in reading books
- Swedish consulate brings Father Christmas for the first time to the city as part of ‘Swedish Winter’ held between December 13 and 15
- Consul general Helena Storm says her team wants to partner with Operation Santa Claus to help different groups of people
The Swedish Santa descended on the city earlier this month to celebrate the festive season with Hongkongers.
Sporting a red cap and a flowing white beard, he bellowed “ho-ho-ho” at his fans and high-fived children in a piazza outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.
“I am here to spread the Christmas spirit,” he said, adding he was different from other Santas.
“They don’t come from Sweden.”
The Scandinavian said he wanted to bring joy to Hong Kong children and help them develop an interest in reading books.
It was the first time Sweden’s Father Christmas visited Hong Kong. The Swedish consulate brought him to the city as part of the “Swedish Winter” held between December 13 and 15.
At the three-day fair on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui, visitors joined an array of free activities, including magic performances and Christmas gift decoration workshops, to get a taste of Swedish culture.
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The consulate also helped to raise money for Operation Santa Claus, the annual fundraiser organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK.
A donation box was placed next to the Swedish Santa to donate money to the year-end charity drive.
Consul general of Sweden in Hong Kong, Helena Storm, said her team wanted to be a long-term partner in the fundraising project.
“We hope we can contribute to the important causes that Operation Santa Claus has decided to support,” she said.
This year, 13 organisations – including groups that help senior citizens and people with disabilities – were selected to benefit from the campaign.
Storm said she looked forward to working together with Operation Santa Claus to help different groups of people in the city, such as children.
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Children’s literature and creativity was another main theme of the event.
Representatives of the creator of Swedish literary character “Alfie Atkins” organised a story reading session for children.
Sofia Torell, whose aunt Gunilla Bergström had written the series, said her team wanted to introduce the picture books to young readers in Asia.
“It’s a Swedish classic,” she said.
Another highlight of the event was an exhibition themed “a tribute to children’s books”.
Pia Wong, who helped with activities to promote reading, hoped more local families would love to read books.
“At the heart of what we do is to promote parent-child bonding through reading together,” she said.
