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Christmas
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This is Cliff Buddle’s first English Christmas in his own home since leaving Hong Kong and the main event will be the much maligned traditional lunch – hopefully his family will create something edible.

While case numbers remain high, the gradual relaxing of pandemic curbs has given the city a much-needed boost. The greater freedom to eat, drink, shop and be merry will bring more Christmas cheer.

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For one ex-Hong Kong resident, Christmas this year won’t be the same – the lights in Oxford Street don’t match Victoria Harbour’s. Then again, there’s a real chimney for Santa to slide down.

  • Restaurateurs say Lunar New Year business ‘exceptionally good’, especially for Chinese restaurants
  • But Ray Chui, chairman of Kam Lee Holdings, says eight of his 42 restaurants are slated for closure this year because of downturn

Cinema industry chiefs say local box office takings reached HK$19.6 million from December 24 to 26, a drop of about 40 per cent from same period year before.

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Takashimaya said more than 800 strawberry frill shortcakes were sent to customers with damage, and it would work with suppliers to prevent this from ever happening again.

Number of departures by Hongkongers in the past three days rose by 20.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2018 and by 15.6 per cent over 2019 figures.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Gaza on Monday and vowed to expand the military operation, and says the war “isn’t close to finished”.

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Francis devoted his Christmas Day blessing to a call for peace in the world, noting that the biblical story of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem sent a message of peace.

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Broadcaster stirs patriotism with viral video about Battle of Lake Changjin, also known as Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which ended on December 24, 1950, and is considered a pivotal moment in China’s fight against US and its allies in Korean conflict.

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Festivities were effectively scrapped in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. In the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes had killed at least 18 people.

People hit hiking trails of Tai Lam Country Park to celebrate holiday, while city leader urges people ‘to care for individuals from different backgrounds’.

Francis did not mention Israel or Gaza by name, but he made numerous references to violence and war during the mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome and attended by some 6,500 people.

In a video message, Zelensky thanked Ukrainian soldiers who are spending Christmas in the trenches at the front line, telling them ‘evil will be defeated’.

North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) created a 3D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org showing Santa and his reindeer on their imagined worldwide delivery route.

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And in place of the usual nativity scene, representing the holy family, Bethlehem churches this year placed the models amid rubble and barbed wire in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Christmas didn’t take off in mainland China until the 1990s when the country was well on its way to opening up following the economic reforms of former leader Deng Xiaoping.

Not everyone feels in the holiday spirit – especially those suffering with anxiety, depression, grief or mental health disorders. Experts weigh in on how to get through the festive season.

Polygroup, the biggest manufacturer of artificial Christmas trees in the world, sells to retailers and e-commerce companies in over 25 countries worldwide, helping eco-conscious customers avoid buying natural trees during the festive season.

In Japan, eating KFC is a Christmas tradition, with reservations made at the fast-food chain weeks in advance. We reveal why, as fried chicken champions give their opinions on what makes the dish stand out.