For all you Christmas lovers out there, you better be capable of generating your own seasonal cheer, because you’re not going to be getting it from Hong Kong’s bastions of consumer capitalism Christmas spirit this year.
According to a Mingpao report, Christmas lights, trees, and holiday displays will not be making an appearance — or will at least be much subdued — in at least four major shopping malls this year amid concerns they’ll be trashed by protesters.
(And the fears aren’t totally unfounded, given last month’s petrol bomb attack on Christmas tree at the Festival Walk mall in Kowloon Tong after the establishment failed to prevent police from arresting protesters there.)
A man tries to extinguish a burning Christmas tree in the Festival Walk shopping mall after Hong Kong protesters set fire to the holiday display. More photos of the week: https://t.co/TUlAZKoFwI 📷 @tompeter pic.twitter.com/z0c2zfVsOo
— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) November 15, 2019
The so-called “King of Lighting,” Terrance Wong, told Mingpao that businesses this year are spending at least 20 percent less than previous years on decorations and the like.
IFC, APM, Harbour City, New Town Plaza, and 1881 Heritage are among the bigger shopping malls that have decided to keep things low-key this year.
According to Mingpao, APM has resorted to merely decorating their glass panels with Christmas-themed stickers, and New Town Plaza has more anti-government slogans plastered on their walls than holiday adornment. Spokespeople for both malls said that it was in the best interests of customers, workers, and residents that they avoid the usual displays of seasonal spirit.
The report adds that the imitation snow installation in front of Harbour City, which has become a selfie-taking hotspot, is also cancelled — literally putting a bullet in the head of the notion of a white Christmas. (OK, that may be a bit extreme, but you get the drift.)
IFC also took down their huge Christmas tree that went up last month over fears of it going up in flames should petrol bombs also be hurled at it.
Read more Hong Kong coverage at Coconuts HK.
