Swire Properties: “Homemade Happiness” White Christmas Stree

It seems that just in the blink of an eye, another year is already coming to a close. Christmas - It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and (even though we don’t have snow in Hong Kong), who’s to say it’s not still a beautiful place to enjoy the festivities with loved ones? The holiday seasons are one of the busiest times of the year, with a myriad of events rolling out one after the next,which can become pretty tormenting after a while if every event is a cookie-cutter version of the previous one. Everybody knows what the traditional Christmas party looks likes. We gather around in an office,restaurant or event space, dressed to the nines. We snack on a wide variety of generic Christmas treats, talking about the comings and goings of the year, and probably having just a little too much to drink.

If this sounds painfully boring to you, leave the anxiety at bay, because we have just the holiday event to revs up your engines and keep your spirits up!Christmas has always been a time for people to get together, eat, drink and be merry in shared memories - which is why this year’s holiday event by Swire Properties is one you absolutely do not want to miss!Let us tell you why. For beginners, nothing beats a holiday market fair for unique gifts, a festive atmosphere and a joyous experience.

Swire Properties’ annual event, the “White Christmas Street Fair” is coming back again for the fourth year to kickstart the 2016 holiday season, only this year, it will be even more exciting and entertainment-filled than ever before! At this year’s event, you will find more options to ever to indulge your holiday spirits.

Come join us in Hong Kong’s hippest neighbourhood, the Star Street Precinct between the dates of November 25 to 26,where The White Christmas Fair will be introducing its festivities at a teaser event, followed by the Belle of the Ball (the main signature Christmas Street Fair) from December 1st -3rd, 2016 at Tong Chong Street, Taikoo Place. This dual Christmas event will be full of festive shopping, holiday treats, food and drinks, handicraft workshops, as well as live entertainment.

This year’s theme, titled “Homemade Happiness” is super fun take and celebratory ode to Santa’s Workshop, where visitors and participants will be encouraged to put their heart for personalisation and arts & crafts skills to good use by tailor-making holiday gifts for friends, families and all loved ones. The teaser event at Start Street Precinct will feature an array of activities - handmade products,festive delicacies, and dotted with “Happiness Express” minivans that will be serving as unique DIY workshop destination points where visitors can make personalised Christmas jars and Christmas ornaments - all whilst savouring delicious festive treats from more than 10 different restaurants, cafes and lifestyle stores in and around the neighbourhood. Some participating restaurants include Grappas’, Elephant Grounds, Oolaa Petite, and Beef & Liberty.

Meanwhile,the main event taking place just a week after, at Tong Chong Street will set as the perfect backdrop for visitors to continue on in ringing in the festive season. There will be a variety of delicious homemade delicacies to snack on(we are talking mulled wine, turkey sausages, bubble waffles with stem ginger gelato, gingerbread crumble, sourdough bread bowls filled with clam chowder,chipotle chili-con-carne, hot cocoa, homemade cookies…the works! Is your belly grumbling yet?) to help power you through all the unique Christmas shopping experiences that Taikoo Place Complex will have to offer, from more than 25 different crafty workshop booths. Now, no event, especially a Christmas event is complete without some classical carols, jingles and live entertainment,which is why there will be a series of live performances presented around-the-clock during both of the above events. Some participating performers will include, Jazz singer Tess Collins, The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir,singer Sophy Wong, Christmas carols by Shakespeare4all, music band Addoilmusic,and a cappella performance by Yat Po Singers and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet.

The fun does not stop here! This year offers you an extra element of a “White Christmas”.Tong Chong Street will transform itself in to a magical snowy fairyland,holding its first ever outdoor snowball fight where participants can form tag teams for two-on-two real life snowball combat (with a referee on hand to call the rules, of course)! If this doesn’t bring the child out in you, we don’t know what will!

Another major highlight at this year's event is the annual “Santathon TaikooGo Challenge 2016”, an innovative Christmas-themed digital treasure hunt with the festive edition of Swire Properties’ newly launged, green-themed TaikooGo mobile App. The challenge will consist of 200 teams of parents and children dressed up as Santa, exploring the biodiversityand heritage of the area, meanwhile completely exciting mini-games and winning grand prizes along the journey. The grandest prize of all for the ultimate winner will be a one-night staycation at a fantastic Harbour view room in EAST,Hong Kong. Are you enticed yet?

The real essence of Christmas is all about giving and receiving, but our focus is on giving and giving back to those in need. Proceeds from activities at the Street Fair will be donated to Operation Santa Claus, an annual fund raising campaign which supports local and regional non-profit organisations. Last year’s White Christmas Street Fair successfully raised a total of HK$1.1 million for Operation Santa Claus, let’s see if we can break the record this year.

Whether you love Christmas for the gifts, booze or just the pure joy of it all, you can be sure to delight in the magic of the holiday season at Swire Properties’ dual holiday fairs this year. Please see below for details of the events:

You can also stay updated on the White Christmas Street Fair via its Facebook page(SwireXmasFair) and corresponding Instagram handle (@whitexmasstreetfair).

Starstreet Precinct, Wanchai

Tong ChongStreet, Taikoo Place

Date

25-26 Nov 2016(Fri – Sat)

1-3 Dec 2016 (Thu– Sat)

Opening hours

12:00 – 20:00 (25Nov)

13:00 – 19:00 (26Nov)

12:00 – 18:00 (1Dec)

12:00 – 20:00 (2Dec)

13:00 – 19:00 (3Dec)

Admission