From where to buy your trees and decorations, to the best card and gift wrapping inspiration – here’s your stress-free guide to Christmas planning.
The weather is cooling down, Christmas displays are going up and we’re feeling festive – although a little stressed about everything on our to-do list. With trees to decorate and presents to buy, we’re not quite sure where time is going, but we’re determined to get on top of it all. The Christmas countdown is on, so we’ve put everything you need to know in one place. Christmas cards? Check! Decor? Check! Present inspo (coming soon!). No time to waste, let’s get to it…
Buying Your Christmas tree
Unless you’re one of those people who has had their tree up since we packed away the pumpkins (ie. us), it’s probably time to start thinking about buying your favourite fir. Regardless of the size of your apartment, there are heaps of affordable real and fake options that’ll turn your teeny Hong Kong home into a Santa’s grotto. Head here for all the info you’ll need this season.
Read more: Where To Buy And Recycle Your Christmas Tree In Hong Kong
Shopping For Decorations
Whether you’re looking for intricate final touches for your holiday table setting or Hong Kong-inspired ornaments for the tree, there are plenty of places to stock up on seasonal decor. Here’s a curated list of our faves, but don’t forget to also check out our comprehensive guide for a one way ticket to festive cheer.
- The Lion Rock Press
How could we not mention The Lion Rock Press as one of our top picks for Christmas decorations this year? We especially love the Hong Kong-themed Hanging Decorations (featuring trams, lanterns and the Star Ferry)! - kikki.K
kikki.K’s Christmas collection merges quirky with traditional. We have our eye on this Spinning Tea Light Candle Holder, which is guaranteed to brighten up any table. - iDecorate
A haven for small furniture, gifts and chic accessories, no matter what time of year it is. - Pottery Barn
With so many gorgeous decorations on offer, Pottery Barn is an easy choice for picking up all of your Christmas essentials in one go. Make sure to check out the luscious selection of wreaths and garlands. - Etsy
From personalised stockings to unique tree ornaments, cute fairy lights and DIY projects, Etsy is a go-to resource for craft-themed decor. - Indigo Living
Between the last-minute fake Christmas Trees to pretty tea lights and other tabletop accessories, Indigo Living has it all. It’s a true Hong Kong homeware staple!
Read more: Where To Buy Christmas Decorations In Hong Kong
Buying Christmas cards
Picking out seasonal cards and carefully writing handwritten messages in them is definitely one of our favourite parts of Christmas! But where can you find beautiful cards in Hong Kong? Check out our top picks below:
- The Lion Rock Press: $30 per card or $100 for a pack of 10 charity cards
- Paper Roses: $35 per card or $165 for a pack of six cards
- kikki.K: Prices start at approx $39 for one
- Biscuit Moon Designs: $110 for a pack of 10 cards
- Barefoot Love: 100% of profits from its prints go towards supporting global, grassroots NGOs
- Ditto Ditto: Prices start from $43.60 per card and $190.26 for a boxed set of six cards
- Paperless Post: For digital e-cards (saving on costs and paper waste!)
Wrapping Gifts
So you’ve checked your list (twice) and all presents are accounted for – now it’s time to get wrapping! You’ve done the hard bit, so we’re not judging you if you’ve ticked the “gift wrap for me” box online. However, if you’re looking to get a little creative this Christmas, we’ve gathered a few of our fave looks below. Boil the kettle and pop on Home Alone, this is the fun bit…
(Pssst! Still shopping for presents? Stay tuned for our upcoming gift guides, or check out our list of holiday fairs and Christmas markets for some seasonal shopping opportunities.)
Minimalistic
Sometimes, simple is best, and we’re all for it! Buy a roll of brown postal paper (local stationery stores should stock it), grab a black sharpie and add a shiny red pom-pom nose – super cute! Or use plain printing paper and decorate with cool string and multi-coloured baubles. These metallic versions by kikki.K will do the job nicely. You can even jazz it up with some Hong Kong-themed washi tape (100% of the profit benefits HK charity, Mother’s Choice).
Colourful
Forget traditional red and green, glitter is where it’s at! Use double sided tape over the front of your wrapping paper and sprinkle with a colourful mess of confetti and bits of glitter. Alternatively, we like the idea of using colourful pom-poms for a fun three-dimensional twist.
Untraditional
If you’re rubbish at wrapping (we feel you!) and can never get those corners tightly tucked, paper lunch bags are a cute way to cheat. We also love the eco-friendly approach of wrapping gifts in a funky scarf – two gifts in one, yay!
Planning a party
Is it even Christmas if you don’t drink mulled wine and eat mince pies? With many a soirée already in the books, we’re getting our Christmas do dates in quick! Everyone will be hitting the skies and heading home for the holidays before you know it, so why not round up a couple of friends, dig into a festive feast and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year! These party venues will have you spoilt for choice.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally written by Lexi Davey and was most recently updated by Team Sassy in November 2019.
Featured image courtesy of Pekic via Getty Images, image 1 courtesy of Oleg Magni via Pexels, image 2 courtesy of Peter Fazekas via Pexels, image 3 courtesy of of Brooke Lark via Unsplash, image 4 & 5 courtesy of cottonbro via Pexels.