How to enjoy Christmas in Hong Kong

1. Spark the imagination

Pauline Yau makes fragile paper look menacing in her work "The Ice Tunnel."

ArtisTree’s latest art exhibition "Paper Tales" pays homage to the beloved Hans Christian Andersen winter fairytale, "The Snow Goddess."

Reams of paper manipulated into dreamy scenes inspired by the story are on display.

"The Ice Tunnel" by local artist Pauline Yau is made of triangular beams interconnected by criss-crossing white ribbon resembling jagged glaciers.

"Feeding the World" is an intricate papier-mâché scene by Hong Kong design studio Aeroporto, depicting desperate suitors scrambling up ropes to catch a glimpse of the Snow Queen.

Each scene exudes an icy beauty, like a winter wonderland made from paper. It's a great place to get that ancient Nordic Christmas atmosphere, and see some local art.

Designed by 11 local artists and 23 local students from the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, this is the first large-scale paper art exhibition in Hong Kong.

Until January 20. ArtisTree, 1/F Cornwall House, TaiKoo Place, Quarry Bay. Free Admission www.islandeast.com

The Snow Goddess interpreted by local artists.

2. Impressionism in 3D

K-11 Art Mall showcases "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette"; Hong Kongers showcase their own art of posing.

A digital projection of Renoir's "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" and a Christmas tree adorned with thousands of roses are the highlights of the Christmas display at the K11 Art Mall.

And Renoir’s "Dance at Bougival," "City Dance" and "Country Dance" are interpreted in cartoon-like sculptures.

The artist and his signature works are the inspiration behind this interactive art gallery that wants shoppers to “participate in an aristocratic Christmas party."

The Renoir Christmas Dance Party will take place on December 24 from 10 p.m-midnight. Come ready to waltz to the chimes of harps and handbells.

Until January 1. K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Free Admission www.k11concepts.com

3. See snow. Sort of

Get out on the rink at East Tsim Sha Tsui's Ice Wonderland.

Winter and outdoor ice-skating go hand-in-hand, and while we live in sub-tropical Hong Kong we are not deprived of this cold-weather delight.

At East Tsim Sha Tsui, an ice skating rink has been set up under a tent. Festive jingles, fairy lights and the Christmas lights decorations that adorn buildings nearby certainly get us excited about the season. That is, until ice-skaters turn competitive in the rink.

This rink even has "snow" machines that sporadically shoot out white foam-like matter to add to the winter atmosphere.

Skate rental starts from HK$15 for the afternoon sessions and HK$30 in the evenings.

Until January 1. UC Centenary Garden, East Tsim Sha Tsui. Free Admission www.discoverhongkong.com

4. Have a feast

"Coquilles Saint-Jacques" is a sexier way to say "scallops" at Chez Patrick.

Splurge: Chez Patrick

Chez Patrick is the go-to place for understated French charm and fine cooking. Their exquisite Christmas menu of French-inspired flavors will knock your Christmas stockings off.

Marinated scallops, escargot, plus Grignan black truffle and pig's trotter parcel are among other luxurious dishes.

HK$1,280 + 10 percent service charge. 26 Peel St., Central; +852 2541 1401 www.chezpatrick.hk

If you're still holding back, Just A Restaurant (JAR)'s beef Wellington will make you feel Christmassy.

Moderate: JAR

Drop in for a hearty five-course Christmas Eve dinner that serves favorites like beef Wellington with morel sauce and mince pies.

HK$688 + 10 percent service charge. 2/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central; +852 2543 8000 www.justarestaurant.com

IndoChine brings Asian flavors to Christmas.

Save: Indochine

East meets west in Indochine’s Vietnamese-inspired Christmas dinner menu.

The restaurant is serving turkey with lettuce salad in a lime vinaigrette, steamed ravioli with crabmeat and bamboo shoots, as well as wok-fried Angus beef tenderloin with asparagus as part of an eight-course meal.

HK$298. 4/F The Plaza, 21 D’Aguilar St., Lan Kwai Fong, Central, +852 2869 7399 www.indochine.com.hk

5. Give yourself

The Crossroads Village shop sells beautiful handmade fair-trade products.

Love knits

The Crossroads Foundation has organized the "Wrapped With Love" campaign. From November 7 to December 25, every Lane Crawford store in Hong Kong is giving out free knitting kits to shoppers to create woolen squares.

The goal is to assemble the squares into at least 3,000 blankets to be donated to the needy, both locally and abroad. This charity drive is in collaboration with the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation and Club Monaco.

If knitting is not your thing, check out Global Handicrafts, an online store created by Crossroads Foundation.

Buy feel-good Christmas gifts like Braille-printed Christmas cards made by the visually impaired or earrings made by a community village in Uganda.

Crossroads Foundation. 2 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, +852 2984 9309 www.crossroads.org.hk

Reading is awesome.

Cultivate bookworms

Become a volunteer at Bring Me A Book (BMABHK) and encourage the love of literature by reading to a group of children, or make plastic protective covers for their library books.

New volunteer registration commences in January 2012 so sign up early. Tidings of joy in the form of a humble donation are also welcomed. 

Bring Me A Book, Rm 602, 10 Pottinger St., Central, +852 2127 4533 www.bringmeabook.org.hk

Break in those socks you got for Christmas at the Community Chest walkathon.

Burn off calories from festive eating at The Community Chest’s annual fund-raising walkathon.

The 10-kilometer Hong Kong and Kowloon Walk starts at Hong Kong Stadium, leads past Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Black’s Link, Aberdeen Reservoir Road and finally ends up at Aberdeen Country Park.

All funds raised will be donated to 22 social welfare agencies, serving thousands of disadvantaged people in Hong Kong. 

Sign up and plan an early post-Christmas head start to stretch the leg muscles.

The Community Chest of Hong Kong, 1805 Harcourt House, 39 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, +852 2599 6111 www.commchest.org