Chinese New Year is almost here and the city is getting ready for the year of the Pig. In Hong Kong and especially in Mainland China the Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday of the year. This year the celebration brings the city three consecutive public holidays to the middle of the week. In general, Hongkongers are lucky with the 17 public holidays in the calendar.
The reason for so many holidays is, that Hong Kong Celebrates Christian holidays, Chinese celebrations as well as Buddhist festivals. Each festival is celebrated in its own way. Depending on everyone's beliefs and family traditions, some public holidays are just extra days off, while others are very important get-togethers with the extended family or a day to practice ancient traditions.
Even with the longer holidays over the Chinese New Year, Hong Kong is still bustling and shops, restaurants and some services stay open. In addition, many tourists, especially from Mainland China, travel to Hong Kong so the holidays mean the city is as busy as ever. Actually, the New Year is usually celebrated with new clothes as a symbol for the new beginning and shops have seasonal sales. As they say, shopping is the favourite past time for Hongkongers.
Offices do close their doors for the public holidays. As an international intern and a new member of the company, make sure you are aware of the practices of your company regarding the holidays. Maybe there will be a company lunch over dim sum or a shorter day at the eve of the festivals. It is also tempting to plan a trip outside Hong Kong around the holidays. If you wish to have a day or two off to make an extra long weekend, communicate well in advance with your manager to ask if that would be a possibility.
Living in Hong Kong brings a unique opportunity to be part of the multicultural community and be part of the different festivities. Don't be shy to ask your colleagues or local friends about their family traditions. Also, there are many events around the city, which create an opportunity to experience the traditions first hand. Dragon dance shows and fireworks are a must see!