8 Christmas Date Ideas in Hong Kong to Unlock Your Own Winter Rom-Com
‘Tis the season for requited love. Or unrequited love. Or that unspoken “group love” that your parents partake in every year in their late 60s when they go down to Jamaica for ‘Hedonism 47’ with ‘Aunt Sally’ and ‘Uncle Jim’ – who you only found out when you turned 18 weren’t related by blood. Whatever the case, love, tinsel, gingerbread cookies, and your local middle school’s rendition of ‘The Nutcracker’ are in the air – and it’s time to celebrate.
I have to be honest with you. Up until several years ago when I moved back to Hong Kong, Christmas was one of my least favorite holidays. Something about the shove-it-down-your-throat consumer and brand tribalism, needing to shovel my car out of several feet of snow regularly, and the fact that I literally could (still can’t) never figure out who the ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ was in the Nutcracker until post-intermission, all were major factors that fueled this “bah humbug” mentality.
Now, I can’t get enough of it. Not because of the LED flatscreen televisions that sync with your frontal lobe and can be purchased via Amazon with a single click of a button, or the catchy Christmas jingles (found in every major Hong Kong mall) that bury themselves deep into your brain to the point where you end up in a content, infantile stupor like Danny Devito (aka ‘Martini’) in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, or Hong Kong’s weather finally being palatable and not requiring you to take three showers every day.
I love it because of the dedicated, carved-out time that I’m able to spend with the people I care about the most (especially my father). There aren’t many moments in life where you are granted a reprieve from the banalities and stresses of everyday life, where you can suspend disbelief, and cozy up with the Hugh Grant or Cameron Diaz of your life for a romantic holiday.
In accordance with decking the halls and being jolly (and all that good stuff), not shooting your eye out, excelling at the Festivus feats of strength, and moving on from those ghosts of girlfriends or boyfriends past, here are 8 Christmas date ideas to unlock your own holiday rom-com this winter in Hong Kong.
Pale Ale Travel Note: Oh and if you don’t think ‘A Christmas Story’ is the best Christmas movie out there, then we got beef. If you disagree, let me know in the comments what your favorite Christmas movie is and any traditions you and your loved ones carry on in Hong Kong.
Grab a Drink & Dance the Night Away at Iron Fairies
There’s no shortage of bars and nightclubs in Hong Kong where you can sip a fancy cocktail, listen to live music, and dance the night away at. However, there’s only one Iron Fairies. Well, there’s one in Kuala Lumpur and Bali as well but disregard that. There’s just something about Mary Iron Ferries that puts me in the mood for the holidays.
It could be the name ‘Iron Fairies’ which makes me think of the Sugar Plum Fairy and puts me in the mood. Or it could be the “cool white lights” which ethereally light the thousands of faux butterflies dangling from the ceiling, strategic placement of candles that make you feel like Harry Potter going up one of those winding staircases (sue me, I only read the first book and saw the first movie), the wooden barstools pressed up against a mock blacksmith’s welding table and mahogany leather stools conducting a libation seance around a welding cauldron, or vintage brass interior styled after West Australian underground mines.
The point is, it’s a vibe – and you won’t catch the “black lung, pop.” Iron Ferries is an intimate yet lively spot for couples looking to indulge in a few alcoholic (I strongly recommend the ‘Miner’s Brew’) or nonalcoholic drinks , cozy up in a private booth styled as a furnace, and dance the night away to the sounds of Jamaican dance hall, Brazilian Bass, Afrobeats, pop mashups, and more (by one of my favorite house bands in all of Hong Kong).
If you want to beat the noise and the crowds that you’ll inevitably see congregating out the door the later in the night you get, I recommend getting there around 7 or 8 PM and grabbing one of their booths.
- Website, Address, & Details: https://www.theironfairies.com/
- Where: LG, 1 Hollywood Rd, Central
Explore One of Hong Kong’s Christmas Markets
While you’re not going to find the Strasbourg Christmas Market in Hong Kong, which the French expats on my work floor remind me of regularly when discussing holiday traditions here, there are nearly a dozen Christmas markets, fairs, and pop-ups spread across that city to shop, eat, drink, be merry, and soak in the festive ambiance and jingles.
For couples looking to catch some vitamin D, get out of the hustle and bustle of central, and shop, consider checking out ‘Stanley Plaza’s Noir Gold Christmas Soiree’ – which boasts over 120 craft, food, beer (my favorite) and merchandise stalls.
For a full-on festive carnival, head on down to the Central Harbourfront for a ‘Winter Carnival’ with 26-plus rides (Ferris wheel for the win), carnival games (I’m a New Hampshire ‘ring toss’ champion), and assorted snacks (including cotton candy) and drinks.
Finally, don’t forget to check out the Swire Properties White Christmas Street fair over on Tong Chong Street (Quarry Bay) – an annual festival that combines an eclectic mix of shopping experiences, live music and performances, and family-friendly traditions/activities!
Christmas markets in Hong Kong are free to explore unless you load up on tree ornaments, eggnog, and fruit cakes – which you can guarantee I’m going to do.
Take a Christmas Cookie & Gingerbread House Making Class
Anything in the realm of baking or cooking-related and I am incompetent to the nth degree. My mother even prohibited me from using the oven (still to this day) after leaving an oven mitt in it the only time I attempted to bake something. I’ve primarily stuck to Barefoot Contessa guacamole recipes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches since.
However, it’s a complete game-changer when you have a certified baking badass leading the charge and walking you through how to bake delicious, irresistible treats to lure German adolescents into your gingerbread house to fatten up, cook, and eat.
Cue ‘The Mixing Bowl’ – a 2,000-square-foot space dedicated to artisan baking lessons, offering everything from gingerbread house (and cookie) baking, assembly, and decoration to Christmas cookie and gift box-making classes – complete with mulled wine and Christmas carols. This is also a great activity for the whole family as The Mixing Bowl offers kid-friendly classes!
Keep in mind that these classes pack up early so I recommend heading over to their website to make a reservation as soon as possible!
- Website, Address, & Details: https://www.themixingbowlhk.com/
Bust Out a Double Lutz & Toe Pick While Ice Skating
I’ve only ice skated as a single man in Hong Kong but I recognize that this is the ultimate winter or Christmas date idea for couples that want a taste of home, formerly aspired to dethrone Tara Lapinsky or Brian Boitano, or just want to try something new and get out of their comfort zone.
Holding hands while wearing mittens and awkwardly chopping away at the ice with your skates? I love it. You’ll love it. Unless you’re Ryan Reynolds in ‘Just Friends’ and you face off against a trio of mean kids in a game of hockey and ultimately end up in a stretcher, leading to your date rekindling a high school romance with Dusty Dinkleman.
The best part is there are more than a handful of ice skating rinks spread out across the city so it can even be a spontaneous type of shindig if you get the itch to do a triple axel at any point during a standard date. Cityplaza Ice Palace out in Tai Koo Shing is my primary stomping grounds, however, LOHAS Rink and Mega Ice at MegaBox offer international-sized rinks for serious skaters.
Pale Ale Travel Story: One of the best dates I ever went on involved ice skating. Granted, this was in New Hampshire and it ultimately led to me crying in the car after smoking a joint with my buddy to Death Cab For Cutie’s ‘I’ll Follow You Into the Dark’ because I was an angsty teenager who thought the world was over after I botched the first kiss.
Sing Your Heart Out at a Christmas Karaoke-Themed Brunch
I went heavy on Friday ‘frunches’ (free-flow brunches) for a while back in 2021 (primarily at Pirata Group restaurants). All of these inevitably lead to me ending up at either Red Mr. or Junels Restobar to karaoke the night (or late afternoon) away.
Little did I know at the time that there was a new spot coming my way where I could both aggressively free-flow brunch and belt Michael Buble’s ‘Just Haven’t Met You Yet’ and Sia’s Christmas album at the same time. Hot on the free-flow brunch (and gastronomic) scene is a relative newcomer to SoHo and answer to Hong Kong’s call for modern Filipino cuisine (opened by Instagrammer ‘Indulgent Eats’ aka Jen Balisi) – Barkada.
Barkada is rolling out a Christmas karaoke brunch and dedicated menu (starting at HK$388 per person) to get you in the holiday mood, serving up crackling and juicy lechon belly, adobo popcorn chicken bites, crispy lumpiang (Filipino egg roll), along with 90 minutes of free-flow signature cocktails, prosecco, and (ice-cold) San Miguels. Oh, and it’s served with a side of restaurant-wide sing-alongs and individual Christmas ballads (if you’re brave enough).
Make sure to check out Barkada’s Instagram for all the latest deets on this brunch-fest!
- Website, Address, & Details: https://barkada.hk/
Give Back & Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
Hong Kong is home to one of the largest wealth gaps and disparities in the world, something I highlighted in my pros and cons of living in Hong Kong article. Christmas is a time of reflection, gratitude, and selflessness. It’s the perfect opportunity (actually every day is) to give back to the community and take one little step towards making someone else’s day or providing them with necessities that could make a big difference for the winter months.
Volunteering at one of Hong Kong’s many soup kitchens can be a great activity for couples (and singles) who want to take a step towards making the world just a little bit brighter and recognizing that there are things out there bigger than ourselves.
This doesn’t just involve throwing on a hairnet and putting your cooking skills to the test but also can take the form of dropping off food, loading and unloading vans, and helping coordinate route planning for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Several food support and assistance programs that are currently accepting volunteers for the winter season include:
Head to Disneyland Hong Kong to Catch a Christmas-Themed Show
Arendelle in all its glory at Hong Kong Disneyland. I had a fantastic time with two of my best friends here – partly because I crushed two giant turkey legs.
Dust off an old pair of Mickey or Minnie Mouse ears, throw on your best walking shoes, and hop on the Disneyland Resort Line to head on over for Christmas-themed shows galore, along with the World of Frozen, at the “happiest place on earth.”
Disneyland Hong Kong puts on an absolute clinic when it comes to holiday-themed shows. As a grown, 33-year-old man, I experienced this firsthand one Halloween and was absolutely blown away by the interactive musicals and shows. This Christmas, Disney is rolling out a tree lighting ceremony, Mickey and Friends Christmas Ball, and several other live concerts in front of the Castle of Magic Dreams.
And, if you’re in desperate need of “letting your ex go,” you’ll find the newly carved out ‘World of Frozen’, an immersive themed area based on Elsa, Arrendelle, and Anna’s hometown, complete with appearances by Elon’s favorite executive Bob Iger.
If, like me, you are thinking to yourself, “What am I going to do at Disneyland as a grown adult?” Shake that thought out of your head right now and take a lap, you’re going to love it. They serve booze at night and there’s an assortment of Christmas buffet and holiday dinner specials.
- Website, Address, & Details: https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/
- Price: Tickets start at HK$639 for General Admission
- You can also snag a sizable discount on tickets by booking via Klook.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: While I would recommend going to the ballet – not to brag, but I am going to see The Nutcracker for the 3rd year in a row (as mentioned above, only because I still don’t know who the Sugar Plum Fairy is) – tickets sell out absurdly early. However, if you are a masochist like me and want to check for yourself, I recommend heading over to UrbTix.
Get Out on the Trails For a Christmas Hike
View of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island on a beautiful day some dawgz and I hiked Lion Rock.
Hiking is the ultimate date activity in Hong Kong – in winter. If you’ve read my post on ‘7 Fun Date Ideas in Hong Kong’ then you already know that I thought a great first date with someone many moons ago was hiking Dragon’s Back with them in the middle of summer. I didn’t think through that watching me sweat buckets while huffing and puffing and stopping every 30 seconds for water wasn’t every woman’s fantasy. She’s married now – to a man who sweats far less than I do. Let that be a lesson to you.
This beleaguered city boasts more hikes than you can shake a stick at. I would recommend either first searching (a) AllTrails or (b) Drone & DSLR for comprehensive trail breakdowns, difficulty ratings, and cinematographic masterpieces that allow you to get a complete picture (or inspiration) of the hike.
Buffalo Hill shenanigans with the dawg.
However, if you want a few date-approved hikes that I’ve personally trekked (not all with someone I was courting), here are some of my favorites:
- Violet Hill & The Twins – or you can just opt to hike Violet Hill and peel off down to Repulse Bay for some Aperol spritzes and pizza down by the water.
- The Peak + High West – there is a contentious debate around whether The Peak is a hike or a walk. To settle that, when you add ‘High West’ on top of it, it’s now a hike – with gorgeous views of both Victoria Harbor and the south side of Hong Kong Island (Aberdeen).
- Lion Rock – one of my favorite views of Kowloon and Hong Kong island from this 140-million-year-old (if you’re a Creationist reading this, get out of here) granite rock face and stronghold of resistance against authoritarian rule.
- Lamma Island – this isn’t really a hike but rather a scenic walk that loops around the island. I recommend stopping by Dale Candela to chow down on some Spanish classics such as paella and patatas bravas and slug a few Estrellas or sangrias to top it all off. Or, consider checking out the newly opened Mediterranean restaurant ‘Terracotta Lamma’ or one of the many seafood restaurants along the pier.
- Buffalo Hill – this is a bit more of a strenuous hike that takes me nearly all day. I recommend starting via Shatin and ending in Pak Sha Wan so that you can grab a bite and a drink, and recuperate down by the water (Hebe Haven) with a view.
- Dragon’s Back – while this may not be the best first date type of hike in the middle of summer, it’s still one of my favorite hikes to do in the winter. I generally recommend starting at To Tei Wan and ending up in Big Wave Bay but in the winter, as you probably aren’t swimming in the 19 or 20-degree water, I would recommend hiking it in reverse.
Be More of a David & Natalie Rather Than Harry & Mia This Christmas
“The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I got a lot of problems with you people and now you’re gonna hear about it.” – Frank Costanza
While Alan Rickman (Harry) and Heike Makatsch (Mia) weren’t a couple in the conventional sense in ‘Love Actually’, they were in the surreptitious, sordid biblical sense – and that wasn’t very conducive towards a holly jolly (or wholesome) Christmas, now was it?
But don’t worry, that’s why I’ve provided 8 Christmas date ideas in Hong Kong that you and your partner (or whoever you’re courting) can mix into your dating rapport this winter – so that you end up more of a Hugh Grant (David) and Martine McCutcheon (Natalie), complete with a kiss as the curtain rises.
If you have any favorite Christmas or winter date activities in Hong Kong that you recommend, I’d love to hear from you in the comments or via email (info@palealetravel.com). Or, if you have any questions about traveling or moving to Hong Kong, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Happy Holidays Everyone,
Big Body
Big Body is a voracious lov…eater, a cowardly fighter, and a self-proclaimed curry goat BBQ-eating champion (don’t forget the donkey milk) who likes Stoicism, baseball, and writing in the third person. Having worked for himself for the last 7 years, he isn’t particularly successful but he does still drink ice-cold Sapporo draft beers with the best of them and knows his way around a Dai Pai Dong or two. He is based in Hong Kong but you can still find him in Saigon, Osaka, and Vienna for extended periods.