Public Holidays Hong Kong 2012

HONG KONG CALENDAR 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

 Hong Kong Calendar 
New Year's Day
New Years day is celebrated in Hong Kong on the 1st January each year. 
New Year’s Eve celebrations are highlighted with a pyrotechnic display over the harbour as everyone counts in the new calendar year.

Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day
Chinese New Year is the most important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated in Hong Kong. The day is often called Lunar New Year as the date is partially determined by the lunar phase. The festival traditionally starts on the first day of the Chinese calendar and finishes with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day. On Chinese New Year eve families come together for what is known as a reunion dinner.

Second Day of Chinese Lunar New Year
Married daughters often visit their birth parents on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.  The Chinese people are also very kind to their dogs on the second day as it is widely believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.

Third Day of Chinese Lunar New Year
The third day is not normally a good day to catch up with friends or relatives.

Good Friday
Good Friday is celebrated by all residents of Hong Kong and all government offices and businesses close for a public holiday.

Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is the day after Good Friday.

Ching Ming Festival
The Chinese Ching Ming Festival is widely practised in Hong Kong.  The words Ching Ming mean “clear and bright” and this is the time of year where the Chinese worship their ancestors.  Also known as Spring Remembrance or Grave-sweeping, Ching Ming is when Chinese families visit graves of their ancestors and pay their respect, clean up the tombstones and offer fruit and wine.

Easter Monday
Easter Monday is a public holiday in Hong Kong.

Labour Day

Buddha’s Birthday
Buddha’s Birthday is a fairly low key celebration in Hong Kong.  While it is a public holiday in Hong Kong, most shops and restaurants will be open.

Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival is also known as Tuen Ng Festival and commemorates the death of Chinese hero Qu Yuan who drowned more than 2000 years ago in the Mi Lo River as a protest against the corrupt rulers of the day.  The highlight of the festival is the fierce looking dragon boats who take part in the many races.  The boats are made especially for the festival and feature carved and painted “dragon” heads and tails.  They take between 20 and 22 paddlers on each boat and there is a steersman at the back and a drummer at the front. The paddlers paddle to the beat of the drums and the roaring crowds.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
This day is celebrated on the 1st July each year in Hong Kong since 1997.  While the highlight of the day is a large fireworks display in the evening, the day commemorates the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the UK to the People’s Republic of China.

Day after Mid-Autumn Festival
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most celebrated festivals in Hong Kong.  It is also one of the most colourful annual events and it celebrates many things including harvest time when there is the biggest and brightest moon of the year.
The day is celebrated by eating ‘moon cakes’ and the local shops sell lanterns in a variety of shapes including animals, aeroplanes and space ships.
It is one night in the year where parents allow their children to stay up late and take them to high places where they can light their lantern, watch the full moon and eat their moon cakes.

National Day of the People’s Republic of China
There is a public holiday on the 1st October each year to celebrate the People Republic of China national day.

Chung Yeung Festival
The Chung Yeung Festival is similar to the Ching Ming whereby families journey to the graves of their ancestors, clean up the tombstones and share the food they take along.
It is a day to respect and remember their ancestors and is a ritual that is strongly followed among the Chinese community in Hong Kong.
Many Chinese families go hiking during the Chung Yeung Festival, up the hillside to picnic.

Halloween
Halloween is celebrated through Hong Kong on the 31st October each year.  Popular venues put on spooky events and the hot night spots through Halloween themed parties.  The shopping malls and local shops sell a wide range of Halloween themed foods in the week leading up to Halloween.

Christmas Day
Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25 December each year.

Boxing Day
There is a public holiday for Boxing Day on the 26 December each year.

Note: All public holidays dates are accurate at the time of publishing but are subject to change. Please make sure you check any dates with your travel agent before booking any holidays.

Books on Hong Kong

	Top 10 Hong Kong Take the work and worry out of traveling planning with the Top 10 Guides from DK. Each guide features a fold-out map of the city plus information on such highlights as walks and day trips, museums and galleries, the best shopping, dining, and accommodations, and so much more.
	Lonely Planet Hong Kong and Macau City Guide Features include more in-depth coverage of booming Macau than any guide on the market. Cantonese writers hand-pick their favorite restaurants, temples, and daytrips. All points of interest include Cantonese script, which makes asking for directions a breeze.
	Hong Kong (National Geographic Traveler) This guide to Hong Kong highlights places of interest, a More Places to Visit section detailing places off the beaten track, a directory of hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment listings, opening times and useful telephone numbers. It also includes cut-away illustrations of important buildings and descriptions of major cultural, architectural and historical sites.