Oh, the Excitement

I thought I was the only one who lacked the enthusiasm to bear my usual level of giddiness over my mostest favoritest holiday this year. But it seems most parts of the city hasn’t been too eager to start the pre-celebrations of Christmas 2005 either. Whatever happened to wrapping shopping malls in gold and red ribbons as soon as Halloween's over to set the mood for the year’s peak period of consumption? Despite my apathy, I’m not exactly indifferent. I still want my plastic evergreens and giant Styrofoam snowflakes. And nothing beats the hypnotic effects of color-changing LEDs and the constant playback of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

To break the cycle of bad parties, our company’s decided to hold this year’s Christmas party in Shenzhen. Whoopee. Because nothing makes more sense than to have our 70 staff in Hong Kong go across the border to share the merriness with the dozen staff on the mainland, where, of course, the religious holiday is not even celebrated.

Cynicism is turning me into the Grinch.

Cityplaza, 2004