Hong Kong Holidays - 2008

New Year's Day is observed on January 1st, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in the Roman Empire. This Holiday usually celebrated with fireworks and party.

One of the most important public holidays in Hong Kong, this Chinese New Year is also referred to as Spring Festival. According to the Chinese calendar, this festival falls on the first day of the year and extends up to the 15th day of the same. Chinese New Year has various symbols and traditions. For example, flowers are an important part of New Year decorations.

The Ching Ming Festival is also known as “Tomb Sweeping Day”. Ching Ming Festival is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice, usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. On Ching Ming, the whole family will visit their ancestors or relatives' graves. This festival celebrates to happy communion with the family members to show respect to their ancestors.

It commemorates Jesus Christ’s Passion, crucifixion and death, which is told in the Christian bible. It is the day before Easter Sunday.

Easter Monday is celebrated on the Monday, which falls immediately after Easter Sunday. Easter Monday is primarily common among Eastern Orthodox cultures and Roman Catholic cultures.

This holiday is celebrated to honor the social and economic achievement of laborers. Labour Day in Hong Kong is a public holiday. It is a day off given to workers to rest and celebrate the achievements that have been accomplished for the past year.

This festival commemorates the birthday of Lord Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism also known as Buddha Bathing Festival, devotees visit Buddhist temples on this day to honor him with a ritual by the same name. One of the largest and magnificent ceremonies takes place on Lantau Island, home of Hong Kong’s Giant Buddha, at the renowned Po Lin Monastery.

Tuen Ng Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, it is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. On this day locals participating in dragon boat event wherein a competition is held. The boats are decorated using Chinese dragon heads as well as tails.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day is celebrated every 1 July, in Hong Kong since 1997. The holiday commemorates the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Mid-Autumn Festival, the ancient Chinese harvest festival, is given a modern treatment here in Hong Kong, where glowing lanterns merge with the city’s trademark neon, fiery dragons dance through the busy streets and a full moon shines down on a festive metropolis.

Hong Kong celebrates its National Day by organizing various activities like flag raising ceremony, fireworks displays and various shows, exhibitions and events.

Chung Yeung Festival also known as Autumn Remembrance, residents of Hong Kong celebrate this day to honor their ancestors. Similar to the Ching Ming Festival in spring, the Chung Yeung Festival is when entire families congregate at cemeteries to engage in age-old practices of ancestor worship.

It is national holiday in Hong Kong, a Christian holiday in memory of Jesus Christ’s birth and most people celebrate the day on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. It is a prominent cultural and religious holiday.