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Celebrating the New Year is pretty much as universal as a holiday can get, with the toasting of champagne and partaking of festive delicacies with your nearest and dearest all commonly accepted celebratory practices. A few countries, however, have rather more unusual end-of-year traditions. Be it swinging flaming fireballs, offering flowers to the sea or simply ringing a massive bell to wash away your sins, here are some interesting New Year rituals practiced around the world.&nbsp;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55190" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland.png" alt="Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine hogmanay festival scotland" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-hogmanay-festival-scotland-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Hogmanay Festival, Scotland
Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the last day of the year. The celebration of the Hogmanay Festival is an age-old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian beliefs. Although customs vary across the country, the most exciting highlight during the eve of the New Year is watching trained professionals swing fire balls over their heads and tossing them into the sea — a ritual most commonly practiced in the town of Stonehaven that is believed to ward off evil spirits at the dawn of the new year.&nbsp;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55193" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil.png" alt="Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine white flower offerings brazil" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-white-flower-offerings-brazil-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
White Flower Offerings, Brazil
Though the beaches of Rio de Janeiro are world-famous for picturesque beachfront hotels and dusk-til-dawn parties, perhaps a lesser-known attraction occurs on New Year&#8217;s Eve when, decked in all white, locals send out white flowers and lit candles into the ocean as offerings to the Ocean Goddess, Imanja in hopes that their New Year&#8217;s wishes are granted. If, however, their offerings return to shore, it is believed that the Goddess has rejected the wish.&nbsp;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55196" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing.png" alt="Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine Japan 108 bell ringing" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-Japan-108-bell-ringing-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
108 Bell Chimes, Japan
Joya-no-Kane is a traditional New Year&#8217;s Eve ceremony performed at temples across Japan. The custom involves a large symbolic bell which priests and visitors of the temples ring 107 times on the eve of the new year and once more at the strike of midnight, celebrating the passing of an old year while ushering in a new one. According to Buddhist teachings, the ceremony is said to cleanse a person off his or her worldly desires, represented by the number 108.&nbsp;
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<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55192" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark.png" alt="Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine plate-smashing denmark" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-plate-smashing-denmark-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Plate-smashing, Denmark
Although in other parts of the world, having someone smash plates against your front door might be taken as malice, in Denmark, however, locals show their love for their friends by throwing their broken and unused china at their door step. An old tradition that lives on today, the ritual is rooted in the belief that the broken glass will deliver good luck throughout the new year. So, the person with the most broken glass at their door could be a good indication that he or she is the most popular in the neighbourhood.&nbsp;
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<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55189" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador.png" alt="Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine burning scarecrows ecuador" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unique-ways-to-usher-in-the-New-Year-around-the-world-gafencu-magazine-burning-scarecrows-ecuador-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Burning Scarecrows, Ecuador
If you are curious to know which country&#8217;s custom is the most lit— literally&nbsp;—look no further than the celebration of Los años viejos in Ecuador. Translated to &#8220;the old year&#8221;, locals craft large puppets and scarecrows in close resemblance to the people they dislike or have died in the past, then burn these symbolic objects on New Year&#8217;s Eve. What better way to burn bridges with the people who have wronged you by burning them, metaphorically.
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Unique ways to usher in the New Year around the world gafencu magazine

Unique ways people ring in the New Year around the world

We&#8217;ve got the need-to-know for New Year&#8217;s Eve&nbsp;<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/new-year-parties-2019/">parties</a> and <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/new-year-parties-2019/">ladies wear</a> down, but worry not dear gentlemen, we haven&#8217;t forgotten about you. In a time where the suit is considered the lingerie for men, it can be almost too easy to dress to impress; throw on a tuxedo and your venture is done– we think not. That is why here at Gafencu we believe in the importance of a little frill in order to thrill, and New Year&#8217;s Eve accessories are in plenty with our marvellous selection of Gucci embellished belts and <a href="http://www.hermes.com/index_default.html">Hermès </a>silk losanges&nbsp;to help you look dapper as you usher in the new year.

<div id="gallery-970" class="ngg-gallery">[{"id" : "41747","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/LANE-CRAWFORD-VINTAGE-COLLECTION-ROLEX-DATEJUST-OYSTER-PERPETUAL-18K-YELLOW-GOLD-1098733-WATCH-min.png","caption" : "LANE CRAWFORD - Vintage Collection Rolex Datejust Oyster Perpetual18K Yellow Gold"},{"id" : "41750","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/SANTONI-COLOURBLOCK-LEATHER-OXFORDS-min.png","caption" : "SANTONI - Colourblock Leather Oxfords"},{"id" : "41752","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/ALEXANDER-MCQUEEN-LOGO-SKULL-SNAKE-BAR-BRACELET-min.png","caption" : "ALEXANDER MCQUEEN - Logo Skull Snake Bar Bracelet"},{"id" : "41754","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/GUCCI-GG-LOGO-BUCKLED-LEATHER-BELT-min.png","caption" : "GUCCI - GG Logo Buckled Leather Belt"},{"id" : "41756","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/THOM-BROWNE-Square-Frame-Acetate-Optical-Glasses-min.png","caption" : "THOM BROWNE - Square-Frame Acetate Optical Glasses"},{"id" : "41758","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/TATEOSSIAN-WATERMELON-TOURMALINE-CUFFLINKS-min.png","caption" : "TATEOSSIAN - Watermelon Tourmaline Cufflinks"},{"id" : "41760","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/PRADA-Logo-Jacquard-Virgin-Wool-Socks-min.png","caption" : "PRADA Logo-Jacquard Virgin Wool Socks-min"},{"id" : "41762","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/Herme%CC%80s-Chevaux-des-Steppes-Losange-min.png","caption" : "Hermès - Chevaux des Steppes Losange-min"},{"id" : "41764","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/TOM-FORD-Textured-Bow-Tie-min.png","caption" : "TOM FORD - Textured Bow Tie"},{"id" : "41766","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/PAUL-SMITH-PEOPLE-GRAPHIC-EMBROIDERED-SILK-TIE-min.png","caption" : "PAUL SMITH - 'People' Graphic Embroidered Silk Tie"},{"id" : "41768","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/new-years-eve-accessories/JOHN-HARDY-CLASSIC-CHAIN-SAPPHIRE-18K-WHITE-GOLD-CHAIN-EFFECT-RING-min.jpg","caption" : "JOHN HARDY- 'Classic Chain' Sapphire 18K White Gold Chain Effect Ring"}]</div>

Silk and Cuffs: Our top picks for men’s New Year’s Eve accessories

For the lady who appreciates all the finer things in life, it&#8217;s safe to assume that she would wish to end her holiday season in good company, in a vivacious establishment (<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/new-year-parties-2019/">click here for New Year&#8217;s Eve dinner and party suggestions</a>) sipping on the most bubbly of champagne, and wearing, of course, an exquisite dress.
To bid adieu&nbsp;to the fleeting year, glitter and sequins are often as customary as champagne and fireworks when it comes to ringing in the coming new year. Here at Gafencu we&#8217;ve combed through the most upscale of designers in the likes of&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.ysl.com/hk">Saint Laurent</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;carefully select only the most elegant and dazzling of New Year&#8217;s Eve dresses.

<div id="gallery-967" class="ngg-gallery">[{"id" : "41665","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/ATTICO-Pat-sequinned-wrap-mini-dress-min.png","caption" : "ATTICO - Pat sequinned wrap mini dress"},{"id" : "41668","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/GUCCI-Sequin-embellished-logo-dress-min.png","caption" : "GUCCI - Sequin-embellished logo dress"},{"id" : "41670","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/SAINT-LAURENT-Puff-sleeve-sequinned-mini-dress-min.png","caption" : "SAINT LAURENT - Puff-sleeve sequinned mini dress"},{"id" : "41672","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/BALMAIN-Sequin-embellished-strapless-mini-dress-min.png","caption" : "BALMAIN - Sequin-embellished strapless mini dress"},{"id" : "41674","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/DUNDAS-Cut-out-back-sequined-dress-min.png","caption" : "DUNDAS - Cut-out back sequined dress"},{"id" : "41676","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/GALVAN-Hero-sequinned-dress-min.png","caption" : "GALVAN - Hero sequinned dress"},{"id" : "41678","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/TEMPERLEY-LONDON-Glide-sequinned-georgette-gown-min.jpg","caption" : "TEMPERLEY LONDON - Glide sequinned georgette gown"},{"id" : "41680","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/HALPERN-Flared-sequin-jumpsuit-min.png","caption" : "HALPERN - Flared sequin jumpsuit"},{"id" : "41682","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/SARA-BATTAGLIA-Sequinned-mini-dress-min.png","caption" : "SARA BATTAGLIA - Sequinned mini dress"},{"id" : "41684","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/SELF-PORTRAIT-Sequin-embellished-off-the-shoulder-mini-dress-min.png","caption" : "SELF-PORTRAIT - Sequin-embellished off-the-shoulder mini dress"},{"id" : "41695","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/sequined-dresses/andy.png","caption" : "ANDY HO - Deep V neck linear dress with all over hand-sewn little star sequins"}]</div>

Glitter and Sequins: Our top picks for New Year’s Eve dresses

In the midst of the Christmas rush, one may be preoccupied with finding the perfect gift for their sweetie, or perhaps, presenting the kids with the magic of Santa, or even opting for a larger size of Christmas feasting jeans; so it&#8217;s forgivable to have lost track of time and put New Years Eve plans on the back burner. If you are, indeed, yet to find the perfect party to count down to the Year of the Pig, don&#8217;t fret. Here at Gafencu, we&#8217;ve checked our list once – twice – three times, and have gathered together the most luxurious dinners and parties to ring in 2019.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41645" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang.jpg" alt="fangfang" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fangfang-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h3><a href="https://bookv5.chope.co/booking?rid=fangfang1707fgf&amp;source=rest_fang-fang_hk&amp;d=0&amp;t=0&amp;a=0&amp;c=0&amp;hn=0&amp;hh=0&amp;hh2=0&amp;hf=0&amp;select_location=0&amp;txn_ref=0&amp;smart=0&amp;hft=0&amp;hs=0&amp;go=0">Fang Fang</a></h3>
Acclaimed Hong Kong Chef Wong Tai Po invites guests celebrate the New Year at his modern Asian culinary eatery, Fang Fang. Feast upon shrimp har gau and wagyu dumplings, while always having your glass filled to the brim with their free flow package of spirits, wines, and beer.&nbsp;(Dinner: HK$888; Free-flow package: HK$440)
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41647" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr.jpg" alt="hunter and chase" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/huntr-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.hunterandthechase.com/nye-midnightglam/">Hunter and The Chase</a></h3>
Promising patrons the opportunity to ring in the new year with a bang is the newly-opened Hunter &amp; Chase. With its four-hour free-flow Might Night Glam sharing feast – including seasonal oysters, osetra caviar, lobster tail and roasted bone marrow&nbsp;– we&#8217;re sure your last meal of the year will be one to remember, if not a reason to make an exercise routine a resolution for the year to come. (Dinner: HK$698; Free-flow package: HK$358)
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41657" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi.png" alt="ce la vi" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ce-la-vi-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h3><a href="http://hk.celavi.com/">CÉ LA VI</a></h3>
A favourite fixture of Lan Kwai Fong,&nbsp;CÉ LA VI, is presenting a Sunset New Year&#8217;s Eve Menu party with a 2-hour seating of four courses of mouth-watering dishes of sushi and sashami platters. Stick around apres-dinner and join other well-dressed patrons for the official New Year countdown at the rooftop bar, replete with red and gold accents, in what is sure to be a glamorously chic celebration.&nbsp;(Dinner: First Seating 6-7:30pm, HK$888. Second Seating from 8:30pm, HK$1,888)
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41656" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn.png" alt="new year" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-pawn-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.thepawn.com.hk/events/thepawn-ladolcevita-nye">The Pawn</a></h3>
For those wishing to bid adieu to 2019 away from the bustling crowds of Central, Wanchai-located The Pawn is hosting their &#8216;La Dolce Vita&#8217;-themed New Year&#8217;s Eve party at their scenic third floor rooftop garden. The party entails a free-flow package of bubbles, cocktails and&nbsp;canapés, live performances, and the promise of more&#8230;&nbsp;(Standard: HK$788; At the Door: HK$988)
<h3><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-41655" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea.png" alt="VEA" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/vea-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.vea.hk/">VEA Lounge</a></h3>
What better way to usher in 2019 than with The Greatest Show? That&#8217;s the question that Michelin-starred dinery VEA Restaurant &amp; Lounge is asking would-be patrons. Its circus-themed take on year-end celebrations will see guests eating their fill of inventive Chinese-French snacks, all the while sipping on free-flow sultry special cocktails. Unleash your inner acrobat and swing and sway to the beats of the live DJ as you bid farewell to 2018.&nbsp;(From now til 24 Dec: HK$600; From 25-31 Dec: HK$680; At the door: HK$740)
Text: Bailey Atkinson

End-of-year Cheer: Hong Kong’s hottest parties to ring in the New Year

<div id="gallery-761" class="ngg-gallery">[{"id" : "29599","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Attire-and-accessories-by-DG-watch-by-Rolex.jpg","caption" : "Attire and accessories by D&G, watch by Rolex"},{"id" : "29602","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Attire-by-DG-watch-by-Rolex.jpg","caption" : "Attire by D&G, watch by Rolex"},{"id" : "29604","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-All-by-Bottega-Veneta-Her-Attire-by-Versace-bag-and-boots-by-DG.jpg","caption" : "Him - All by Bottega Veneta; Her - Attire by Versace, bag and boots by D&G"},{"id" : "29606","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-Attire-by-BOSS-Men-Bottega-Veneta-accessories-by-DG-Her-Attire-by-Loewe-accessories-by-Versace-DG.jpg","caption" : "Him - Attire by BOSS Men, Bottega Veneta; accessories by D&G; Her - Attire by Loewe, accessories by Versace, D&G"},{"id" : "29608","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-Attire-by-BOSS-Men-watch-by-Rolex-Her-Attire-by-BOSS-Women-shoes-by-DG.jpg","caption" : "Him - Attire by BOSS Men, watch by Rolex; Her - Attire by BOSS Women, shoes by D&G"},{"id" : "29610","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-Attire-by-BOSS-Men-watch-by-Rolex-Her-Attire-by-Versace-shoes-by-DG-watch-by-Rolex.jpg","caption" : "Him - Attire by BOSS Men, watch by Rolex; Her - Attire by Versace, shoes by D&G, watch by Rolex"},{"id" : "29612","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-Attire-by-Cerruti-1881-watch-by-Rolex-Her-Attire-by-Bottega-Veneta-watch-by-Rolex.jpg","caption" : "Him - Attire by Cerruti 1881; watch by Rolex; Her - Attire by Bottega Veneta, watch by Rolex"},{"id" : "29614","image" : "https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/gallery/2811_fashion-1/Him-Oyster-Perpetual-Sky-Dweller-watch-by-Rolex-Her-Oyster-Perpetual-Lady-Datejust-28-watch-by-Rolex.jpg","caption" : "Him - Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller watch by Rolex; Her - Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust 28 watch by Rolex"}]</div>
&nbsp;
As the clock ticks towards 2018, usher in the New Year with ultra-glamourous Rolex watches, with haute couture to match. Check out our top picks for party-wear from high-fashion brands like Dolce &amp; Gabbana, Versace, Loewe and others. Turning heads was never this easy!
Photos: Neville Lee 
Art Direction and Styling : San Wong

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-29595-1" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/1712/1712_GMHK_Fashion1.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/1712/1712_GMHK_Fashion1.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/1712/1712_GMHK_Fashion1.mp4</a></video></div>

Countdown Couture: Ritzy robes and Rolex for New Year’s Eve

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14331 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Kung_Hei_Fat_Choi_6834861529-e1483419157439.jpg" alt="Kung_Hei_Fat_Choi!_(6834861529)" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Kung_Hei_Fat_Choi_6834861529-e1483419157439.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Kung_Hei_Fat_Choi_6834861529-e1483419157439-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Kung_Hei_Fat_Choi_6834861529-e1483419157439-800x533.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Congratulations world, we’ve reached 2017. There were, to be fair, a number of times of late when it didn’t seem like we’d make it. If 1848 was The Year of Revolution and 1963 was The Year Sex was Invented, how will future generations look back on 2016? The year when voters around the world finally proved that democracy doesn’t work? The year when all the talented musicians died?
To be fair, Hong Kong has had its own share of political drama. At one time or another, it felt like hardly anybody was happy about The Way Things Were or, indeed, about The Way Things Were Likely To Be in The Future. Thinking back, though, pretty much the same sentiments dominated both 2015 and 2014. It could be, then, that 2017 will be The Year That Was Pretty Much Like The Previous Three Only More So. We shall just have to see, won’t we?
The chances are, however, that the number of celebrity deaths, at least, will decline in 2017 – largely on the grounds that there aren’t that many left. Beginning with David Bowie’s departure back in January, a steady parade of celebrities shuffled off their respective mortal coils, providing a somewhat sombre backdrop to the year. Even Hong Kong was not immune with the jewellery tycoon – and founder of the Chow Tai Fook Group – Cheng Yu-tung passing away and proving to be the city’s highest profile casualty.
For the SAR, overall though, the year began with a bang. And a crash. The bangs came courtesy of the traditional firework display over Victoria Harbour, while the crash was the one that shook the city’s stock market, which fell by three and a half percent on the first day of trading. Thus the tone for 2016 was set, with the cause apparently a larger drop – seven percent – in the Shanghai stock exchange. This would not be the only occasion when Hong Kong was shaken by mainland developments.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14328 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896.jpeg" alt="David Bowie memorial" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896.jpeg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-200x133.jpeg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-420x280.jpeg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/David-Bowie-memorial-e1483419253896-600x400.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
There were more bangs and crashes on the first day of the Chinese New Year, when a disagreement over fish balls turned nasty in Mong Kok. If any place in the world were to be the setting for a street food contretemps, it would most likely be Hong Kong.
The incident – triggered over a disagreement relating to the legal status of hawkers – resulted in the worst street violence seen in Hong Kong since the 1960s, at least according to The Economist.
Some 50 arrests and a near hundred injuries later, things quietened down, but the underlying anger seemed to simmer throughout the rest of the year.
Indeed, an HKU poll published in March found that confidence in the future of the city was at its lowest since April 2003. A further poll, carried out later in the year by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, found that 40 percent of all Hong Kong residents wanted to leave the city, a number that rose to 57 percent in the case of 18-to-30-year-olds. As a result, it wasn’t surprising that politics was on the agenda, though for Hong Kong book publishers hoping for freedom of travel across the mainland, it was probably best left off the agenda all together.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14329 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February.jpg" alt="Hawkers fighting in February" width="800" height="523" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February-200x131.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February-428x280.jpg 428w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February-768x502.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February-400x262.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Hawkers-fighting-in-February-600x392.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />
Prudent caution about senior mainlanders aside, discussion of Hong Kong’s own first family was, by comparison, all but compulsory. In April there was the airport incident involving Leung Chung-yan, which saw the chief exec’s daughter allegedly get Daddy to order airport staff to fetch her carry-on luggage from the wrong side of security.
Later in the same month, Regina Leung, the chief exec’s wife, also raised eyebrows when she seemingly instructed Hong Kongers to start growing their own vegetables. The understandable response from many angry residents was that their Mong Kok tower block was not overly blessed with surplus vegetable plots. Funny that.
While CY Leung’s family proved to be the city’s favourite soap opera, the way in which Hong Kong residents followed more traditional fare also changed in 2016, most notably on April 1 when ATV went off the air. With its glory days long gone, few mourned the channel’s ultimate demise.
After a short but respectful gap, a new channel – ViuTV – took to the airwaves, winning viewers over with its hearty selection of Korean dramas, a sign perhaps of the changing of the cultural guard across Asia. Despite that, all has not gone entirely well for the new station, which found itself embroiled in the murky topic of independence. Murkier still, one late night talk show attracted several complaints after guests ate food from one another’s armpits.
Housing was another theme running throughout 2016, pretty much as it has been in Hong Kong since time immemorial. More grist to the mill came in June, though, when Chen Hongtian, a Shenzhen tycoon, bought a house on the Peak for a record HK$2.1 billion. This saw a whinge of journalists try to uncover any interesting details at all about the previously little known businessman. Indeed, he became such a topic of discussion that, when his company bought an unexceptional office block in Kowloon for an unexceptional price, the SCMP headlined the tale as: “The buyer of Hong Kong’s most expensive home strikes again.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14326 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Cathay-plane_path-e1483419401860.jpg" alt="Cathay plane_path" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Cathay-plane_path-e1483419401860.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Cathay-plane_path-e1483419401860-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Cathay-plane_path-e1483419401860-800x533.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Records were also broken last year in the meteorological arena, with the mean temperatures in July and October proving to be the highest since records began back in 1884. June set a different kind of record when it proved to be the month with the most consecutive days of temperatures in excess of 35 degrees ever. Clearly not wanting to be left out, the period September to November weighed in with 1,078.8mm of rain, taking the record for the highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in autumn. While it didn’t all fall during the Clockenflap outdoor music festival, for many participants, it might as well have.
Other events to fall foul of the weather included Hong Kong’s inaugural marquee cricketing tournament – the 2020 Blitz. Although it triumphed in bringing Michael Clarke, the former Australian captain, to the territory back in May, the fact that he spent much of his visit in the changing room was a disappointment to many.
Staying in the sporting arena, 38 athletes travelled from Hong Kong to Rio for the Olympics. Commenting on their success, Hong Kong’s chef de mission, Kenneth Fok, urged Hong Kongers to avoid regarding Olympic medals as the be-all and end-all of sporting achievement. A cynic might suggest that he would have said something different had Hong Kong not finished joint bottom of the table, with a grand total of zero medals.
So, with sport clearly not providing a great deal of positivity, Hong Kongers found themselves obliged to look further afield. Unfortunately, travel proved a particularly expensive affair in the latter part of the year when Cathay Pacific got its sums horribly wrong. Due to the company’s finance department betting the wrong way on oil prices, from mid-September onwards all passengers on Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air had to pay an additional HK$109 fuel surcharge.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14336 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829.jpg" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829.jpg 900w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-420x280.jpg 420w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/017_207911-e1483419515829-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
If that didn’t deter people from visiting Asia’s world city, then the international coverage of the Rurik Jutting murder trial probably dissuaded any waverers from making the trip. Back in November, the sensational headlines relating to the case gave the distinct impression that Wan Chai was home to legions of coked-up bankers and Filipino good time girls who charged by the hour. Sometimes it’s hard to recognise our beloved city from the overseas press it gets.
While the number of scandals Hong Kong is home to are surely proof of some kind of vibrancy within the SAR’s boundaries, they are probably not laying quite the right groundwork for a city that is clearly at some kind of crossroads.
Indeed, many of the events of 2016 seem little more than distractions, incidental details that divert attention from the fact this particular East/West melting pot is still casting around for its future role on the world stage. Will 2017 see a clearer path emerging? Will Rurik Jutting be heading home for Christmas next year? The answer to both questions may well be an equally resounding no – but only time will tell the outcome.

Monkey seeings, monkey doings in Hong Kong’s year gone by

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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-14340 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2017-Hong-Kong-New-Year-Countdown-Fireworks.00_08_14_05.Still002-e1483424716854.jpg" alt="2017 Hong Kong New Year Countdown Fireworks.00_08_14_05.Still002" width="897" height="454" />
As the clock struck midnight on 31 December, countries around the world ushered in the New Year. Firework displays in Dubai, London, New York and, of course, Hong Kong, lit up the night sky as people celebrated the end of 2016 and the start of 2017.
If you missed the fireworks in Hong Kong, fear not because we have compiled a list of the best pyrotechnic displays from across the globe.
Sydney
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VKRQqNw9uNU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Australia was one of the first countries to ring in the New Year, with a huge firework display over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Sydney’s firework display featured a tribute to David Bowie, Prince and Gene Wilder and the 12-minute show used 132 tons of fireworks.
London
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O0qPC46McwA" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
London celebrated New Year with music from artists who died in 2016 &#8212; David Bowie and George Michael. Party-goers watched 12,000 fireworks.
Dubai
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRHLjqNrQVc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The world’s tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, hosted an opulent display in Dubai. Thousands of people watched fireworks in 23 locations in downtown Dubai, with the the Burj Khalifa at the centre of it all.
New York
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mc7L5qAb9f4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Times Square once again hosted its famous dropping of the New Year’s Eve crystal ball, but the night will be remembered for Mariah Carey’s failure to lip-sync and on stage meltdown.
Hong Kong
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BV0Qbg7Iayk" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Thousands of people watched Hong Kong’s firework display along Victoria Harbour, with the date &#8220;2017&#8221; displayed at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Tag: new years eve

Unique ways people ring in the New Year around the world

Silk and Cuffs: Our top picks for men’s New Year’s Eve accessories

Glitter and Sequins: Our top picks for New Year’s Eve dresses

End-of-year Cheer: Hong Kong’s hottest parties to ring in the New Year

Countdown Couture: Ritzy robes and Rolex for New Year’s Eve

Monkey seeings, monkey doings in Hong Kong’s year gone by

Spectacular New Year’s Eve firework displays from around the world

Tag: new years eve

Blog Section

Unique ways people ring in the New Year around the world

Silk and Cuffs: Our top picks for men’s New Year’s Eve accessories

Glitter and Sequins: Our top picks for New Year’s Eve dresses

End-of-year Cheer: Hong Kong’s hottest parties to ring in the New Year

Countdown Couture: Ritzy robes and Rolex for New Year’s Eve

Monkey seeings, monkey doings in Hong Kong’s year gone by

Spectacular New Year’s Eve firework displays from around the world