Well before Tom and I left for Hong Kong, I’d played up our trip to our kids by promising something all kids love to hear: presents! Since I’ve been reading my kids books about Hong Kong since just after their birth, they were well-versed in the types of gifts found in the Fragrant Harbor.
I do love shopping, so it was a pleasure to run around Hong Kong trying to find the various items on my list. Tom was a great sport, as were the friends we met there.
First off, Martin wanted an abacus. I know Hollywood Road is touristy, but with only four days in Hong Kong, we just didn’t have time to comparison shop. So when we found this handsome case, I was already game.
And when we peeked in, it looked perfect.
Next on his list was a Hong Kong bus. Again, we ended up on the Peak, probably the ultimate in tourist trap kitsch. If I’ve learned one thing from traveling, it’s to always buy what you want or else run the risk of never finding those items again. So here’s the new and improved China Motor Bus we bought him. (The real thing was not this modern back when I lived in Hong Kong. Just saying.)
When I was Martin’s age, my grandparents bought me some fancy dragon slippers. I remembered seeing them in Stanley and even in a tourist store next to Chungking Mansions when I lived in Hong Kong. Stanley has changed and that tourist store is no longer next to the Mansions. In fact, no one I met in Hong Kong knew where to find these slippers (if you’re in the know, please leave a comment or send an e-mail). So my friend Rita bought the kids the next best thing–toy dragons.
The kids wanted these little dragons to be photographed with their larger Cathay dragon (received as part of our special Year of the Dragon Cathay airfare).
I bought myself a bunch of cheongsams and a Chinese top (if I muster up enough courage, I might blog about those, too), but was also on a mission to buy Rachel a new Chinese dress. When I found a stall in an alley off Queen’s Road, I impressed Tom with my bargaining skills and bought the kids these Shanghai Tang knock-offs. (Boy did it feel good to be back in Hong Kong!) Martin’s red shirt has an embroidered dragon and Rachel’s pink dress falls just above her knees. They love their new clothes!
For Rachel, I was commissioned by my grandmother to buy a jewelry box like the rectangular one my grandma had bought for me 30 years ago. Again, with a time constraint, I didn’t have the luxury to traipse around Hong Kong in search of an identical jewelry box. So when I found this one at the same antique shop where I bought Martin’s abacus, I bargained for both items.
It’s fashioned after a traditional Chinese pillow and has an inside similar to that of Martin’s abacus case. Incidentally, when I asked the shop owner how old these pieces were, guess what he said?
“New.”
I love his honesty.
To balance Martin’s four gifts, I needed one more for Rachel. She’s into the Chinese zodiac animals, thanks to a book I read to her about this subject, so I found this colorful string of the 12 embroidered zodiac animals. It’s hanging with a scroll Jake’s grandfather in Hubei province painted last year.
It’s usually most difficult to shop for a 13 year old boy, but not in Hong Kong! Besides the requisite t-shirt (from my alma mater, The Chinese University of Hong Kong), I also bought Jake a Chinese name stamp. It’s not a traditional stone one, but a rubber one that is used all over Hong Kong these days. I also picked up a stack of 50 lucky red envelopes with his Chinese last name on it. My friend Erica gave me a Jewish mezuzah in the form of Hong Kong’s Ohel Leah synagogue. I’ll hang it next to Jake and Rachel’s bedroom door so they can enjoy it.
I also bought gifts for family and friends who helped with the kids while we were gone. Those have mostly been distributed, but I must say that tea, fans, Chinese silk jewelry cases, retro hotel drink coasters, and silk wallets have gone over quite well.
Since we’ve been back, the kids have asked me to return to Hong Kong to buy them more things. Ahh…
May I ask you, where in Hong Kong did you buy that lovely Chinese style pillow jewelry box? I am also thinking about buying something similar for a few friends as a gift souvenir.
Thank you so much for your comment! The store was on Hollywood Road in Central. If you walk toward Sheung Wan, it’s on the right side of the street. I wish I knew the name of the store. The window has some jewelry boxes and abacuses in the window, among other things. It’s the only antique store with small, affordable things, as far as I could see. Other stores had large pieces of furniture and had more space inside the store. This one could only fit 4 or 5 people. I hope that helps!!
Very beautiful and personal gifts =) Just wondering if you had an address as to where you got those red envelopes with the name on them. I would love to bring some of those back with me too!
Thank you!! I don’t remember the exact street where I bought the envelopes, but it was an outdoor market in Central, around Wellington (but not on Wellington). One of those markets along the steps of a steep street going up a hill. I think it’s near the stalls where vendors sell wigs and costumes. I can find out more if you’d like.
Yeah, that’d be great if it’s no trouble!
Sorry for the delay! It was at the Costume Market on Pottinger Street in Central. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottinger_Street When will you be in Hong Kong?
No worries! Thanks so much, I’ll definitely try and check it out. I’m currently in Hong Kong and luckily stumbled across your site in search of things to shop for while I’m here. =)
I love the pillow box. And I have an old red abacus that needs some repair. This reminds me to get that done! I wonder if the repair shop in that little alley in downtown Hinsdale is still there…
That’s funny you mention the abacus because I’m always worried Martin is going to break his. It’s not exactly the most appropriate gift for a not-yet-three-year-old. Still, he loves it.
I think that repair shop is still there, but I’m not sure. Something to investigate!
What a lovely bunch of gifts! The kids must be thrilled. The abacus and the jewelry box are beautiful….
Thank you so much! The abacus and jewelry box were incredibly inexpensive. At first I was worried about buying them for such young kids, but when I converted the currency, I realized I’d paid much more for cheap plastic circus toys in the US that only lasted a week or two.
Thanks so much for the tea. It’s so nice that you were thinking of us on your short trip.
Thank you!! I hope you enjoy the tea and the unique presentation. If anything, it makes for good conversation!
Neato! Shopping for others when I am abroad somewhere is always the best – love the stuff you got for the kids! Wondering if you a) still have those dragon slippers, and b) if you do, would you post a pic on FB? I’m totally curious. Cool that you got Jake a chop – I picked up a really neat, uncarved one when I was in Beijing in ’95, but I never wound up getting it carved. Any thoughts on where I might do that around here? 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment! I’m so sad that I don’t have those slippers anymore. I’d kept them for years, but they got lost in the move after my parents left Evanston. Here’s a link to what the slippers look like: https://www.cocooncouture.com/blog.php?blog_archive=2010-02 I’ll also post it on FB.
As for your chop–cool! I think you could find out on Wentworth in Chinatown if and where you can get it carved. I’ll be in Chinatown tomorrow and will ask around. Does your chop have an animal on the top?
Looks like great stuff – it’s always nice to have bits to hand around after a trip!
Really like the bus….
Yes! That’s one of the greatest thing about traveling. The bus is cool. There are also trams and Hong Kong taxis. Should have bought more. I wonder if you can find this bus on Tao Bao? Thanks so much for the comment!