I’ve been enjoying other bloggers’ gift recommendations this month and now have many great ideas. So I’ve put together my own list of things I have and love:

My crazy obsession with bags and purses from Hong Kong!

It started 20 years ago when I moved back to the Fragrant Harbour, and frankly it’s a miracle that I still have many of these. I found this Hideo Wakamatsu purse fashioned after Japanese kids’ backpacks and splurged at their Ocean Terminal store when I was barely working.

Several years later, I bought this wicker purse at one of the rattan stores that used to line Queen’s Road East (no more). I should have bought one in each color, but was again low on funds.

It didn’t end with my move back to the US. I discovered Goods of Desire and their online store!

This one has worn away and at one point Goods of Desire offered me a 30% off coupon for another product. This was about 8 years ago and I wasn’t sure if I’d need anything else from their store, so never used the coupon. Hah! Little did I know it was just beginning!

I also have this double happiness tote from G.O.D.

And this Hong Kong neon tote, one of my favorites, too.

This G.O.D. pencil case/make up bag is too cute to keep inside, so I use it as a clutch. It fits my phone, credit cards, and book signing instruments. Perfect.

I follow Kapok in Hong Kong on Instagram and fell in love with this Maptote bag they posted earlier this year. They kept one for me at their Sun Street store, so Tom and I trekked out that way to pick it up on our trip in October.

Some bags have been gifts. A friend gave me this bag from our alma mater, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

And another friend brought me this bag from Bookazine in Hong Kong. It’s perfect because I’ve also been collecting bags from the bookstores where I’ve done readings. That’s another story for another time!