It’s my favorite time of the year, when Christmas lights go up, and the smell of gingerbread latte fills the air. While it would have felt a tad more Chirsmassy if it wasn’t still 28 degrees in early December, nothing can dampen my mood during the holidays.

Another reason I look forward to Christmas is the expectation of all the beautiful and whimsical decorations that adorn the city. Landmark in particular is known for its extravagant centerpiece. Each year they create a wonderfully unique Christmas experience for their visitors to celebrate the festive season, and this year is no exception. The Wishing Machine is the main focal point for this year’s installation, where every 30 minutes, the Machine bursts into life with a show of charming, illuminated, lighting displays and seasonal music featuring 80 adorable Santa Paws teddy bears with fully choreographed and synchronized movements. We were delighted to be invited by Landmark to have a closer look at the installation and share the story behind the decoration with us. BabyM was particularly fascinated by the flying boat and Santa Paws.

Beyond the lights and decorations, we are reminded that Christmas is also about sharing, and making wishes come true.  In keeping with the traditional Christmas spirit of giving, Landmark has been a key supporter of the Make-A-Wish® Foundation over the past several years. This year, visitors can make a wish for their loved ones by filling out a Landmark Christmas wish token and inserting it into the ‘Wishing Machine’. For every wish token received, Landmark will make a HK$20 donation to benefit the children of Make-A-Wish® Hong Kong. Copies of “Santa Paws and The Wishing Machine” story book will also be available for HK$100, with all proceeds going to the charity. Last but not least, visitors can also contribute by creating their own 3D animated Santa Paws video using the specially designed “Landmark Santa Paws” augmented reality app. Users can color their Santa Paws to create a personalized 3D animated Santa Paws video, then share their unique creation with friends on social media. For each colored Santa Paws uploaded to Landmark’s website athttp://christmas.landmark.hkor Instagram with #LANDMARKHK, LANDMARK will donate HK$20 towards the wishes of three children of Make-A-Wish® Hong Kong.

 

 In keeping with her helpful nature, BabyM was very excited to know that she would be helping those less fortunate than her. As parents, we constantly strive to provide our kids with the best, and that natural inclination can sometimes lead to children becoming spoiled and expect everything be handed to them on a silver plate. Although I want to give my children the best that I can, I also don’t want to see them to take things for granted. In this instance, I was able to use the Wishing Machine experience to explain to her that there are many less fortunate children that need our help.

::Outfit on Mommy::
Dress: Topshop (similar here)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Lipstick: NARS, Estee Lauder

::Outfit on BabyM::
Dress: Gap
Shoes: Gap
Sweater: Gap (similar here)
Handbag: Burberry (old) (again here)