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The weather outside wasn't snowy and frightful. There were no herald angels. Jack Frost wasn't nipping at anyone. Still, locals, expats and tourists gathered on a recent humid evening  to sing Christmas carols in Lan Kwai Fong.  
About 200 packed the Lok Hing Lane  amphitheatre where they sang yuletide tunes for an hour and followed the lead of a nine-piece orchestra.
 The annual 'Community Christmas Carols' was a night of smiles and classic singalongs organised by Katterwall in conjunction with Il Padrino,  a Lan Kwai Fong restaurant.
Katterwall - a local company that provides singing lessons, arranges choir performances and stages musical productions - did not disappoint with its free, more-the-merrier event. 
Carollers consistently piped out festive  favourites such as Silent Night and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with harmony and gusto. 
When it came to White Christmas, the crowd seemed to forget they were sitting in humid Hong Kong. 
Many swayed side-to-side, flautist Bethan Greaves  waved her hands in encouragement and a trumpeter played a well-received solo during a lyrical pause. At the end of the song, as cheers  rose from the crowd, a Santa Claus rang a bell. 
Greaves, Katterwall's director, did not notice the humidity. The evening to her was 'warm and fuzzy', she said. 'It's nice to take a venue and whoever wants to come and just have a singalong can,' Greaves said.
During the break, people in the crowd spoke about their appreciation for the carols.
'It's a great community event. It's fun, it's for everybody and you can just join in, and there's no pressure, you can have a laugh,' said Catherine Youngs, who was joined by her 14-month-old daughter, Gingerlilly, her husband and a friend.
 'There are loads of events going on connected to Operation Santa Claus,' Youngs added. 'I think this is the beginning of the season, and what better way to get into the atmosphere and the spirit than coming here tonight.'
Kathleen Keenan and Rosemary Venditozzi are from Scotland, where winters are snowy and cold, but they enjoyed carolling in Hong Kong.
'The spirit is the same,' Keenan said, singing with her daughter Katie, who lives in Hong Kong. 'The shops are busy. People are all going out and buying gifts, putting up Christmas trees and decorations.'
 The  Community Christmas Carols raised HK$3,969.50 for Operation Santa Claus - the annual charity drive organised by the South China  Morning Post and RTHK - after selling HK$40 carol books and receiving a donation from the Il Padrino restaurant, said Fani Kwok,  Katterwall's administration co-ordinator.  
Kwok and Celia Leung,  Katterwall's general manager, said their companies wanted to do their part to help the community, and they were pleased to bring some early Christmas spirit to Hong Kong. 
'Once you start singing Christmas songs, you won't stop,' Leung said. 'It's always joyful and happy.'
 Despite the humidity, Santa Claus made an appearance. Keeping in character, he would not reveal his  name. 'This is for charity, and that's what's important,' he said. 'If we can create a good feeling and we can give a little bit, that's not a bad thing.'
You can help make a difference
How you can give
Donate online by credit card at osc.scmp.com
Donations can be made by ATM or at any HSBC branches: a/c number 502-676299-001 for  SCMP CHARITIES LTD - OPERATION SANTA CLAUS
You can donate by cheque, payable to  'SCMP CHARITIES LTD - OPERATION SANTA CLAUS' and mailed to:
 Operation Santa Claus, Morning Post Centre,
 22 Dai Fat Street,
 Tai Po Industrial Estate, New Territories,
 Hong Kong.
Donations of HK$100 or more are tax-deductible. If you'd like a tax receipt, please send the completed donation form and original bank receipt, with your name, address and phone number, to the address above
Contact us at osc@scmp.com or  2680 8159 or visit us online at osc.scmp.com



Christmas songs in LKF, in the key of glee