(26 Jan 2017) LEAD-IN:
Preparations for the Lunar New Year of the Fire Rooster are well underway in Hong Kong.
Yellow and red flowers, chicken toys and board games with political themes are on sale in Hong Kong's largest flower market in Victoria Park, creating a festive mood.
STORYLINE :
The Hong Kong Flower market is a sea of red and yellow ahead of the Year of the Fire Rooster celebrations.
Delicate blooms like orchids and blossom, compete with cuddly toys and political board games for the attention of shoppers who want to welcome visiting relatives during the Lunar New Year.
News of the upcoming chief executive election for the job of leading the city of 7.2 million has inspired some board games.
Labour vice-chairperson Steven Kwok thinks the board games on sale at the flower market gives them a good opportunity to promote civil education and bring political knowledge to people.
"It is not a real election, it is not a competition that all the Hong Kong people can get involved (with). So we make a board game about horse racing to tell all Hong Kong people that we do not have true democracy and we cannot participate, but we still can play, we can choose one candidate that we like and you can play with your family or your friends so that we can make some fun."
The Labour Party is a pro-democracy political party in Hong Kong, but they are a minority party in the legislature and therefore will not play a major role in the election.
"The flower market, every Hong Kong people may come, they may not go to the demonstration, they may not go to the rally, but the usual Hong Kong people will come. So we want some apolitical Hong Kong people to have more knowledge about our political system, our party and the current affairs," says Kwok.
Toys are always the most popular product in the market among both children and grown-ups. Cuddly chicken soft toys are bringing the rooster vibe this new year.
Jessica Wong, with her classmates in university are selling soft toys of chicken dim sum, inspired by dishes sold in Chinese restaurants.
"We are hoping to use this kind of dim sum toys to let Hong Kong people to recall their memories they have in Chinese Restaurants," she says.
Cherry blossoms, daffodils, nipple fruit, orchids and mandarin oranges are popular flowers in Chinese homes during the new year.
Recent warm sunny weather means the blooming flowers are filling the market with fragrance and colours.
Flower sellers are working hard to sell out their plants after 9-10 months of preparations of nurturing the plants just for the flower market.
Law Wai-kin, who mainly sells daffodils, nipple fruits and lucky bamboo plants, says this year's warm weather is bringing good business.
"This year is much warmer than previous years, the flowers bloomed a bit earlier, in previous years the flowers were very difficult to bloom. Usually the customers would buy flowers that are blooming on time, those that bloom on the Lunar New Year's eve are the best. This year's business is better than previous years, as the weather is warmer, the flowers are able to bloom, our sales are quite good this year, especially daffodils," explains Law.
There will be a four-day public holiday to mark the Lunar New Year, which starts at midnight local time (1600GMT) on Saturday.
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