I received a greeting card this year from the SAR chief executive’s office. Or more precisely, I received a card wishing me only “a prosperous new year” without mentioning “Merry Christmas.” It is a popular Western liberal fad these days to think that saying “Merry Christmas” could offend all Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus of the world.

Spas these days offer so much more than just massages and facials. Johannes Pong gets a taste of what else is on the menu.

“Financial tsunami!” “Thousands jobless!” “Growth to tumble!” Times are bad. We’ve all read the headlines. The natural instinct is to sock away everything you have, curl up in the corner of your tiny flat, turn off the lights, and suck on a block of uncooked instant noodles. But most experts think that won’t make anything better.

A Prelude to the 2009 HKPO China Tour - Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra special, featuring Beethoven’s “Coriolan: Overture,” “Piano Concerto No. 3” and Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5.” $50-$225 from Urbtix. Wed, Jan 7, 8pm. Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Know Your Mendelssohn

Beauty news and reviews.

Spa Deal

Here’s your chance to deal with the problems of a couple of senior citizens: I am a woman in my late 60s, and my “boyfriend” is five years older. We were lovers long ago. He came looking for me a few years ago and we reunited.