A very happy Christmas, Hari Raya and New Year from the Asia Pacific Management Forum, partners, editors, columnists, and Orient Pacific Century

Christmas Messages from Asia Business Street Intelligence Ezine columnists

Don't forget to take a peek at Blanchard's Christmas Parable. Confused Englishman Blanchard searches in vain for the spirit of Christmas from the glittering shops and pubs of Hong Kong to Singapore to Malaysia, only to find it in a most curious place... A modern retelling of the Christmas story in modern-day Asia with a multicultural twist... It was one of our first columns, but some say it improves with age. It's our Christmas and Hari Raya present to you...

From Manila Philippines: Clarence Henderson of Pearl of the Orient Seas From Bangkok Thailand: Kriengsak Kriengsak Niratpattanasai of Thailand Tales From Kuala Lumpur Malaysia: Barbara Eu, Co-editor, APMF From Singapore, Paul Temporal: Editor, Branding Asia dot Com From Hong Kong, China: Rod Davies, Editor, APMF and Asia Market Research dot Com From Bangkok Thailand: The Chao Phraya River Rat of Asia Pacific Management News From Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, and Alor Setar several Christmas's ago: Blanchard's Christmas Parable Christmas Photos Throughout the Forum, the Fickle Finger of Fate always takes you back to the menu of the same page.

Rod Davies Asian Business Strategy and Street Intelligence Ezine and Asia Market Research dot Com You may be surprised to see the holly and ivy around the page as these are certainly not representative of Christmas in either Asia nor Oceania. Yet, they remain symbolic of Christmas as it is certainly a Western, and often cold climate, celebration. Regardless of arguments concerning the origin of Christmas traditions, for Christians, it is the celebration of Christ's birth, no matter where in the world they may be, and especially in the Christian dominated countries of Australia, Philippines, and New Zealand. Yet anybody who has spent a Christmas in places like Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok would know that people of all faiths and none celebrate together with great enthusiasm. In the multi-cultural, ethnic, and religious Asia Pacific, the same occurs when others join in to make Hari Raya Adilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Buddhist festivals truly festive for adherents of other faiths and beliefs. The new year approaches with continued concerns about war and terrorism. Pressure points are being stretched as the realities of globalization hit home - belatedly in the developed world, while the developing world has been more aware of these beforehand. Economies are under threat, as well as jobs and standards of living. This year, we reflect on the realities of sharing, or creating a more just and tolerant world. ...The real message of Christmas, often lost in the world of commerce, business and retailing, is that which is common to all faiths and cultures... ....a time to reflect on why really we are here, the importance of sacrifice, an attendance to the spiritual rather than the worldly, and the suspension of our own egos and personal concerns to the benefit of those around us. Finally, it is a time, like all the other events listed above, to celebrate the joy of life... Though business wise, 2002 may have been a year we prefer to forget, the smart ones will be reflecting on what we learned. That is the only way to make 2003 a successful year of rebuilding. We hope in our own modest way we can help. To all friends of the APMF and Asian Business Strategy and Street Intelligence Ezine, whether you are Balik Kampung or fellow expats, both from Asia and the West, who may be away from their loved ones at this time, remember that the most memorable Christmas's have been those where you gave more than you received... .....And enjoy!... Rod Davies Asia Pacific Management Forum Asia Market Research dot Com Paul Temporal Branding Asia dot Com Singapore Seasonal greetings from Singapore Orchard Road is alight once more, but perhaps not with the same intensity as seen in some previous years.Economic growth is apparently healthy, but as far as consumer sales are concerned "fings ain't what they used to be". This does not seem to deter many retail entrepreneurs though, with Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Mohamed Sultan road, and many other locations choc-a-bloc with new watering holes and discos. Not that I frequent them, of course. Maybe this is all part of the new mantra for Singaporeans, which is that they should be more entrepreneurial and take more risks, as encouraged by the government. Quite right too! Anyway, Singapore looks set to meet the New Year with its usual energy and disguised optimism. And that's what I like about it. The drive and enthusiasm for 'making a dollar' is alive and well, and long may it continue. Cheers from the Island State! Paul Temporal Branding Asia dot Com Clarence Henderson Pearl of the Orient Seas Manila, Philippines Season's greetings and best wishes to readers of the Asia Pacific Management Forum around the globe! It is my pleasure to be part of this exciting forum, and I hope that Pearl of the Orient Seas has provided useful information and a better understanding of the complex archipelago known as the Philippines. As the only Christian country in Asia, and one of the most thoroughly Catholic countries in the world, the Christmas season takes on a special meaning here. Filipino Yuletide celebrations are colorful, chaotic, multicultural, intriguing, and intensely spiritual. While the official Christmas season runs from the Simbang Gabi masses just before dawn on December 16th through the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6th, you start to see plenty of Chrismas-y activities from All Souls Day (end of October) on. As with everything else in this polyglot culture, elements of Spanish Catholicism, Uncle Sam, China, and indigenous influences all enter the equation. Everywhere you go you see gay and colorful parols, brightly lit lanterns thought to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem that led the Magi to the Christ Child. The acoustic assault of exploding firecrackers is of Chinese origin, and the blaring "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bells" muzac in the mobbed department stores is of obvious provenance. The parades and rituals re-enacting parts of the Holy Book are a melange of early Catholic and folk traditions. All in all, a unique and fascinating mixture that defies easy classification or analysis. I look forward to writing more of my occasional pieces in the new millennium. The Asia Pacific Management Forum continues to expand its Internet reach, and I am pleased to be part of it. Hoping to hear from more of you personally in the year 2001, and wishing all of you peace and contentment in your personal lives and sterling success in your professional endeavors. Clarence Henderson Pearl of the Orient Seas Kriengsak Kriengsak Niratpattanasai Thailand Tales Bangkok, Thailand As a Buddhist country, in the past we had not celebrated Christmas. But in the past 20 years, we have transformed our life-styles. Many people who have graduated from the West initiate Christmas events in Thailand. Further, those in hotel, retail and entertainment businesses have seen the event as business opportunity. Christmas has become a major event now, though most businesses still open as usual. It is not public holiday on the 25th of December, though at night many places will host celebratory events. Many Western firms remain open but most of the foreign executives will take leave. Many of them will be in their home countries with their family till year-end. This year is quite special; a lot of people will not be able to go anywhere. For example, all of my bank staff have to stand by - some of them at home, some at the office. Many persons at each branch have to do a system test during the Y2K night. Definitely, many people in Information & Technology in most organizations will not be able to leave. Those who are able to take holidays can be classified into 2 groups. The travelers will go to resort area like Phuket, Chiangmai, Pattaya and Huahin. The non-traveler like me, will go to the movies, the Mall, theme parks or take a ride on the BTS - the new Sky Train. Movies will run all night long during the 30th and 31st of December. There will be several parties at home. People will get together at the home of the person who has some space. There will be party that consists of 10 to 50 people depending on the size of the home and the popularity of the host. During the last week of December, people in the office will have a party at the office, hotel or restaurant. Cheers, Kriengsak Niratpattanasai Thailand Tales Barbara Eu Asia Pacific Management Forum Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Greetings! Or should I say "Season Greetings". After being co-editor of the APMF from the onset, it must come as a surprise to everyone, especially our dear regular visitors to actually read something of mine. I did try to convince the "other" co-editor that "this" co-editor cannot write! As the only person who is a native of the birthplace of the APMF, I will try and share with readers the Christmas atmosphere here in Malaysia, and specifically Kuala Lumpur. Being a multi-racial country, I have been exposed to many festivities celebrated by other races. Incidentally, the Muslims are currently in the month of Ramadhan - the fasting month just before their New Year (Hari Raya Adil Fitri) being celebrated in early January. As Malaysia is a Muslim country, Christmas time is a little low key. There are no giant Christmas trees (outside the Twin Towers) as you may find at the Rockefeller Centre in the US. The only time that you will get any hint of it being Christmas time is in the malls (shopping complexes) where they drown your voice with Christmas carols over the speakers so much so that you can't even hear yourself think. So in the malls you have like hundreds of shops - so you have hundreds of Christmas carols being played simultaneously. It's no wonder that everyone gets a headache after a day out shopping. Another place that you will find the "festive" mood are in the hotels. Oh yes! They do cash in on this occasion and it is a double whammer - taking into account that after Christmas is NEW YEAR as well! And this year is special seeing that we will be welcoming the next century! So you think the hoteliers would cut us some slack and let us enjoy a "value for money" celebrations? Yeah! Right! And they say we are in recession... The way things are going on here in KL, one would be inclined to think that we are back in our heyday of economic boom! Once again I would like to wish our regular visitors and first time visitors a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We promise an even more exciting APMF. Barbara Eu Asia Pacific Management Forum Blanchard's Christmas Parable He's still promising to write for us more often, but at least we still have the 1996's Christmas Pilgrimage entry from his Oriental Travel Journal. The last few years may well have seen the thinly veiled warning in 1996 come to roost, though Blanchard's classic paen to sustainable development, anti-materialism, "gotong royong" and simple pleasures seems still lost on many. This year, the simple tale of Blanchard's quest for the meaning of Xmas becomes even more relevant, as Blanchard indeed finds it.. and in the most unlikely of places. Those of you who follow Blanchard will know he sprinkles 1960's to 70's pop music and Asian and Western literary references liberally throughout his diary. See if you can find all fifteen of the hidden biblical references in Blanchard's epic journey to find the spirit of Christmas in modern-day South East Asia. Chao Phraya River Rat Asia Busines Strategy News The Chao Phraya River Rat was short and no-so-sweet on being asked to contibute his Christmas and New Year greetings to this page. A grouchy character if there ever was one, the Chao Phraya (Scrooge) River Rat merely forwarded the following. We can only hope that Tiny Tim and the Ghost of Christmas's future visit him tonight... ...Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the flat... Not a creature was stirring... Not even a Rat... With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

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