Hong Kong Christmas companies
A 2020 update
As we collect and open Hong Kong’s Companies Registry, we can use this access to investigate money laundering and counterfeiting… or we can see how many Christmas-related companies have been incorporated over the years.
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The first company in Hong Kong with "Christmas" in its name was the very earnest-sounding T. C. W. CHRISTMAS CARDS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD -THE-. This was only company number 1705 in the Companies Registry, incorporated in 1940-05-23, a year before the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong which was completed on, erm, Christmas Day 1941. It’s also the only Christmas card company incorporated in Hong Kong ever. It was finally dissolved almost 16 years later in 1956-02-17. Out of the 88 companies incorporated in 1940, 35 were dissolved on the same day. Indeed, altogether, 360 companies were dissolved on this day. Does anyone know why? If so, get in touch.
The next attempt to exploit Christmas commercially with a limited liability came in more than 20 years later 1964-02-18, when the plainly-named CHRISTMAS DECORATION LIMITED (with matching Chinese name 聖誕飾品有限公司) gave it a go, before giving up 5 years later in 1969-05-30. Its register of charges is apparently still available. Unlike Christmas cards, Christmas decorations have inspired 15 Hong Kong companies.
The third attempt was the charm, with MR. CHRISTMAS LIMITED (with no Chinese name, alas), set up on Christmas Eve 1970 and still going 50 days later. They seem to be a subsidiary of an even older company, Mr. Christmas Inc., a US-incorporated (perhaps New York-incorporated?) toy manufacturer.
Altogether, there have been 125 Hong Kong companies with "Christmas" in the name, the latest being the practical Jiasheng Christmas Ornaments Co., Limited 佳盛聖誕飾品有限公司, incorporated only a week ago on 2020-12-18. 64 of these 125 companies had a Chinese name that included the characters 聖誕, the Chinese for Christmas. There are, though 101 Hong Kong companies with 聖誕 in their Chinese name, so what is going on with the other 37 companies’ English name? Some don’t mention Christmas at all, most have “Xmas” or “X’mas”, a few Santas, and a Shengdan and Sheng Dan (Mandarin pronunciation of 聖誕). The first 聖誕 non-Christmas company was X'MAS NOVELTY LIMITED 聖誕裝飾有限公司.
My favourite Hong Kong Christmas company name, though, must be Best Booth Christmas Santa Naughty Holiday Xmas App Limited (without corresponding bonkers Chinese name, sadly), a 14-month effort from 2011-12-02 to 2013-02-08. I can find absolutely no information about this company online, so if you know anything about it, please get in touch!
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I wish you only great wealth and fortuitous limited liability. ☃️ Have any Hong Kong Christmas company stories, or foggy data? Want good access to Hong Kong data? Get in touch! Or leave a comment below 👇 And subscribe to our posts with the button above!
