I live in Hong Kong so I'm biased, but the weather will be much better (warmer) in Hong Kong...

Weather was my first thought too! No, I've not been in either of them at Christmas time. My family regularly 'does the holidays' in Thailand. Weather there is fabulous (usually).

I've been to both at Christmas; either one is a good choice, but I'd take Hong Kong.

Paris is a treat any time of year, even in August when only tourists are around. At Christmas time, the city has an especially festive air, and it's fun to see people hauling little Christmas trees (always with the edges of the branches spray-painted white) back to their apartments. The big downside to Paris in late December is not so much the weather (usually gray, usually chilly), but the short, short days. And on the rare day that the sun is out, it's always low in the sky.

Hong Kong is another city that's a pleasure at any time, but Christmas is special. As if there weren't enough lights going on the rest of the year, the city doubles down in December/late November: Christmas-themed animated light shows show up on buildings on both sides of the harbour. Plus, it's a time of year when Hong Kong weather can be terrific -- relatively cool, and usually dry.

I think you just have to go to both, so flip a coin and go to one in 2013 and the other in 2014. Start with HK first however

You do realise there will probably be a bias in favor of Hong Kong on the Asia board?

Femi, you are indeed wise! The postings on the Europe forum were in favor of Paris! Don Topaz, you are the only one, as I can best recall from the other forum's postings, who had the vantage point of being in both cities at Christmas. That is the vantage point for which I was looking.

The decision will be our daughter and son-in-laws to make but I wanted to be able to send them comments from both forums as an aid to them. Thank you one and all.

I guess it depends on your perspective. Christmas in Hong Kong is festive but crass - it's all about lights and food and shopping, etc. My visits to Paris were never during Christmas, but I have been in Rome - and that's something very interesting as regular folks will go from one church to another to look at all their nativity scenes. You're not going to find that in Hong Kong.

IMO Christmas is best in a predominantly Christian country hence Paris is the choice for me!

We returned from Hong Kong three weeks ago, on12/22. We were surprised by the extensive Xmas light displays on so many of the buildings; they are quite something---as were all the Xmas decorations and displays in all the shopping malls. (When we returned to NYC, the decorations seemed almost minimal in comparison!)

HK was quite cool and overcast four of the five days we were there, BUT it still wasn't what I think of as winter weather. Being in a temperate--OR warm climate at the holidays never seems Christmasy to me--no matter how many decorations, carols being played, or Santa Clauses walking around. And there was an abundance of all of these.

I've been in Paris in mid-November, but the decorations weren't up yet, but it was wintery and bustling and, as always, beautiful. Paris, to me, seems much more like a city suited for the Christmas holidays. But, as always, these decisions are so personal.

I would also imagine that if you live in the U.S.--on the East Coast or in the Midwest, a flight with a five month old would be easier to Paris than to HK. Not sure how long the flight is from the West Coast, but we flew nonstop from JFK to HK and it was 16 hours.

Maybe describe more of what you want to do or see or experience and that might create better answers...