As you have probably heard on RTHK 3 or elsewhere, Operation Santa Claus will be entering its 20th year this Christmas. On Friday December 21, from 6-9pm, you too can join in with the charity celebrations, with Singing Santas voicing old and new classics at your favourite bars in Soho and Wanchai. Anybody can spread the goodwill just by buying an Operation Santa Claus Santa suit ($100) and wearing it out on the night. The benefit? Happy hour prices all night long at participating outlets. The real benefit? Eighteen selected charities to whom all the money made by the drive will be given. Go to osc.scmp.com/content.asp to learn more.

Philippines San Miguel - the import bottle so many of us in this town love is now available on draught. Throughout what is left of the year, participating watering holes across the city will unveil San Miguel Draught imported from the Philippines. The exact same beer but now on draught. Be on the lookout for the tall silver/red draught taps in your favourite bar soon.

The Viceroy presents Bond and the Beautiful, a New Year’s Eve ball with a ‘flamboyant and flashy’ dress code. So get your best dress on and glam up for an all-night open bar with free-flowing champagne, an international dinner buffet and hangover breakfast buffet at 3am. Continuing the 007 theme, the venue is divided into sections like the Chill Out Martini Lounge, Sapphire Shooters Bar, Casino Corner and Diamond Dome Disco where you can dance the new year in. It is all happening from 8pm-very late on December 31 at four locations: Viceroy, Milano, Sukhothai and DV8 Lounge. Tickets cost $988 per person and reservations can be made by calling one of several numbers, including 9359 0087 and 2598 7222, or by emailing bookings@chiram.com.hk

Dress red hot for Devil’s Advocate’s (48-50 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, 2865 7271) Red Hot New Year’s Eve party. Get yourself in the door for $388 which includes unlimited standard drinks from 9pm-1am. A cash bar is also available and there’s no cover charge. The party lasts until dawn’s early light.

Blue Frog (Shop 1037, Level 1, Grand Canal Shoppes, The Venetian, Cotai, Macau, +853 2882 8281) in Macau has only just opened but already has a good New Year’s Eve planned. Funky upbeat lounge music from DJ TG Llanillo will build from 10pm to a dance beat for the final countdown and on into early morning. Dinner is also available on the night from 8pm at MOP$388, MOP$688. Blue Frog is regularly open from 11-3am, with happy hour running Sunday-Friday 4-7pm. Another feature is their variety of shots including Spark Plug, Bangkok Beauty and Beat Me. They boast 100 shots and with it – a 100-shot challenge. If one person can finish all 100 shots, their name will be painted on the wall, though manager Gary - formerly of Delaney’s Wanchai - recommends you don’t try it all in one night…

Ahdy at Zinc (G/F, 35 D’Aguilar Street, LKF) awaits the arrival of his liquor licence, hopefully ahead of Christmas, before he can throw open his doors and welcome you to his funky new bar. Bev though has thrown the covers off her new Bed (Basement, 57-59 Wyndham St, 2868 0613) and invites one and all to Lose Your Virginity and live out your bedroom fantasies on her vibrating orgasmatron sofas. Get a free Lap Dance - Bed’s signature cocktail - by snogging under Bed’s mistletoe for 24 seconds this X’mas.

Christmas Cheer
Mulled wine is a seasonal treat we all look forward to and it’s pretty damn easy to make yourself, seeing as the word ‘mulled’ itself simply means ‘heated’ or ‘spiced’. Here’s an easy-as-pie 3 step recipe to make your own mulled wine with brandy:
Ingredients: 3 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 1 orange peel, 1 cinnamon stick, 15 cloves, 1 bottle red wine, 1/4 cup brandy.
1. Simmer all but wine and brandy for 10 minutes.
2. Add wine and heat to warm. Do not boil.
3. Add brandy and let sit.
Serve warm and hey-presto! You’re an X’mas host legend.