Giving is Glorious

Oh my!  I really love this friend of mine because she never fails to use her thinking cap to come up with unique gifts  this Christmas.  In fairness, she is known for her good fashion sense  and taste.   Last year, she gifted my family with a luxurious table lamp and this year it was outdone by giving us an ideal white faux fur throw which I’ve been wanting to own to complete the total look of our bedroom.   She might have known that lately our master’s bedroom had undergone  make-over and it was so sweet of her to put so much thought on her gifts.  For all I know, she purchased it on line at The White Company London where you will find wide array of luxurious, gorgeous and high quality bed linen collections that we all wanted to be around in our bedroom.

bed linen collection I raved about…. and got it as Christmas gift!

Such a coincidence that the bathroom mats and towels that I gave her were also purchased on the same on line store.   Does it mean, I have good taste too?

Kris Kringle is heard of during the joyous Christmas holidays and the traditional secret gift giving are done in schools, offices and within friends and family.   Actually we are not spared because we had started it last month with our officemates.  Every week our “baby”  receives something based on the theme of the week.    The baby referred to is the name of the person whom we had picked and it will be kept secret till the Revelation day which is on Christmas day.

This is the list of what I received:

• 1st week- Something sweet- I received a box of cube sugar
• 2nd week- Something long and hard – Barbecue stick
• 3rd week- Weird and funny – a keychain and a banana!?
• 4th week- Soft and round – a small round pillow and make up sponge

Truly, all of what I received seemed to be funny and boring but my ‘mommy” during the revelation day surprised me with a Swatch watch. She told me that on week 1 to 4, she purposely gave those things to test my patience and she had all it planned that she will give me something special on the day of revelation.  I was surprised and touch because it cost more than the agreed amount of gift to give.   And I love the watch…

It was  good of me, that I did not react or comment on how boring those gifts were because I still follow what my Mom told us when it comes to receiving gifts that we don’t expect or like at all.  She told us to exercise the following traits:

• Kindness
• Patience
• Happiness
• Manners

And I was sure glad to have applied the above, because I received what I never expected in the end.

One fashion designer in a fashion segment of a local TV program when interviewed last night announced that this season polka dots will be the “in” thin.  His models paraded gracefully  in dotted dresses in different cut and designs.   I was so excited when I saw one blouse worn by a pretty model happened to be similar to what I bought a week ago.  In fairness, she did justice to the blouse as she carried it very well.  I then remember the blouse which I hid in the cabinet because I felt I erred in buying one.   I did not come to like it when I tried it on because I felt I looked more of a Dalmatian with it’s black and white spots and my family might tease me.

Admittedly, I usually regret purchases did on impulse, like the dotted blouse.   I searched for it  after watching the show hoping that maybe it will now look good on me.   I’ve learned too that there are some rules when choosing dotted clothes like:

• only wear one polka dot item at a time and the best option is to wear dotted blouse paired with a solid color pants or skirt
• don’t wear biggies or loose styles and if you will wear dotted dress,  make sure that it is body hugging
• try to stay within the small to medium size of dots because big or large dots will make you look like a target
• don’t go overboard…don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed with dots because they might tease you as a clown

Just last night, I tried on  the hooded dotted blouse and  how come I can’t still shake off the thought  that I looked more of a dalmatian dog.  So again I tossed it far behind in the cabinet .. the usual hiding place for all my impulse purchases.

the Dalmatian look!

News about shooting incidents in malls are very alarming and it posed safety concerns to people.  The latest incident that happened was just the other day when a  13-year old boy shot his allegedly 16 year old lover first before he ended his life.   The police said it was a “crime of passion”. Investigation is ongoing on how guns passed through security guards undetected.  The first incident was over a week ago when a jilted wife shot his husband who was working in the mall because allegedly he abandoned her for another woman.  And the security guard who intervened and in an attempt to stop her from shooting herself was the one who got killed.  A

What is alarming is that how a .22  and .38 caliber guns passed through security guards unnoticed?  Are there no metal detectors?  I’ve seen guards in some establishments who only used sticks to pry into bags and packages.   Sophisticated hand held or walk through metal detectors should be installed to ensure public safety.  Because such gadgets would deter those with  plans to bring in deadly weapons and people can rest with the thought that there are no threat to their lives whatsoever.  Maybe some would get annoyed to frisking and getting scanned but this would be the best way to find concealed weapons of anyone who would attempt to bring them in.

Sadly, we noticed that it was only after the recent murder suicide that authorities started to revisit and hopefully they will work on, upgrade and improve safety measures that way it will safeguard the the safety of all.   Every establishments be it government or public should be equipped with metal detectors.

2 days had passed,and as if nothing happened.. people seemingly has easily forgotten that bloody incident because they are all busy doing their early Christmas shopping.   Well, nothing can’t stop them… Shopping is shopping!

I am ready and hoping to do brisk business in personalized Christmas giveaways.   Just last night, after I have finished the last piece of sample, I immediately posted ads for friends to see and I am now anxiously waiting for the first order.  Actually, a handful already showed interest and was asking complete details about the giveaways.

Times are hard so to augment the family’s income, I decided to utilize whatever skills I have coupled it with patience and dedication.  Since, I know I have an innate talent and creativity to fuzz with giveaways, I wasted no time in designing photobooks, customized bags, cosmetic cases, luminous cups, mouse pads, etc.  which I believe will make good Christmas presents.  This idea cropped up during casual conversation with friends who raised their concerns (not complaints) of receiving duplicate gifts every year.  It is really true that choosing the best gift is a cause of concern and finding an ideal gift for loved one is a nightmare.

So I made some gift suggestions that will surely warm the hearts of the receiver knowing that they are well thought of because of the personal touch added into it.   And the effort of giving customized gift will make them feel special.

a classic handbag for your officemate

a compact mirror

a compact digital camera case for your loved ones

cosmetic case

huggable teddy bear

The ber month ushered in yesterday and many Filipinos are already excited!  Did you know that one third of the year is Christmas in the Philippines?  As early as yesterday, September 1, the spirit of Filipinos are lifted up knowing that holiday season of giving and receiving is just around the corner.  Christmas tunes are a welcome break just like this morning when a neighbor had ” Winter Wonderland and Frosty the Snowman” blurting out of his sound system while the temperature outside was hovering at around 40 deg. C.   Well, maybe in a way you can feel the chill with thoughts that Christmas is near and that made you forget that it is hot outside.

I am in the thick of things completing personalized photobooks which I have carefully thought of to give as Christmas presents to to friends. Actually,  early this year, I started to stock up pictures of that particular friend or family whom I intend to give the photobooks for.  I made it a point to socialize often to have more pictures taken to complete the photobook.    Best to give something different this year instead of the usual frames,  candle holders, figurines which I believe they too are tired of receiving duplicate gifts each year and I am one hopeful to be a wise giver by presenting something unique in the sense that they were made only for the recipient.

Who doesn’t want to receive a personalized gift anyway?   Giving photobooks which I had personally and lovingly designed would project an afterthought that they are special.  Actually, my friends are special that is why I have to brave the sleepiness everytime I stayed till the wee hours just to finish a book.  Well, the eyebags too are already getting prominent but never mind… I will soon finish my projects which I’ve been doing without let-up especially this week that we are on 7 days Eid holiday in celebration of the end of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers around the world.  I took the opportunity to make myself productive and so I was glad I had accomplished 4-5 photobooks so far.

Hmmm.. I wonder what my friend have prepared for me?   Hubby reminded me it is better to give than to receive… I know!  But it would be a bonus to receive, isn’t it and why not!

1st batch of  finished photobooks – product of staying up late

I just don’t know why all of a sudden I wanted to be a minimalist (if that would be the correct term)… Hubby was quite surprised to see our house almost empty (not so.. exaggerated him!) because our sofas, closets and few side cabinets  and other stuffs will either be given or thrown away.  I wanted to simplify my living environment  so last week I started out with general cleaning and I vigilantly cleared out clutters that piled up for years and empty our cabinets of things that I don’t use anymore.   While cleaning, I have realized that I’ve done mindless purchases and I had shopped for clothes (especially during SALE season) which to date has not been used.  Good that we have big empty boxes always on stand by and I stashed all of them inside it and later, I will sort them for donations to someone who will find it useful and well, as hand me downs to some relatives too.

I am almost halfway, in fact, our living room is already devoid of unnecessary pieces of furniture as  I have thrown away one set of sofa.   No worries, our visitors will still have something to sit on because 2 sets still remain.   Friends thought we are moving out because the house is clear and more than 6 big boxes are ready to be shipped back home.

our living room before….

and after…..

do you think I did the right thing? (actually the sofa stays)

But I will go easy on throwing things because I might use them one day… Oh no!  I think I am beginning to go back to my old ways of keeping things because of their sentimental value and because I just wanted to collect and keep them.  I will work hard to avoid too much consumerism and hubby will surely agree.. that will end my mindless shopping for a while so that I won’t be bringing in stuffs again now that I have cleared most things in the house.

I am now a minimalist (hope so…)

It’s high time for hubby to change his  perfume because of my long exposure and association  to his well loved scent, I guess I can no longer appreciate it’s smell and I believe that he should try to experiment and switch to another brand.   There are a lot of scents out in the market and sometimes it is hard to determine which will suit one’s body chemistry.  Sometime a brand will complement a body type of a person but to another person, it does not smell good.   Some says that there’s no man who smells very good for everyone,  it really depends on who is sniffing him.

So that means that it all depends on our nose… it’s receptor of odor is the thing that determines the odor of male sweat…. it may be good, bad or worst… So I will let him decide to choose one for himself so he can try it on.    I brought home samples of perfumes a business minded officemate asked me to show hubby..

Well, I hope he will change his mind so he can choose one.   However, still I will not trade a man who had just been out of the shower room…….a man sans perfume….  natural odor.. fresh and manly…Hmmmm….I love the smell!!!! Deals Direct has an impressive selection of Mens perfumes online.”