In a few more days, we’ll hear Jose Mari Chan’s “Christmas In Our Hearts” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” being played in the malls on repeat preparing us for the merry yuletide season.
The Philippines has the longest Christmas season lasting more than three months. You can hear Christmas Carols as early as September and the festive spirit doesn’t go away until a few days after New Year. For this reason, it’s always been my favorite time of the year.
Apart from many other wonderful reasons why it’s my favorite season, it’s also the time to make our Christmas wishlist!
Every year, my kumares and I would have this Secret Santa tradition which we’ve been doing for more than ten years now. We use an online Secret Santa generator to randomly assign a person to each other since we don’t get to meet that often to draw names. Besides, there’s just four of us; it would be easier to adjust the settings so we won’t be assigned to the same Santa from the previous year.
Back then we’re happy to get a bottle of Victoria Secret Body Spray or a throw pillow; now, this is something that we take seriously. With our game faces on, we spend months making our wishlist. With the long preparation, some of us are guilty of doing so many revisions (Tetay—*coughs*) that we have agreed to have a deadline when it comes to revising the list.
As we are just your regular people, we set an amount for the wishlist and make sure that everyone is comfortable with it. For a while now, this year included, we have it at 1,000 PHP.
However, with this budget, creating a wishlist is becoming harder every year. If we’d all be honest about it, what we want usually exceeds the amount that was agreed upon. It’s not uncommon that our items would cap the budget by a few hundreds that’s why we’d often indicate in our list: “Will pay the excess” (but sometimes in the spirit of gift-giving, we no longer ask the recipient to pay it).
So what if—for fun’s sake—we are to make a wishlist wherein the cost of the item we want for Christmas is not really an issue? (Although it still has to be realistic. You can’t just ask for a house and lot or a brand new car, can you?)
I mean, think about it: Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to make a list if you have Oprah Winfrey as your kumare?
Having said this, let me play along with that thought. Let me share with you what I’d like to call my Wishful Thinking Wish List.
Tumi Voyageur Dori Leather Backpack
I am not your branded handbag kind of girl. I don’t even own a Coach, Hermes, Chanel or LV and I’m perfectly fine with that because, heck, I wouldn’t even know the difference! My few branded ones were just given to me by my relatives abroad and I hardly use them.
I prefer carrying an unbranded cavernous bag where everything can fit inside (I’m a certified Tita—go figure!) or a small backpack because I can carry it next to my chest when I’m at crowded places.
But this one right here is something that would force me to be nice all year, so Santa baby can hurry down the (imaginary) chimney to give one to me. I have read a lot of good reviews for this particular brand, especially its leather collection. Pam Pastor’s recent Instagram rave sold me because I subject my bags to the same abuse.
It’s roomy and sturdy, and you can even personalize it!
Until then, I’d probably end up getting just the nylon version of this backpack which is a lot cheaper.
Price: PHP 31,062
Melissa Space Love IV AD – Light Pink
Not a bag person, not a shoe person either. I am really the antithesis of any regular girl.
I’m the type who would choose comfort over style. Which is why you will not see me sashaying in high heels or stilettos unless if it’s at a party where I need to dress up. Most of my shoes were chosen for only two reasons: comfort and price. As long as I can wear it without it giving me calluses and leg pain, I’d wear it even if it’s bought at SM, Zenco Footstep or a discount footwear chain like Payless.
While not often, I’d sometimes give in and fork out for an expensive pair. I own a few pairs of Melissa and it did take me some penny-pinching as this brand is pricier than other jelly flats. No regrets though, as I think they’re pretty and I love how they go on my feet.
I want to add this one to my collection so bad that if I don’t get it for a gift somehow—I’d end up buying this for myself. Again.
Sigh.
Price: PHP3,250
Imarflex DD-787 3-Layer Cabinet Dish Dryer
Laugh all you want at the “tita-ness” of this, but when I saw this at the Imarflex Factory Outlet last Saturday, it was something I want since then for our kitchen.
No more wet kitchen counters! No more leaving the plates, glasses, and utensils on a strainer basin to drip! No more wiping! Just place everything inside, turn the knob and leave!
Price: PHP 10,000 (Outlet Price: PHP 7,000)
HUAWEI MateBook 13
The “MacBook for Windows” — I have heard of good reviews for this one. It’s small, sleek and packed with great hardware. Its matte finish is just gorg! It also has a touch fingerprint sensor right in the power button and has a large trackpad perfect for my fat Bratwurst fingers.
As my cellphone is also a Huawei, its built-in Huawei Share would make the transfer of pictures and files easier and faster.
Yes, this may sound like an appeal for pity, but I still blog with my cellphone, thankyouverymuch.
Price:
PHP 55,990 (8GB RAM/256GB SSD, Intel Core i5);
PHP 69,990 (8GB RAM/512GB SSD, Intel Core i7)
Young Living Deep Relief™ Roll-On
This one will be particularly handy to bring along every day to substitute my strong-smelling liniments (reeking of Katinko is giving away my age).
I became a fan of Peppermint and Wintergreen oil not only because it eased my back and neck pains, but it also helped me when I have tummy problems. I am also getting quite addicted to sniffing it.
Oh my God, how tita can you get, `no?
Young Living is known to be the best when it comes to oil-based health and wellness solutions. It sets itself apart from the many essential oils that are available in the market because of its strict distillation process. A lot of my friends vouch for its efficacy.
The thing about Young Living, which perhaps is the reason why a lot of people are still not very keen about it, is that it’s a multi-level marketing company (MLM). Members will entice you to sign up to enjoy big discounts.
Their oils are also more expensive than the others, but I guess there’s always a high price to pay for relief.
Price: PHP 2,250 (10 ml.)
John Dillinger Red Demi glasses from Owndays
Foreo Luna Mini 2
While I don’t wear heavy make-up to work (just a trusted mineral powder foundation and blush, eyebrow pencil, lipstick and pressed powder), the pollution in Manila is so terrible that cleaning your skin has become a must.
God bless my genes as I don’t have any wrinkles yet at 42 (turning 43), but my chubby cheeks might not stand a chance against gravity any longer. So I don’t just need something to deep-clean my face, I need some tool to firm my skin as well.
The Philippines has the longest Christmas season lasting more than three months. You can hear Christmas Carols as early as September and the festive spirit doesn’t go away until a few days after New Year. For this reason, it’s always been my favorite time of the year.
Apart from many other wonderful reasons why it’s my favorite season, it’s also the time to make our Christmas wishlist!
Every year, my kumares and I would have this Secret Santa tradition which we’ve been doing for more than ten years now. We use an online Secret Santa generator to randomly assign a person to each other since we don’t get to meet that often to draw names. Besides, there’s just four of us; it would be easier to adjust the settings so we won’t be assigned to the same Santa from the previous year.
Back then we’re happy to get a bottle of Victoria Secret Body Spray or a throw pillow; now, this is something that we take seriously. With our game faces on, we spend months making our wishlist. With the long preparation, some of us are guilty of doing so many revisions (Tetay—*coughs*) that we have agreed to have a deadline when it comes to revising the list.
As we are just your regular people, we set an amount for the wishlist and make sure that everyone is comfortable with it. For a while now, this year included, we have it at 1,000 PHP.
However, with this budget, creating a wishlist is becoming harder every year. If we’d all be honest about it, what we want usually exceeds the amount that was agreed upon. It’s not uncommon that our items would cap the budget by a few hundreds that’s why we’d often indicate in our list: “Will pay the excess” (but sometimes in the spirit of gift-giving, we no longer ask the recipient to pay it).
So what if—for fun’s sake—we are to make a wishlist wherein the cost of the item we want for Christmas is not really an issue? (Although it still has to be realistic. You can’t just ask for a house and lot or a brand new car, can you?)
I mean, think about it: Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to make a list if you have Oprah Winfrey as your kumare?
Having said this, let me play along with that thought. Let me share with you what I’d like to call my Wishful Thinking Wish List.
Tumi Voyageur Dori Leather Backpack
I am not your branded handbag kind of girl. I don’t even own a Coach, Hermes, Chanel or LV and I’m perfectly fine with that because, heck, I wouldn’t even know the difference! My few branded ones were just given to me by my relatives abroad and I hardly use them.
I prefer carrying an unbranded cavernous bag where everything can fit inside (I’m a certified Tita—go figure!) or a small backpack because I can carry it next to my chest when I’m at crowded places.
But this one right here is something that would force me to be nice all year, so Santa baby can hurry down the (imaginary) chimney to give one to me. I have read a lot of good reviews for this particular brand, especially its leather collection. Pam Pastor’s recent Instagram rave sold me because I subject my bags to the same abuse.
It’s roomy and sturdy, and you can even personalize it!
Until then, I’d probably end up getting just the nylon version of this backpack which is a lot cheaper.
Price: PHP 31,062
Melissa Space Love IV AD – Light Pink
Not a bag person, not a shoe person either. I am really the antithesis of any regular girl.
I’m the type who would choose comfort over style. Which is why you will not see me sashaying in high heels or stilettos unless if it’s at a party where I need to dress up. Most of my shoes were chosen for only two reasons: comfort and price. As long as I can wear it without it giving me calluses and leg pain, I’d wear it even if it’s bought at SM, Zenco Footstep or a discount footwear chain like Payless.
While not often, I’d sometimes give in and fork out for an expensive pair. I own a few pairs of Melissa and it did take me some penny-pinching as this brand is pricier than other jelly flats. No regrets though, as I think they’re pretty and I love how they go on my feet.
I want to add this one to my collection so bad that if I don’t get it for a gift somehow—I’d end up buying this for myself. Again.
Sigh.
Price: PHP3,250
Imarflex DD-787 3-Layer Cabinet Dish Dryer
Laugh all you want at the “tita-ness” of this, but when I saw this at the Imarflex Factory Outlet last Saturday, it was something I want since then for our kitchen.
No more wet kitchen counters! No more leaving the plates, glasses, and utensils on a strainer basin to drip! No more wiping! Just place everything inside, turn the knob and leave!
Price: PHP 10,000 (Outlet Price: PHP 7,000)
HUAWEI MateBook 13
The “MacBook for Windows” — I have heard of good reviews for this one. It’s small, sleek and packed with great hardware. Its matte finish is just gorg! It also has a touch fingerprint sensor right in the power button and has a large trackpad perfect for my fat Bratwurst fingers.
As my cellphone is also a Huawei, its built-in Huawei Share would make the transfer of pictures and files easier and faster.
Yes, this may sound like an appeal for pity, but I still blog with my cellphone, thankyouverymuch.
Price:
PHP 55,990 (8GB RAM/256GB SSD, Intel Core i5);
PHP 69,990 (8GB RAM/512GB SSD, Intel Core i7)
Young Living Deep Relief™ Roll-On
I became a fan of Peppermint and Wintergreen oil not only because it eased my back and neck pains, but it also helped me when I have tummy problems. I am also getting quite addicted to sniffing it.
Oh my God, how tita can you get, `no?
Young Living is known to be the best when it comes to oil-based health and wellness solutions. It sets itself apart from the many essential oils that are available in the market because of its strict distillation process. A lot of my friends vouch for its efficacy.
The thing about Young Living, which perhaps is the reason why a lot of people are still not very keen about it, is that it’s a multi-level marketing company (MLM). Members will entice you to sign up to enjoy big discounts.
Their oils are also more expensive than the others, but I guess there’s always a high price to pay for relief.
Price: PHP 2,250 (10 ml.)
John Dillinger Red Demi glasses from Owndays
I have already lost count of all the reading/progressive frames I’ve broken.
I would wear one in bed, take it off and then forget it’s just right there. Only when I hear a faint crack will I realize that I’ve either sat or laid down on it. Bye bye, glasses.
This one right here is made of plastic and titanium so I do hope it will be stronger than the frames usually available at your regular “granny optical shops” in Quiapo (but then again, I have a big butt so let’s see).
Here’s another one in my wishlist that I’d end up buying for myself anyway because I need it.
Price: PHP 5,990
While I don’t wear heavy make-up to work (just a trusted mineral powder foundation and blush, eyebrow pencil, lipstick and pressed powder), the pollution in Manila is so terrible that cleaning your skin has become a must.
God bless my genes as I don’t have any wrinkles yet at 42 (turning 43), but my chubby cheeks might not stand a chance against gravity any longer. So I don’t just need something to deep-clean my face, I need some tool to firm my skin as well.
This sonic facial cleansing tool promises an all-day glow in just one minute. Just
what a lazy girl like me needs.
Price: ₱7,538.00
Sonny Portable Bidet
I am a Filipina. Toilet paper just doesn’t cut it. And it has nothing to do with being eco-conscious, it is all about personal hygiene.
This explains why for me, seeing a tabo (dipper) in a public restroom is like seeing a 500-peso bill on the floor. I was one of those who rejoiced when the office finally installed a bidet on one of our cubicles.
Because you see, it’s not truly clean until we wash it.
So imagine my reaction when I saw this on my FB timeline. Dubbed as the “iPod Nano of butts”, Sonny is made of anodized aluminum that stores water in a cartridge. It has a normal and high-pressure spray option (just saying that feels refreshing) that you can control it with a touch of a button.
While it’s not handy enough to carry inside a purse, the portability is a plus because you can use it even in your own bathroom without the need for complicated installation or expensive retrofitting.
It’s not available locally as it is a crowdfunded product, but I was imagining Oprah as my kumare, right?
Price: $89 (roughly PHP 4,700.00), crowdfunding on Indiegogo
There you have it, my very shameless Wishful Thinking Wishlist that is more like extortion in disguise. Why should I not be greedy every once in a while and wish for these items?
Then again, I’ve now snapped out of it. I’m back to making my 1,000-peso wishlist.
How about you? What would be on your list?
(P.S. Cuatro Amigas—I will not trade anyone of you for Oprah. Ever.)
Sonny Portable Bidet
I am a Filipina. Toilet paper just doesn’t cut it. And it has nothing to do with being eco-conscious, it is all about personal hygiene.
This explains why for me, seeing a tabo (dipper) in a public restroom is like seeing a 500-peso bill on the floor. I was one of those who rejoiced when the office finally installed a bidet on one of our cubicles.
Because you see, it’s not truly clean until we wash it.
So imagine my reaction when I saw this on my FB timeline. Dubbed as the “iPod Nano of butts”, Sonny is made of anodized aluminum that stores water in a cartridge. It has a normal and high-pressure spray option (just saying that feels refreshing) that you can control it with a touch of a button.
While it’s not handy enough to carry inside a purse, the portability is a plus because you can use it even in your own bathroom without the need for complicated installation or expensive retrofitting.
It’s not available locally as it is a crowdfunded product, but I was imagining Oprah as my kumare, right?
Price: $89 (roughly PHP 4,700.00), crowdfunding on Indiegogo
There you have it, my very shameless Wishful Thinking Wishlist that is more like extortion in disguise. Why should I not be greedy every once in a while and wish for these items?
Then again, I’ve now snapped out of it. I’m back to making my 1,000-peso wishlist.
How about you? What would be on your list?
(P.S. Cuatro Amigas—I will not trade anyone of you for Oprah. Ever.)
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