No gifts, only Christmas

I haven't receive any gifts this Christmas not because I refused to have one but its something related to a sad reality that I have to accept. Nonetheless, Christmas will always be Christmas even without any gifts underneath the Christmas tree or, in case of the Filipinos, the traditional hamon at keso de bola. Well, given the downward trend of economic growth, the terrible natural disasters that we've witnessed (including the typhoon Ondoy and the recently capsized ship), and the horrible political killings that happened in Maguindanao, we have more reasons to mourn than to celebrate. But that's not the Christmas spirit that we're supposed to exude. We have to put smiles in all our faces amidst all the tragedies and privations. In my case, I have my own money with me but I opted to deposit most of it in the bank in case the need arises. Of course, I bought few items for my family and gave them free lunch yesterday because Christmas has always been a family day for us. Although I have zero gifts this Christmas, I still have something to celebrate: we are all alive and kicking. I can cry like a kid but everytime I think of other people who are suffering a lot because of the latest tragedies they've suffered, my own mishaps seem to be trivial. I really don't care if I have no gifts because I feel luckier today than ever. And for those homeless still victims of the 'Ondoy' tragedy, and those families left behind by the Maguindanao Massacre victims, I extend to you all my sincere prayers. In retrospect, I have here my favorite Christmas song of all time. It always leave me teary-eyed especially now that the song's message reverberates what has been happening to our society. Let us feel the essence of this song and hope that our country will find a remedy for all the sufferings it has faced. Merry Christmas to y'all!!


"Grown-up Christmas List"


Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies

Well I'm all grown up now
Can you still help somehow?
I'm not a child, but my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself, but for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

What is the illusion called "The innocence of youth"?
Maybe only in that blind belief can we ever find the truth

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list
This is my only lifelong wish
This is my grown-up Christmas list

"Hand-Me-Overs" for Christmas

Gifts shouldn't be that expensive.

Well, for people like me who has a tight budget most of the time, at least this suggestion will be helpful in conserving our limited resources. It's just plain simple:RECYCLE. But when I say 'recycle', that doesn't mean you have to make gifts out of the thrash that will leave your loved ones nothing to be thankful about. Also remember that it's not ideal to send perishable items (e.g. food items) as gifts for the holiday season. You can follow these gift suggestions that I got from a morning show. Remember, you can still make someone else's Christmas merry without compromising your own budget.

1. Unused T-shirts: You can still give shirts that are still not out of the original package perhaps because it's not fit for you or you just don't like the style. These could be shirts that you received as gifts from the previous holiday or birthdays. Make sure the style fits the receiver's gender and/or personality before wrapping up those shirts.

2. Charm bracelets or other accessories: Maybe you have some stored accessories right inside your cabinets.These could either be charm bracelets that you're making for your business or other creative accessories that you've made for your own use. I suggest that this is the best time to take these out and give it to someone else that will surely appreciate these items.



3. Books: If you're like me who treasures books so much that I always see to it that they're protected from the 'wear and tear' factors, then probably you have bundles of books out there that are as good as new and can still be considered as good gift items. You can also put your dedications on those books to make it more personalized and important for the receiver.


4. Unused appliances or storage boxes: Personally, these are the best gift items for me because it will not only save some space in our house but will also serve as a valuable gifts for my loved ones. In our case, there are a lot of duplicate items in our house because my mom is fond of collecting appliances that will consume most of our spaces so I don't have to worry much about it.


5. Wines: Because wines have considerable long shelf-life, these can still be ideal gift items for Christmas.


I hope these gift suggestions will somehow be of help for you this Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone!