Blog From Cebu To The World » Christmas

Cool Christmas Gifts for Officemates under 10 Dollars (or under 500 Pesos)

ceblogger — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:22:06 +0000

Oh it’s Christmas time again! And if you’re working in an office, it is very hard to escape the company’s exchanging gifts activity during the Christmas party. In some, it is compulsory. If you fail to attend the party, you still owe a gift (and will surely receive one too).

In my 15 years of being under the corporate umbrella, I have never experienced an office Christmas party whose exchanging gift value is above P1000. It must be the hard times, the economic crisis, you know. Or most likely, the money is reserved for the noche buena table than spent on office Kris Kringle. So usually, the gift value is set at P250, P300, P400 or P500.

Cool Christmas Gifts for Officemates under 10 Dollars (or under 500 Pesos)

How far can your P500 or $10 (US$1 = P44 is the current exchange rate) go when it comes to Christmas gifts for your officemates? You don’t actually have to go to Divisoria to purchase these gifts. Imagine the hours, sweat and saliva you will spend there just to purchase a gift worth P500 or less.

Two places come to mind – one is a bookstore, and the other is a tech gadget shop. In my part of the world, I’m referring to National Bookstore and CD-R King. They have stores almost anywhere.

What cool gift can you buy in the bookstore? One is a cool Parken pen with the recipient’s name engraved on it. The last time I checked, the cheapest is only worth P299 with free engraving. You may add a nifty penholder or a leatherette-covered planner.

Or you can buy books. The latest bestsellers cost a little over P500 but there are bestsellers of the previous months that cost less. Just check around if your recipient had already read that book, or is into books. They might just want an audiobook instead.

There are also affordable gifts you can buy in a tech gadget shops. A flash disk drive, and SD card or even a microSD card, can be bought at under P500. The 8gb or higher are more expensive though, but just look out for some bargains and sale items. A cooling pad for my laptop, priced between P200 – P400, is cheaper than I thought. I’d be happy to receive one this Christmas.

Now that you already have an idea of what cool Christmas gift to buy, you must hurry up as these items sell like hotcakes. But wait! Have you received your Christmas bonus already?

Christmas in Cebu

ceblogger — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 09:26:55 +0000

I haven’t updated this blog for more than 10 days. I was so busy that I even had less time for sleep, and no time to blog or hop around. It’s been more than a month since I was officially transferred in Manila. There are so many things to be done and so many plans for 2009 hovering in my head. But one thing I’m looking forward to this Christmas is my trip back to Cebu.

How is Christmas celebrated in Cebu? It’s still the Christmas that you and I celebrate. There are parties and family celebrations. The famous lechon of Cebu is always present at the table. (Despite the many lechon I ate here in Manila, I still could not find the familiar taste of Cebu. No sauce needed.) The Christmas trees, kris kringle, singing, and the games are always part of the program. It is such a merry Christmas in Cebu!

The parties I attended here in Manila are nothing compared to being with my dear one back in Cebu. So, despite the steep plane fare price, I booked a ticket just to be with my love this Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas, friends! As you enjoy the holidays, remember Jesus Christ and what He has done for you more than 2,000 years ago!

photo credits: kevinworld. This is Fuente Osmeña every Christmas.

Kris Kringle Ideas For Officemates

ceblogger — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:23:52 +0000

Kris Kringle is simply another name for Santa Claus. But we often hear the words around our offices only on Christmas Season, and often referred to as the secret exchanging gifts or manito-manita. It’s the time of the year when work mates get to be creative in coming up with the craziest kris kringle gift ideas.

Our office Christmas kris kringle started last week but I haven’t given a gift yet. I had a difficulty recalling the name I picked. I still got to see the list to confirm my suspicions. The alias started with some puss*..something. I have not received a gift either. So it was just fair, or she could be stingy.

The common practice is to give a gift a day to your kris kringle, based on the agreed gift description and minimum price. For example Day 1 is something sweet. Then Day 2 is something white. If you give your first gift on Day 5, you have also to complete the gifts for the first four days. Others just give one time, a combination of all the required gifts.

Since we are using aliases, I don’t have any idea who my kris kringle is. I know she’s female. But I don’t know if she’s pretty, serious, or has a sense of humor. What something naughty should I give her?

The gifts we give often reflect on the personality of the giver. For example, on something sweet. Some persons will only give a piece of a cheap sweet candy. There are others would give a long-stemmed rose plus some imported chocolates. Others don’t give gifts at all, but will only give cash on the revelation day itself.

There are even times when conflicts arise because of some very naughty kris kringle gift ideas. I remember one time when a male colleague got a sexy black laced panty. He secretly posted his alias on the bulletin board declaring that he’s a man. It drew wild laughter from other workmates, but he felt slighted.

When choosing a gift for your officemates, here are some tips:
1. Be sensitive – Don’t give some weight-loss pills to a fat colleague who is so conscious of her bulging figure. Don’t give an adult toy to your spinster lady boss.
2. Give according to your means – Don’t shoplift just to give your money her gift wish. Very nice items can be bought at some discount stores.
3. Think about the recipient – What does he/she likes for Christmas? Don’t give him a basketball if his not into that sport. The latest bestsellers are great for your kris kringle who is a bookworm.
4. Give cheerfully – Give with a smile. No, not that wicked smile, but one coming from a good intention.

What “naughty” gift should I give to my kris kringle? Any ideas? Again, check out my tips and forget about “naughty” if it only lead to conflicts and heartaches.

If you are thinking of buying gifts and toys for kids, check out my post on The Best Gifts and Toys for Kids This Christmas.

The Best Gifts and Toys For Kids This Christmas

ceblogger — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:19:35 +0000

When you give out something and buy the best gifts and toys for kids this Christmas, think like a kid for a while and remember your own childhood. I am sure you don’t want to remember that day when you had none, or when you got a girls’ toy instead of a die-cast car you dreamed of. A gift you give today will forever be remembered by them when they grow up. Here’s some to include in your Christmas shopping list:

Best Gifts and Toys for Boys

1. Radio-controlled gadgets – be it a car, a truck, a speed boat or a chopper. I still have my five-year-old,2-feet long red RC car which has become an object of envy for my nephews. My sister was the first one to ask it from me for her son. I promised that I’ll give it to her early next year. This is one toy that I dreamed of when I was a kid. But I never got a chance to be given one. If you are a father, or a guy who loves to play with younger kids, this one is surely a hit for your troop.
2. Die cast cars – I got a few ones when I was five. A neighbor stole my very few collections. Five years ago, I wanted to rebuild my collection. But it was too attractive for my nephews who played with it when I was away. Some of the cars lost their wheels. Oh, kids!
3. A Bicycle – But be sure you are in safe neighborhood. Actually, this is one toy wherein your boys can have their exercise too. And then of course, you can ask them for a quick errand to the stores.
4. Board Games – I learned how to play chess at age 4. The first person I defeated was my mom. Two years later, I defeated my dad. But I could not call that chessboard my own. Kids learning to play board games is actually a good thing. It exercises their brains. Thrice I’ve given some of my god children chessboards as Christmas gifts. Nowadays, they can match up with my chess skills.
5. A new pair of shoes – This one will draw envy from his peers. A shiny new pair of sneakers from either Nike or Adidas will make him famous in class or in the neighborhood.

Best Gifts and Toys for Girls

1. Dolls – I got three younger sisters. And I remembered what they wished for when they were young. Dolls – talking dolls, singing dolls and the cute Barbie dolls. They were lucky enough to be granted of their wishes. I recalled they were babying their dolls, caressing them, and even attempting to feed them.
2. Toy kitchen sets – I’ve seen young girls enjoying these kind of toys. Like they imitate their moms when they set the table for meals. They play “house”.
3. Make up kits – I remembered one of my sis trying to put on mom’s make up. And that was two decades ago. Young girls now are trying to act like adults, and a make up kit seems like a must for them. But there are others who hate make ups.
4. A new dress – They’ll sleep wearing the new dress. I never heard any of my sisters complaining when they were given new dresses. In fact, they are so happy they wear the new dress almost week.
5. Stuffed toys – They love to hug the fluffy teddy bears at night. I can only remember one kid who’s afraid of stuffed toys. Most girls actually find these toys cute and even keep them till they grow up.

I got couple of dozen godchildren who are eagerly waiting for their gifts this Christmas. I was glad my wife helped me in the early Christmas shopping. It’s really hard to please kids these days. But the list I made above is a surefire hit among the kids.