After 7-month hiatus Souvenir shop gears up for Christmas demand

CEBU, Philippines - Now back on track, a home-grown souvenir manufacturing company revives itself through its creation of mini-Christmas trees and topiaries just in time for the yuletide season.

Months before Christmas, Tropical Souvenirs International currently offers its newest specialty crafts, the small tabletop artificial topiary Christmas trees and non-Christmas topiaries.

Established in 2005, Tropical Souvenirs International produces and sells tourist souvenirs and customized giveaways for the domestic and international market.

Charmaine Ong, the company’s managing director, envisioned Tropical Souvenirs International to specialize on customizing the particular needs of the client.

With her background on her family’s export businesses, Ong has a wide experience in sourcing different raw materials such as local wood, shells, stone and indigenous fibers, among others, to ensure each item produced is unique from the rest.

It has been seven months that the company has not operated. Last January of this year, Ong was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her lacrimal gland of her left eye.

If Ong were to describe, the mini-Christmas trees and topiaries that are newly-offered and introduced by the company represent hope.

The initial batch of mini Christmas trees and topiaries features designs of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Disney icons, and fruits. The topiary trees are priced from P1,000 to P1,500 while the small -sized Christmas trees are sold at P500. There are also mini musical Christmas trees with musical notes that are pegged at P800.

Ong added that these seasonal items could be artistically-designed to tailor fit to the preference of the client.

She cited that the artificial topiaries could be displayed in offices and rooms, particularly those who live in condominiums.

“They do not need so much space unlike the usual Christmas trees and these can also be actually used for other occasions,” she said.

Since the topiary Christmas trees could make a great accent for indoor and outdoor areas, she said that these can be used by caterers, hoteliers, and event planners as centrepieces during gatherings and other occasions.

Ong clarified that these mini Christmas trees are made-to-order and can be produced in retail or wholesale.

“The earlier you order, the better,” she said.

It was eight years ago that Tropical Souvenirs International used to offer pine cones during the Christmas holidays.

Apart from tourist souvenirs such as handicrafts, and fashion accessories, Ong has also acknowledged the growing demand for corporate gifts and giveaway items during events and gatherings.

To cater to such market, the company also manufactures specialized items, recognition gifts and awards, identification card slings, button pins, cermamic mugs, ballpens, fans, car stickers, decorative decals, signages, sentra boards, planners, sports bottles, shirts, caps, umbrellas, clocks, keyrings, mousepads, card holders, plaques, medals, and trophies.

Its clients range from corporate accounts, multinational companies, government agencies, local government units, and academe.

Tropical Souvenirs International has its main office located at 17 Saint James St., La Guardia, Cebu City. /JMD