Gifts of Christmases past and present

It’s that time of year again when, like it or not, we go out in search of that perfect Christmas gift to give to family, kin, friends, godchildren, and the list goes on and on. Guided by the the biblical wisdom “It’s more blessed to give than to receive” (but of course, it won’t hurt to receive) and with the spirit of Christmas working its magic even in the cold hearts of the Scroogest tightwads, we hit the malls, comb the supermarkets, and even claw our way through crowded bazaars and tiangges armed with our Christmas shopping list and poised for battle.

So, what are people giving this Christmas? Amid the bleak global economy (it seems to get worse and worse every Christmas), people are looking for the cheapest gifts around. If we may give our two cents’ worth: There are gifts you can give that won’t cost you a centavo, drain or put a strain on your pocket. Our environmentalist friend Manny Calonzo has this nifty gift idea: Why not give a gift that grows, like a vegetable seed, a kitchen herb or a tree sapling or a beautiful plant growing in your garden? Of course, this idea is worth only two cents if the receiver of your gift is not really into plants.

Certainly, if you look around, you will find gifts that perfectly match your shoestring purse strings. For instance, there are Shopwise’s “must haves under 100”: ladies’ fashion accessories in a pouch at P50, a mug in gift box from P59.50 to P74.50, assorted drinking bottles at P59.75 to P149.75 each, candles in chocolate design at P49.50 each, a two-piece salad bowl set at P64.50, travel kit at P84.50, men’s hankies and wallet boxed set at P99, and men’s leather belt and scarf, P99.

Is there something below P50? “Yes, ma’am,” a store attendant deadpans. “You can give a gift wrapper.”

Of course, recycling gifts won’t cost you anything. Recycling is perfectly acceptable, a retailer friend stresses. It’s environment-friendly and friendly to your meager budget. Remember this gem of wisdom: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

“It’s perfectly okay to recycle packaging or gift wrappers,” says wise shopper Crickette Tantoco. “When you give a gift, make sure you don’t write on the wrapper so the receiver can recycle it.”

There are a lot of gifts you can recycle. Probably the most recycled gift Christmas after Christmas is the ubiquitous fruitcake. Just make sure it doesn’t end up in the hands of the original giver. Or there are no traces of evidence on your recycled gifts. Perhaps like a set of cufflinks that has your initials on it. Or a pair of bedroom slippers with your name neatly embroidered on it.

Every Christmas, you’re bound to receive gifts that you really love and find really useful, and gifts you can’t find any use for and simply end up in your musty storage. Crickette has found a perfect solution to this eternal problem: Why not bring out all the gifts you don’t like and trade with your friends or give them to your househelp?

You can recycle wines, but not a good bottle of wine, so wine lovers will tell you — let’s drink to that! You can recycle gift certificates. You can recycle a nice book you’ve read (just make sure it’s not dog-eared or soiled).

If recycling does not solve your liquidity problem, try this: Why not suggest to members of your family (especially if yours is a big one) to do a Kris Kringle this Christmas? That way, you don’t have to give to everybody and you can buy a more substantial gift for that somebody. Agree?

For many Christmases past, a lot of people were giving scented candles as Christmas gifts. Indeed, that was a bright idea. Fact is, I’ll probably still be using those scented candles my assorted friends have been giving me for many more Christmases to come. And they certainly come in handy during brownouts, too.

Giving clothes for Christmas is probably something that will never go out of fashion. If you can’t afford to buy a new shirt to wear on Christmas, it’s a Christmas wish come true to get one.

Women like to give housewares to their female friends. “My favorite giveaway is a three-in-one electronic set that consists of a blender, a toaster, and an electric fan,” Crickette shares.

With families gathering around the Christmas table, be it ever so humble, food is inarguably the most popular gift. It never fails to warm the heart — and certainly, the stomach. And with supermarkets, restaurants, and enterprising small businessmen (a lot of them housewives who keep the underground economy humming), food is the most convenient gift to give for Christmas (and many other occasions throughout the year). There are gift baskets of groceries, priced from P150 up. There are baskets of fruits for your mother or mother-in-law (so you’ll have a more fruitful relationship). There’s food-to-go: Christmas turkey, chicken galantina, delis galore, even a sooo-enticing sushi platter at only P650 or a seafood platter of the fattest shrimps and crabs at only P1,300 at Rustan’s Fresh Supermarket. For those on a tight gift budget, there are econo baskets for as low as P150 at Robinsons Supermarket. There are healthy baskets, too, like sugar-free goodies for people who love to indulge but hate the added poundage. And for special people who have everything, there are high-end hampers of foie gras, escargot, and a lot of other stuff that are better eaten than pronounced. How much are these? Remember this cardinal rule: If you can’t pronounce it, you can’t afford it.

Yes, you can have a Christmas basket packed to suit your requirements. You don’t even have to leave home and battle holiday traffic because now, you can shop online, phone in, fax or e-mail your orders and have them delivered at your doorstep. Surely, Christmas shopping has never been this hassle-free.

With the green trend going strong, organic baskets are becoming popular. There are Messy Bessy’s eco-friendly products (housewives swear by her cleaning products), rice from the Rice Terraces from Mara Pardo de Tavera, handmade soaps from mabolo by Antonio Garcia, among many other organic products.

Instead of food, you can give a food GC so the recipient can redeem it anytime he/she wants.

With most everybody doubly stressed these days, a gift of spa pampering is much welcome. I know I would welcome one, but make mine a very light massage, please. I could use a nail spa, too!

Again, for your stressed friends or loved ones, aromatherapy products make scentsational Christmas gifts. Like linen spray, incense, pillow mist, room spray. You can even have them personalized. A lot of people now make their own scents.

And because Christmas is for children, SM lists the 12 toys of Christmas 2008:

1) Girls will be enchanted by the Barbie and the Diamond Castle Princess Liana doll.

2) This designed-by-Bratz Cloe doll will set any runway in motion.

3) Tech-savvy kids and kids-at-heart will enjoy the endless gaming possibilities of the Nintendo Wii.

4) Have a rockin’ good time with the Rock Band drum and guitar set.

5) The Silverlit i-Bird brings playtime fun to new heights.

6) It’s morphing time with the Power Rangers Overdrive Drivemax Megazord.

7) Experience the colossal battle between Autobots and Decepticons with the Transformers animated deluxe figures.

8) The Rubiks Revolution puts an all-new spin on the world’s #1 cube.

9) Create multiple stunt combinations for daredevil fun with the Hot Wheels Trick Tracks play set.

10) This talkative and animated Tri-Bot makes a great playmate for kids.

11) Get ready for fun stories and jokes from the adorable Elmo Live.

12) Feel the thrill of the fastest sport on the planet with the Speed Stacks stack pack.

Mother Teresa said, “Give until it hurts.” It really doesn’t have to hurt if you choose your gift well and you give it with love.