MANILA, Philippines - The best way to celebrate Christmas is to give back, and Greenbelt, Manila’s premier shopping destination, is at the forefront of spreading the Christmas spirit this year.
This year, Greenbelt is committed to giving back to the community through a silent auction, which aims to raise funds for chosen organizations. The beneficiaries of the auction include Habitat for Humanity’s ReBuild Bohol Program, which hopes to rebuild more than 5,000 homes in 17 municipalities of Bohol that were ravaged by last year’s typhoon Yolanda; Sto. Nino de Paz’s Little Sisters of the Poor (for the elderly) and Missionaries of Charity (for the children); Ayala Foundation’s Sibaltan Women of El Nido and CENTEX, centers of excellence in public education that promote music, and visual and performing arts. Proceeds from the sale of the “As One We Can” series of paintings will go to this project.
For those looking to start Christmas shopping early, Greenbelt launched the Greenbelt Christmas Station from Nov. 23 to Dec. 30 at the Greenbelt 3 Right Wing.
The Christmas Station is composed of the Christmas Market, the Wrapping Station, the Wish List station and the 12 Days of Christmas Treats booth.
At the Christmas Market, shoppers can purchase from participating merchants and customize their Christmas bags, making each gift unique and personal. There will be a different category every two weeks, allowing shoppers to plan when to go. The first two weeks will be food and home ware; the second two weeks will feature beauty products; finally, the last two weeks will feature Greenbelt’s merchants selling apparel.
And if guests choose to shop on their own, they may also have free gift wrapping services for purchases above P2,500 at the Wrapping Station.
Those who do their shopping at Greenbelt will also be rewarded with their own gifts, as Ayala Malls also introduced the Wish List Station. For every purchase of P5,000, P10,000, and P25,000 they may choose from a list of items as a holiday treat. They may also choose to donate to charity instead.
To make the Christmas even more festive, random shoppers will get different treats for 12 days in 12 Days of Christmas Treats from Dec. 12 to 23!
But who could forget the iconic Christmas tree, the worldwide symbol of the merry season? To spread some stylish cheer, designers from the Greenbelt Filipino Zone were given trees to decorate and display at the Fashion Walk for the Designer’s Tree Collection. The collection aims to celebrate local artisans and feature world-class Filipino talent. The trees will also be part of the auction.
Sometimes, people get so caught up in receiving gifts that they forget the message of Christmas, which is to give back and share their blessings. At Greenbelt, you have an opportunity to give back to community and reward yourself.