Is there a place more eager to celebrate Christmas than the malls? You’ve seen it: the seasonal uniforms, the special promos, the limited-edition flavors. And you’ve definitely heard it: syndication-wise, Jose Mari Chan is still slaying with Christmas In Our Hearts. But if this season, you feel like defying the establishment(s), we at Young STAR have come up with a short list of gift ideas that you won’t find among the aisle displays (well most of them, at least). Beat the holiday rush, and gain bonus points for originality while you’re at it.
1 Postcards. The medium is the present? Maybe. Illustrator Mano Gonzales has recently launched his postcard collection, a set of seven that can be bought at P40 each. Ideal for the work colleague that likes to decorate his desk, or the friend who’s earnest about keeping snail mail alive. Or maybe even buy it for yourself, as your anti-Hallmark way of saying thanks.
* * *
For orders, email manuelluisgonzales@gmail.com
2 Rookie Yearbook Two. Visually, it’ll get your friend who’s into zines excited (maybe giving him a couple of new ideas). Content-wise, the Rookie book is pages and pages of real talk from contributors around the world — on love, on friendship, and on other universally considered “touchy†subjects. For the friend who’s in need of a pick-me-up.
* * *
Rookie Yearbook Two is available at National Bookstore
3 Designer T-shirts. And we mean that literally. Randalf Clothing puts icons like Karl Lagerfeld and Rei Kawakubo on shirts and button-downs drawn by the designer, Rj Santos himself. Your fashion-crazy friends would love to cop this one.
* * *
For orders, check out facebook.com/randalfclothing
4 For the second time on our gift guide, we’re including this holiday splurge: tickets to a show. Wicked for the Broadway fan (and we hear a Diana Vreeland play is set for next year too), and Phoenix for the (very) good friend who’s loved them since high school.
5 Bleach Catastrophe pillows. For the homebody, Bleach Home stocks a good variety of pillows printed on canvas cloth. A tip: you can make an order in advance, that way you may customize some of the styles with a letter or number change. It should be ready for pick-up in two weeks.
* * *
Bleach Home is available at Bleach Catastrophe, Greenbelt 5.
6 Vinyl records. For that friend who just got his/her Crosley player, indulge them by giving them one of their first records. Heima still stocks the Ang Nawawala soundtrack, FYI.
7 The Daykeeper 2014. A journal slash datebook for those who want to chronicle their daydreams and ideas, The Daykeeper combines the rigidity of a day planner with the aesthetic of a slumbook, with stunning photos taken by the creator herself.
* * *
The Daykeeper 2014 is available at thedaykeeper.bigcartel.com