2020 has been a tough year for all of us. If you are reading this, then you are lucky to have survived a pandemic, a handful of super typhoons, and a whole lot of civic turmoil.
Barely summoning the energy for the last few months of the year, we welcome the holiday season filled with hope that the next year would be better than the last. We list down some gift suggestions that help local businesses, give back to the community, plus some items that will surely bring the holiday cheer to your loved ones.
Table and garden ware by Home Love Point
Owned and run by Rainne Lorenzo, Home Love Point is a charming specialty shop that sells functional and decorative wares. Their collections of Japanese tableware and curios are beautiful yet affordable, and make as perfect gifts for loved ones who are working on their domestic skills, or as an addition to an avid collector’s growing assemblage.
Check out their design offerings via Instagram @homelovepoint. Viewing/pick-up is available by appointment at the Home Love Point store located at FRDC Building, 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Brgy. Ugong, Pasig City.
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Origabi by Paliwanag Lights
Paliwanag Lights is a local lamp seller known for the Aklamp, a book-looking rechargeable lamp that lights up when you open the pages.
Their new design, Origabi, is a portmanteau of Origami– the art of paper folding, and gabi which means “night”. This shape-changing lamp is made from folded Tyvek, a cloth material that can be folded and hold its shape- qualities you can find on paper- but more durable.
They only have 3 products so far– the Aklamp, Aklamp mini, and Origabi. These can be purchased through their website: paliwanag.com/shop. Paliwanag Lights offers payments through GCash, BPI, BDO, or cash-on-delivery, For more information, contact Paliwanag Lights’ Facebook page.
Purses and bags by the Invisible Sisters
Invisible Sisters is an online boutique that designs and produces high-quality and sustainable handcrafted products. Their craftswomen are from underprivileged communities who are skilled in the art of crochet.
Their colorful pouches and bags are durable and made of recycled plastic. By purchasing their bags and purses, you help them continue with their livelihood and provide for their families.
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Kadasig Mask and Pouch from Echostore.ph
These masks and pouches from Echostore are aptly named Kadasig, which means “resilience“ in Waray. The sewers of these giftable items are the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda while the material comes from another survivor group of weavers from ECHOsi’s training in Marawi.
These items are available at echostore.ph. For more items, check out their Instagram @echostore. A physical store is open daily at the ground floor of Podium Mall in Ortigas.
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Legazy Baybayin Street’s Bayong tote bags
Legazy Baybayin Street’s contemporary and truly nationalistic streetwear version of bayongs are hip, roomy, and perfect for the busybodies in your life. It can be worn by hand, as a sling, or over the shoulder.
What’s best is with every purchase, 20% of your payment goes to Project PEARLS, an organization that aims to break the vicious cycle of poverty by helping feed and provide scholarships to less fortunate children.
Buy Legazy Baybayin Street’s products on their website: WearLegazy.com
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Aside from the special causes, we also encourage support for our local museums through the purchase of artsy gifts from their in-house shops. Ayala Museum has an online shop where you can purchase art and history books, stationery, toys, and this care kit which contains Tipos del Pais en COVID-19 tote bag, customizable face masks, creative activity sheets, and a limited edition “Maging Magiting” face mask launched by the Ayala Foundation in celebration of this year’s Philippine Independene Day. Part of the proceeds from this kit sales will be donated to the museum’s Arts & Wellness program for fronliners.
Fundacion Sansó Museum Shop has heaps of products that reflect Juvenal Sansó artworks and designs. There you’ll find books, magnets, mugs, fans, shirts, and even gift wrapping papers!
Maestro Sansó once supported himself by designing textiles for well-known brands and fashion houses. These textile designs are printed in paper to make these unique wrapping paper suitable for any occasion.
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Van Gogh inspired tea cups by Happy Home by Culovart Elegant
This elegant 2-piece tea cup set (cup and saucer) inspired by the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh is made with handcrafted fine bone china. The tea cups and saucers are available in 10 different designs including Starry Night, Sunflower, and Wheat Field with Cypresses.
Happy Home also has other Van Gogh inspired items such as coffee mugs, plates, and tea pots.
Each 2-piece tea cup set is sold for Php 1,340 and is exclusively available online at happyhomebycoloveart.com. For more information, visit Happy Home’s Instagram @happyhomeby_culovart.
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If there’s one thing this year has taught us, it’s that we should be finding peace and comfort from the inside out.
Simoy ng Haraya’s Kalma and Sigla Roller Ball Pack will help with that. The Aromatherapy Rollerball pair will give you just the right balance to take on anything: Kalma (calm) to help pacify the mind and soul on restless days, and Sigla (vitality) to help you energize when you need it.
This set is available at Simoy ng Hiraya’s website. They offer free delivery for orders Php 2,000 and up.
The Flower Power tea set from Nature’s Apothecary is a collection of fine flower teas that are packed with health benefits: Lavender to induce calm, improve sleep, help with stress and mood; Chamomile to help with sleep, anxiety, digestion and improvement of blood sugar; Butterfly Pea is rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, boosts the brain and induces calm; and Hibiscus to aid in blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight loss.
The set also comes with Stevia leaves, Mint leaves, and tea strainer.
Available on their website, Shopee, and Beauty Mnl.
Travel-friendly Candles by Lumi Candles
Lumi’s Scented Soy Candles in travel-friendly aluminum cases will lighten up the mood this holiday season. Lumi Candles are available in 10 different scents and are proudly made of premium soy wax that is non-toxic, naturally biodegradable and burns cleaner with 0% petro carbon soot. It comes at an affordable price too, ranging from Php 350 to 400.
Their bestellers are Lavender, Pomegranate, and Vanilla scents.
Lumi Candles are available online at lumicandlesph.com. For more information, email cozy@lumicandlesph.com or follow @lumicandles.ph on Instagram.
Put a little twist to your usual holiday gifts by choosing something that also gives back to nature. Get a health and nature fix with the Prescribing Nature Gift Packs from Sekaya.
Experience and share these high-quality plant-based products that are backed by science and tested by tradition and at the same time, help the Cordillera Conservation Trust, an organization committed to providing sustainable solutions to environmental problems. For every purchase of any of the Sekaya Prescribing Nature Gift Packs, one Philippine endemic tree seedling (either Benguet Pine, Dipterocarp, or Mangrove) will be planted to contribute to the organization’s reforestation campaign. The trees are also reflected in the packaging, wonderfully illustrated by Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, a botanical artist and conservation advocate.
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Shop for these available limited edition Prescribing Nature Gift Packs at @sekayaph on Facebook and Instagram, SMS or Viber at 0917-5SEKAYA (735292), or at the S Sentials store on Lazada for Christmas presents that not only encourage you and your loved ones to take better care of yourselves but the environment too.
and lastly, for those people in our lives with stresses not a tea could fix, is a perennial favorite gift to cap off our list: alcohol! This Jim Beam special ‘tin pack’ which includes two 1-liter bottles of Jim Beam would be a thoughtful gift to friends, family, to yourself(!), or to have on your home holiday feast.
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The limited-edition tin pack is an ideal Christmas present for those who want to pair their usual holiday fare with an easy-to-make yet deliciously refreshing drink. The tin itself can be used as an ice bucket while the lid can be used as a garnish tray, making homemade highballs easier and more convenient this holiday season.
Wishing a very Merry Christmas to one and all!
