Giving Love This Christmas Season

Christmas has officially started, it's finally December! I am almost done with my gift list and have started wrapping presents by December 1st. It is my target every year to finish Christmas shopping by end of November to avoid the holiday rush of shoppers and commuters at the malls and on the streets. However, I still haven't bought Christmas giveaways for the people who give our family their services - the kids' Yaya, the prompt school service driver, the always courteous school guards, the efficient canteen lady and our friendly water delivery boy. This is because we are still waiting for our Sodexo Gift certificates.

Annually, me and my husband receive Sodexo Gift Certificates from our respective companies for Christmas. The gift certificates that we receive are what we have been using all these years to give back to the people who have been working loyally for us. We have been buying Spaghetti packs, Hams, Cheese and Fruit Salad ingredients and have them arranged in a festive manner to give away to these great people. At least, I know that they will have something to share with their families come December 24th.

What is great about the Sodexo GCs is that they have always been and forever will be valid, and that revalidation and replacement of Sodexo GC’s are free of charge once the validity date is reached. So, for the past years, the leftover ones from Christmas are what we used to spend for New Year's Eve feast and even for my birthday on January. But this year, I have been thinking of starting a Christmas tradition with the kids. So, I thought of checking out the Merchant's list here on the Sodexo website and I found out that Jollibee is also accepting Sodexo gift certificates. Perfect for what I have in mind!

I remember when I was a kid, our family drove around one Christmas Eve and gave chocolates to the people who were working at the tollgates. It would be great to start a tradition such as that with my kids to remind them of the real meaning of Christmas - to share and to give love. Starting this year, my plan is to buy Jollibee meals, drive around and spread joy on Christmas Eve. I want my kids to realize how blessed they are, how they can help those in need, how they can touch lives no matter how big or small the gesture is. I know that what I have in mind will not change the lives of these people drastically but I am hoping that in our own little way, we will be able to make this Christmas a memorable one for them.

The Gifts that I am Loving for Johan

I am a child at heart. I love receiving presents more than receiving money because selecting a gift takes more time and effort which means that the person who gave me the gift thought really hard on my interests and what would make me really happy. This is why I am so glad that my son shares the same sentiments and showed a lot of enthusiasm when he received gifts this season. Or maybe it is because he is really just a kid.

Johan received lots of gifts this Christmas and I thank everybody who remembered my son and gave him all these wonderful presents. I loved all of them because: 1. the toys made the little boy happy and 2. all the shirts, shorts and hats (which means we won't have to buy new ones for quite some time) made Mommy and Daddy's pocket happy. Now, everybody is happy!

Among these gifts, I am certainly loving the ones that'll keep the boy preoccupied but learning at the same time.

This truck is a gift from my highschool friend Kristine. She sent me a text one day asking me what I would like her to buy for Johan. I told her of this certain shop in Festival Supermall, MindWerks, and said I'd love any wooden toy from that shop. Johan loved playing with this and I love how educational this toy is. I can teach him the colors, we can practice his motor skills by hammering down the balls into the holes and Johan can learn patience by unscrewing the screws.

These puzzles came from my sister, RK, and my sister-in-law, Rochelle. The Cars puzzle is a no brainer and Johan shrieked when he unwrapped it. I love how these puzzles can teach him how to spell and develop Johan's hand-eye coordination.

This tub of building blocks is one of the gifts I bought for Johan. This also came from MindWerks, which is by the way my new favorite shop because of all the educational toys they are selling. I was just surprised to learn that this tub was only half full of wooden blocks when all the while I thought it was filled to the brim. Nevertheless, this will be a good learning toy to develop my son's skills and imagination.

This is the second gift I bought Johan. I've been looking all over for an alphabet puzzle so I could teach Johan the ABCs. What's great about this is that there are pictures underneath every letter so it is easier for Johan to remember each one. This one came from MindWerks, too.

This robot was given by my friend, Lloyd. This dancing robot is not really educational but highly entertaining and I love that it would keep the little boy busy while I am busy with other things like now. :)

Our Christmas 2012

Our Christmas celebration this year is better than last year's because my son is a little older and he woke up to my prodding come midnight of the 24th. Well, I had to bribe him with, "Johan, you can open your gifts now!", and he instantly got up from the bed and went straight to the Christmas tree. Haha!

This is just a tiny fraction of the actual number of gifts under our tree when
Christmas day arrived

The annual Christmas reunion with the rest of our Tan Clan had to be planned way, way ahead because there are now so many of us. Before, we used to meet in one family member's house but it has become impossible now because we won't fit in just one house. So, we rented out a resort in Marikina and a simple get together turned out to be a swimming outing with lots of gift-giving and a lot more of eating!

My impatient son who couldn't wait until it's time for exchanging gifts

Bonding with his cousin Jared

Swim time with Daddy

Tan Family (minus more members)

We left the resort around three in the afternoon and went to our next reunion with my father's side of the family - the Yboa Clan.

My parents with Papa's sister Tita Menia

Skype time with our cousin Kuya Ariel who's living in the US

Johan clapping his hands after playing his "masterpiece" on the piano

Christmas ain't Christmas without Tita Menia's delicious handa which we look forward to every year

Our family minus my brother Pao (Jeddah) and my brother RJ and his family (celebrating his wife's birthday
with the rest of his wife's side of the family)

With some of the Yboa girls

Christmas will always be my favorite occasion. Aside from all the yummy food and the overflowing gifts, the time we spent with family is priceless and truly the best blessing I will forever be thankful for.

From Our Home to Yours

Christmas Definitely is Near!

I can feel it in the cool Christmas-y air, I can hear the bells jingle over the radio and I can see red everywhere! Christmas has officially arrived and I cannot contain my excitement because, after all:

♩♪♫♬ It's the most wonderful time of the year! ♩♪♫♬

I haven't wrapped a single present, we only have one week to cram for our Christmas presentation at the office (where we will be dancing the waltz... in long gown... in heels!), I still have to look for a present for Johan, my parents and the husband. I still have a lot of things to do, but it's okay, after all:

♩♪♫♬ It's the most wonderful time of the year! ♩♪♫♬

It's not obvious that Christmas is my favorite holiday, no?

I hope you all feel warm and joyous and excited as me!

Divisoria Shopping 2012

It has always been my goal to start Christmas shopping early but I've never been successful the past years either because I was too busy at work or I don't have the budget until the 13th month bonus arrives. Thankfully this year, I am almost done with my Christmas shopping!

Crowded Divisori Street and it's not even 8am!

My sister and I scheduled a trip to Divisoria last Saturday together with our mom and Tita. We decided not to give toys from Divisoria because of the toxic chemicals that those toys might contain. I was holding my list the entire time so as not to miss out on anybody and I am so glad that I completed the gifts for everybody on my list. Well, except for my Titas because I am yet to buy my gifts for them on our next grocery visit. (Now, they have a clue on what to expect! Hehehe!)

Christmas wrappers aplenty!

When it was time to pick Christmas wrappers, my sister and I had a very hard time choosing. Why? Because there were a lot, as in a lot! Everything is beautiful and cheaply priced! We were even contemplating on starting up a gift-wrapping business just because we were so caught up with the many beautiful wrapping papers that surrounded us that day. The ones that we got only costs Php 2.40 each. We also got gift tags priced at merely Php 10.00 for a hundred pieces. Now, isn't that cheap?

Posing under the sign which is coincidentally the same as my husband's surname.
And yes, I know, I'm fat. :)

Anyway, aside from Christmas gifts, my sister and I are also looking forward to this Divisoria trip because this is when we can usually buy clothes for ourselves and at the same time, search for outfits for each of our company Christmas Parties. I am to look for something that would be perfect for a masquerade ball because that's our company's theme this year. We will be having our party at the newly-opened Acacia Hotel Manila which located in Alabang.

It was so hard to look for dresses and gowns. All I was seeing there were mostly bridesmaid's dresses and wedding gowns! I almost bought an aqua colored tube gown if not for the fact that my "fatty" armpits are all over the place. Haha!

Luckily though, I saw a gray colored gown in one of the mannequins. I was hesitant because by the look of it, it seemed way beyond my budget. I don't want to spend too much on a gown that I am not certain I'll be able to wear again. But, because it truly looked elegant and it looks like it'll hide my bulging tummy (and fatty armpits), I gave it a go and tried it on. 

It fit! It's a medium and it fits me! The first gown I tried on was a medium and the seams looked like they're about to burst. But this gray gown fit me like it was made for me. I was afraid to ask for the price fearful that I might not be able to purchase it but when the saleslady gave me the price and allowed me to haggle three hundred pesos off the original price, I was ecstatic! Now, I am really excited for our party!

My gown

This Divisoria trip was a huge success! Now, all that is left to do wrap all those presents - my favorite Christmas task! I can't wait!

Who's Naughty, Who's Nice?

I'm stressed because I'm beginning to list down the names of the people I have to buy presents for this coming Christmas and the number is huge!

Just from my Mom's side of the family alone, I need to buy gifts for 56 people and that includes all my Aunts and Uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. I am yet to make a list for my Papa's side of the family, another one for hubby's family and a separate one for all my godchildren and friends. Whew! Where in the world will   I get the strength to buy gifts for everybody?

Last year, I told myself I will make sure to shop early this year but I don't think that'll happen because I don't have the time and most importantly, I have no budget yet! Hopefully, by November, I'll be able to make time to shop so I won't have to cram during the Christmas rush. #fingerscrossed

I have to get back to making lists now, a lot more names needed to be added and I don't want to miss anybody. Wish me luck?

Plans for an Early Christmas Shopping

It’s the middle of July already and sooner than I expect, Christmas will be arriving next.  Every year, I make it my goal to start my Christmas shopping early, to which I’ve always failed. I don’t know, but it just doesn’t feel like Christmas to me if I don’t come to Divisoria in the midst of everyone else’s Christmas shopping and that meant being elbowed and pushed from one mall to another. Seriously, you don’t even have to walk on your own because your feet will move accordingly with the crowd. It is tiring, very, but it lifts up my spirits every time knowing that no matter how hard times can become, people still make an effort to buy gifts for their love ones come Christmas.

Anyway, my friends at work and I have been talking about Christmas shopping the other day and we planned a trip to Divisoria by October. I wanted to save for my Christmas shopping so that I won’t have to use my 13^th month pay which is already allotted for something else. My friend suggested we save 1000 pesos per payday and have someone else keep it for us until October comes. I agreed to it because given the many expenses at home plus the monthly car payments, it’s now extra hard to save. How I wish I have an extra income that can go directly to my savings account and I also wish I have an idea on stock trading because I heard people really earn well from it.

Hopefully, my early Christmas shopping plans will push through. Now, I have to think of gift ideas for everybody.

What to get Johan for Christmas

Since Johan started saying "Caa" for car, there isn't a day that he never says the word. He calls anything with wheels a car, even a bicycle or a trike.

We noticed he's gotten a not-so-small interest in trikes when we went to church one Sunday and there was this kid riding a trike. Johan went up to the kid and played with the trike's handles, tried to kick the pedal and, as usual, got amazed by the wheels.

So, hubby and I decided to get him a trike for Christmas. That'll be our gift to him. Question is what to get. I didn't realize there were so many choices. Here are some of them:

Fisher Price Kawasaki Tough Bike (source)

Joovy Tricycoo (source)

Little Tikes 3-in-1 Smart Trike (source)

Pintoy Pick Up Trike (source)

YBike (source)

I didn't know choosing bikes would be this hard. Personally, if only we can afford it, I'd love for Johan to have the Joovy Tricycoo. It costs $89.99 on Amazon.com.

I'm sure hubby and I will decide when we get to the toy store to actually buy one for Johan. I am 100% sure he'll love whatever we'll get him. 

Gotta wrap up this post because the little boy is going crazy behind me seeing all these photos of the bikes, shouting "Caa! Caa!" over and over.

Johan’s Christmas Wish List

I know Johan can’t ask yet what he wants for Christmas, but as they say, Mommy knows best. So, here’s Johan’s Christmas Wish List from Mommy’s perspective. You’re going to thank me someday, Anak. I’m sure about that. Hehe.

Mosquito Patches – to keep the dreaded Dengue-carrying mosquitoes away from Johan

Baby Legs - Rainbow Leg Warmers

Upspring Baby Walking Wings Learning To Walk Assistant

Fisher-Price Precious Planet Potty 

Fisher-Price Precious Planet Jumperoo

Baby Einstein Toys 

(Clockwise from left:Baby Einstein Bendy Ball, Baby Einstein Press and Play Pal Toy,Baby Einstein Touch and Explore Discovery Book and Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes) All of these on sale at Amazon and comes at prices less than $10.

Lamaze 

(Clockwise from left: Lamaze Dream Screen, Lamaze Peekaboo, I Love You, Lamaze Multi Sensory Soft Sorter and Lamaze Garden Bug Wrist Rattle and Foot Finder Set)

Statement Clothes (Onesies or shirts)

Shoes

(Clockwise from left: Tommy Hilfiger InfantToddler Lil Bryce Sandal, Adidas NBA Cribbie Infant Basketball Shoes, JORDAN 6 Retro CB Crib Infant Shoes and Beeko Infant Bobbie Sandal)

 

DVD Player – for Johan’s Baby Einstein DVDs (Calling Ninang Tit An!)

Thank you, Ninongs and Ninangs!