Finding that perfect gift
STILL looking for the perfect Christmas gift for your loved ones or clients? Honey, there’s no such thing. And the quicker you realize that, the less stressful your holiday gift-giving will be. If you’re the company president or a top business executive who likes to spend on corporate giveaways, then make sure your gifts are at least useful. Calendars, for one, are still practical gifts, despite having digital variations on our mobile phones.
In the recent past, I had always looked forward to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ beautifully designed wall and desk calendars which gave us a peek into its massive art collection. Not all of these artwork and ancient artifacts come on display, so it feels really special to view all of them even just through photos. The captions are educational and through them, we get a sense of the item’s history and provenance.
Not expecting any calendars from any company this year, I bought Tita Witty’s “Kailangan mong pumasok sa opisina. Hindi ikaw ang nawawalang anak ng Hari at Reyna” for 2023. Each month, Tita Witty’s save-theworld philosophy inspires us to cope with real-life work conditions: “Nagtatampo sa ’yo ang résumé mo. Naaalala mo lang daw siyang i-update kapag naiinis ka sa trabaho mo.” And that’s just for March.
Although I’m usually averse to lugging them around, umbrellas are also welcome corporate gifts. And it’s unfortunate many companies think of these as cheap or not “on brand.” With the country being lashed by typhoons now three quarters of the year due to climate change, umbrellas should still be a great option for corporate giveaways.
Some companies have tried to be more hip and gift French presses paired with local coffee (good for our coffee farmers), Philippine-made chocolates in special gift boxes (Auro’s banig-inspired boxes are always special), travel essentials, like luggage and toiletries bags, and there was one year it seemed that every company in the country gifted me and everyone I know a mobile phone charger. At the height of the pandemic, firms that could still afford to send out Christmas gifts gave personalized masks and face shields.
I would advise companies to go for the unique. The BSP under Gov. Philip Medalla, for instance, gifted some lucky ones this year with a nice set of traditionally-woven throw pillow cases—beautiful. Also functional.
Since the idea is to keep the company brand top of mind, items should always be in constant use and easily inscribed/printed with the company name, like Bluetooth keyboards and mouse for your favorite clients, comfortable hoodies for truckers and delivery personnel, ceramic cake plates or dipping saucers, condiments like vinegar and soy sauce or their vessels (never underestimate the power of the sawsawan— people constantly reach out for them), vegan/real leather passport holders, to name a few.
Of course, food and drinks are fail-safe options, whether these be company gifts or personal presents to friends and loved ones. However, I would caution gift-givers to find out more about the recipients. Like, if the recipient is diabetic, don’t give them a cake or pastry, even if it is the “dessert of the year.” Or why give liquor to someone who doesn’t imbibe alcoholic beverages? So be more respectful of the gift recipient and do your research.
Of course, it’s not like one can give great presents as well to family members. Some are even more difficult to gift more than others. For one, don’t give books to people who don’t read. Or chokers or necklaces to people who don’t wear fashion accessories.
My favorite presents to family are usually practical as well, like kitchen gadgets and houseware for homemakers, sleepwear for those who spend most of their sleeping (and non-sleeping hours) horizontal, coffee beans to those who like to get jolts in their mornings, and for kids...anything goes. Footwear, clothes, puzzles, toys, etc. They will outgrow them soon enough, so give them something that will hold their interest and attention for the moment.
The more difficult ones are teenagers or adolescents—their tastes, not to mention their moods, change far too fast, it’s hard to keep up. For parents
and godparents to kids in this age group, best to ask them what they want. Give them a budget you can work with, and see what they come up with.
Gift-giving doesn’t have to be difficult at any time of the year. Just be more sensitive to the recipients by doing some background research. And expensive doesn’t usually mean the best. No one should be remembered as a lousy gift-giver.
BEACH CLEANUP
AS readers can probably tell by now, Boracay Island is my favorite vacation spot in the country. With more people traveling there, I’m glad the Boracay MICE Alliance has launched an initiative to ensure local stakeholders and tourists help keep the island clean.
Our friend Cleofe Albiso, who chairs the Boracay MICE Alliance, said her group is promoting a 5 pm daily cleanup of the island’s shores, and while doing so an official jingle will be played to give a little lift to everyone’s task.
“In Bayanihan Spirit, we can gradually recover whatever we have lost in the past few years and declare that we are for sustainable tourism here in the island,” said Cleofe, who is also managing director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts which has recently opened a new convention center to attract another tourism segment—the meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) sector.
The organization, in partnership with Dot-region 6 and the Malay LGU, has an ongoing High 5 Boracay Song-writing Contest, where the winning song will be declared as the cleanup’s official jingle. The composer will also get P100,000 in cash. Wow.
The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite jingle, from the five finalists chosen earlier, which are posted on the organization’s Facebook page. “The composer of the winning entry will not just take home the coveted cash prize but also be recognized as its creator, as the winning jingle airs over radio stations and other platforms [during the daily cleanup],” says Cleofe.
Good luck to the contestants.