Gift Ideas for the Gift-Giving Season!

It's barely a week till Christmas. Have you shopped for presents to give your friends and family yet? Beacuse I'm hoping you already have. If you haven't decided on what to put under the Christmas tree yet, or slip into your mom's closet on that special eve, you better hurry up! Here are a few ideas I'll give you on what you could wrap up for this season. And your dad or boyfriend don't even have to smirk at classic socks, handkerchiefs or bow ties ever again.

What to Give your Mommy:

Save-up: HAND-MADE COLLAGE BAG
Christmas is all about that tagline "it's the thought that counts". And giving away a cheap find doesn't mean it has to be crappy. If you really want to save-up and make the one your gonna give presents to feel special, why don't you go for hand-made crafts? Grab an old canvas bag, decorate it with fabric scraps, beads and sequins you might find in your sewing kit. Add a touch of fabric paint, let your creative juice flow, and viola! A perfect present that will only cost you cents, or if you have all the materials readily available, it won't even cost you anything at all! Plus, it's fun to make, and your mom's surely going to love it!

Splurge: WALL GALLERY FRAME
Now if you don't have all day making crafts, but have all the money to spend, give mama the best gift your cash can buy. This swell collection of six wooden frames can hold a gallery of memories. Mom will absolutely cherish it and hang it up in her and your dad's bedroom. You can order this fabulous gift from RedEnvelope online for $84.95! Now how much is that in Philippine peso again? Who cares, right? As long as your mom's happy, it's worth it!

What to Give Your Daddy:

Save-up: CUSTOMISED T-SHIRT
Thinking of what to give your dad other than neckties and handkerchiefs? Let me help you with that. I've had a hard time picking a present for my dad myself, but giving him a customised shirt that you designed yourself is one sure-shot way that he'll fall in love with it. Hey, when you have your heart set on giving him something special, do-it-yourself presents always work. And he'll even be proud that you poured your effort into making these things. You can buy a plain P100 shirt from the market, pick up a few attractive strings and maybe some fabric paint, then you're good to go!

Splurge: FLOATING DESKTOP GLOBE
I've seen these lovelies in Mall of Asia and I absolutely thought it was awesome. Now if you buy Dad this, even if he's not an office-worker, he'll surely be delighted with it. Don't worry. If you don't know it yet, this thing's not powered by supernatural energy or unseen spirits that cause it to levitate. It's magnetic, which explains the whole floating-without-any-strings thing. My own father is a fan of the floating desktop globe himself. We once passed by that shop which sells it, and he just couldn't get over it. He wanted it for himself. Now I wish I could've bought him one of these for Christmas or even his birthday, but I didn't have the money. So guess what I got him instead: a big book of jokes. Well, if you're up to splurging anyway, this is a good gift suggestion.

What to Give Your Sister:

Save-up: PAPEMELROTI SHOE BAG

Stop by the environment-friendly, earth-loving Papemelroti Gift Shop to get your sis something cute, memorable, and most of all artistic. It won't cost you over P100 and you'll be helping save the earth too! Ain't that sweet? While there are plenty of gift ideas in Papemelroti, you can check out their shoe bags and totes. You might also want to drop by their site for personalised gifts and online orders. Ofcourse that's gonna cost you a bit. So if I were you, I'll head over to the shop myself. Besides, when you get there, you'll get tons more ideas.

Splurge: SCENTED STATIONERY

Nope, this isn't just the ordinary sationery and memo pads you buy in the bookstore. The Soap and Paper Factory creates breath-taking and one of a kind stationery collections themed with nature, weather and other seasonal memorabillia. You can bet that your sister hasn't in all her Christmases gotten a gift as unique as this. And yes, they're actually worth a fortune. You can head over to the Soap and Paper Factory to place an order now. They also sell soap and candles which are equally as fantastic and delish.

What to Give Your Brother:

Save-up: THE MORE THE MANYER:

PINOY CLICHE'S AND OTHER WORDS OF WISDUMB

Laughs never get old. If your brother is a fun-loving fellow, this is the perfect gift that you can get him. Or if he's the glum type, tell him through these pages that it's about time he put a smile on that gloomy face of his. He's not the only one who'll enjoy it, but the whole family too! And you'll have plenty of time to sit together with everyone and enjoy every minute of your Christmas. The More The Manyer: Pinoy Cliches and Other Words of Wisdumb willgive you a lot to talk about and laugh about. And it doesn't even need to be hard on your budget.

Watch Your Words!

Kids these days abuse the usage of foul language, that it's become freakishly a normal thing when it really shouldn't be. Swearing makes them feel cool. Offensive words have turned into a frequent expression. If you don't speak everyone else's linggo, you're a weirdo.

In my family, we were disciplined to choose our words wisely. If ever my parents should hear us kids cursing, we get grounded or face some punishment. I grew up refraining from using bad words or at least trying hard to avoid them. I developed a sense of conciousness against foul language, and so did my sisters. But I guess my case isn't everyone else's. I realized that because most people in school use offensive words like it's nothing, cursing their heads off with a smile on their faces. "'Tang ina! Ang ganda talaga nang napanuod ko kagabi!" (translation: "Fuck, man! The show last night was awesome!") I'd hear a boy from my class shout out as I step into the classroom. Those words would hit me like a knife because I knew that to some degree, they shouldn't be used explicitly. At least I was taught that way. "Putang ina mo, pumasok ka na dito!" (translation: "Mother fucker, get inside the house!") I'd hear the neighbor shout out to her child as I walk by their front gate. She was cursing to her little toddler, like she didn't know what those words she just blurted out really mean. I'd bite my lip, and close our front door, pretending that I didn't just hear that. Every time, it threw me off my comfort zone. To them, it was regular. To me, it was pain to my ears. But when you stick with these people every single day, you'll get used to it. Eventually, hearing all those curses and swearing all the time would get you to think that it was normal.

Words to me are precious. I just don't know how much they are relevant to other people. My classmates once called me "nun" or "sister" whenever I told them what I thought was bad. They teased me for what I believed in. "What are you, an angel? You're too good to be true." they would laugh. But that wasn't a compliment. It was like saying, I didn't fit in. I'm weird beacuse I'm not enagaging myself in what everybody else does. I'd get crushed. People would usually put their best foot forward when they're around me, talk to me like I'm a baby because they knew I didn't like hearing offensive language, but they should also know that I'm not to be treated differently from other people. That's why in a conversation, I'm one to just keep my mouth shut, open my ears and ignore the thorny words that would feel like cutting my throat. I hated that feeling. Being exposed to something but being held by boundaries from experiencing it first hand. I've thought before, "Why does everyone get to say what they want, while I don't?". One time, I let myself got carried away. I tried uttering those words which to me before, were taboo. Nothing happened. The sky didn't fall down on me, the earth didn't swallow me up just because I cursed. Plus, it made me feel a tad cooler. I can see why kids my age have fun saying these kinds of stuff. It was a trend. It was begging to be followed. It will make you feel you belonged. But then I clapped my hands around my lips slowly. I didn't feel happy at all. I didn't gain anything from it. It made me feel ugly. Those words were ugly. Who was I kidding?

Choosing your words are part of good etiquette. The way you talk shows a little side of who you are. I'm a person who's generally silent. And I could say that I don't let my feelings get the best of me. Sometimes when you're angry or depressed, it's normal to be able to swear. Sometimes, when I feel like screaming something really bad, I cover my face with a pillow, shout in a room where I'm the only one who hears it. When you're having a really bad day, you might want to let all those bad words out, and it's okay. Cursing when your feelings are stirred is normal, but letting it become a part of you isn't. What you may think is okay, is actually ugly and hideous. Before you open your mouth today, think first if what you will be saying is appropriate and has value. Instead of trying to be dirty-cool, why not try being clean-cool? Set the trend and let your friends follow it rather than following in what everyone else does. You'll even feel good about it.

~Van-chan ^_^~

Welcome To Van-Chan's Open Diary!

Welcome to Van-chan's Open Diary on Blogger! If you're wondering what to expect in these online pages, please scroll down to find what you're looking for.

About The Blog:

I created this blog because I want to speak my mind and open my thoughts to the world. And since doing it verbally isn't my forte, I'll write it all down here like a slum book! Though this blog won't be updated on a regular basis, I'll try my best to do whatever I can to put fresh stuff in it that I hope you will enjoy. Navigate through the different sections that fit your taste, or visit my favorite links to know what I'm into! You can also join my online forum and meet other friends of mine. But most of all, I hope you enjoy!

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*About The Site >> What you need to know
*Contact Me >> My contact details

CATEGORIES:

The "All Me" section is my special little space where you can find everything that's going on in my head right now. A random category might just be the right word for it. While I rant all I want in here, you can blah-blah back to me just as much. Post your comments, say your opinions, pop in some ideas, start a conversation with me! It will be fun!

You can visit the "Love Manual" where I write everything I know about that mysterious emotion called love. From crushes, to boy-troubles, to break-ups, to everything that's got love on the tagline... you'll find it right here.

If you're going through school, you can read my posts about school-life in "Field Guide to Surviving School". I have a bunch of must-do's to get that "straight A's" report card you've always coveted or that glam ace-student rep you've always tried hard to get.

"Friendship Pages" is dedicated to all things friendship. Failing friend relationships? Bestie fights? Peer pressure problems? Super barkada bondings and girls/boys night-outs? Find them all here!

Check out "Family Time" for family-friendly discussions and family-related issues. If you need ideas for Mom's birthday present, or a token to give for Father's day, I'll give it to you! Want to make your family weekend outing the best? Need advice realted to sibling rivalry? You've got it!

I'll be featuring hobbyists and enthusiasts in my "Hobby Nook". If you want to get featured you can contact me. Just tell me your favorite hobby, why you are so into it, and perhaps a photo or two of you doing your fave hobby or collection. You can also send me your review of a certain movie, show, music track, cd or book with a minimum of 200 words. Don't forget to include your name, age and email address. You will be notified if you get featured.

Hail the health-concious! The "Health and Lifestyle" section is a neat little corner dedicated just for you! Tips to lose weight, ways to gain weight, delicious but healthy snacks, fun-to-do daily exercises... these are only a few of the things we're going to talk about.

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