What can I give you this Christmas?

Since Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time to prepare our gift list.  Family, friends, lovers and maybe even lucky ex-lovers will be deliriously happy with the gift suggestions I have listed below.

Just remember, wishing and hoping is the first step of The Secret. Be positive. No one knows what Santa Claus can bring.

To make gift-giving a breeze, I’ve included gift items that your loved ones will surely love. I’ve also narrowed down the list and featured items I have personally tried and enjoyed (at least most of them). Happy shopping!

1. Tom Florencio dog tags. They’re a beautiful way to be tagged! These unisex dog tags have diamonds and precious stones set in 18k yellow or white gold. If your loved one has a birthstone that you want to incorporate or an initial to add, GIA-educated jeweler Tom will willingly work with you on the design. Prices start at P50,000, which is a decent price for 18k gold in this time of soaring, volatile gold prices. Tom Florencio’s jewelry boutique is located at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

2. Tadashi. Tadashi is one of my favorite American labels. The clothes make a woman feel feminine without breaking the bank. Evening events will be a breeze with Tadashi dresses in flowing chiffon and jersey.  Available at Rustan’s.

So easy to use: Even low-tech people will love the Nokia C7.

3.  Nokia C7. It’s so easy to use and perfect for a Nokia addict and low-tech person like me (much to the chagrin of my young-adult children, who constantly have to assist me).  It is sleek, slim, functional, and lightweight, so you can easily slip it in your evening bag. Even the men will like its slim case as they can put it in their chest pocket without feeling the bulge (pardon the pun!).

4. Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale Cream. I’m loving this at the moment. It moisturizes and soothes the skin. My face doesn’t feel dry anymore after washing. No need for toners, too. Just smooth a pea-sized amount all over your face. Don’t forget to apply sunblock and a regular foundation to make you look your best. Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale Cream is my best beauty find this year and worth the price if you want to splurge on yourself.   There is a Christmas promo right now with a cream-and-serum combo. You will need less beauty products, so it’s definitely worth it!   Available from Luxasia Inc. in Rustan’s.

Skindulgence: Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale rich cream

5. 6750 Beverly Hills. Take advantage of 6750 Beverly Hills’ December special: Thermage treatment. This patented radio-frequency technology stimulates collagen contraction that results in tighter skin and better facial contours. Not only does it reverse the signs of skin aging on the face and neck, it has also been used to tone the skin on the abdomen, arms, buttocks, and thighs.  The best part is that it is non-invasive, and gives one a refreshed look.

6.  Taylor guitars. A Taylor guitar is the Rolls-Royce of handmade guitars from the US and made from the finest woods that will give you the best twang. Used by top performers such as Taylor Swift, Jewel, Jason Mraz, Babyface, Chicago, Hall and Oates, and the late John Denver.   The company has recently added electric guitars to their product list and guitar aficionados are lining up for the Taylor T3B50 model. Available exclusively at all RJ Guitar stores in Metro Manila.

7.  Habitat for Humanity. For P90,000 you can give an underprivileged family a house to call their own.  Made of concrete with a floor area of approximately 20 square meters, some houses come with an expandable loft. There is sweat equity for the qualified recipients wherein family members have to help build their homes along with volunteers who assist in the building process.   Volunteers are welcome in their building sites and I have personally brought my family and friends along.  After a long day of sweating and manual labor, everyone says it was well worth their effort as the end result is a house for a family. For tax-deductible donations and volunteer work, e-mail habitat.org.ph or call Alicia de Sagun at 0917-445-7801. 

8.  A Neiman Marcus luxury gift. For more than 50 years, US-based Neiman Marcus has offered the best money can buy with their annual luxury gift list where money is definitely not an object and one can purchase matching his and hers Beechcraft airplanes.  My personal favorite would be the diamond charm bracelet that contains 11 natural-colored marquise diamonds that master jewelers crafted in rare colors like pink, yellow, orange, and blue.  Available from niemanmarcus.com for $275,000 as it is a one-of-a-kind piece.

9.  Leica M9 Neiman Marcus Edition camera. With only 50 units available worldwide, the Leica M9 Neiman Marcus Edition is the only camera that combines the classic Leica M shooting experience with the latest digital technology. For the true camera bug, it is the world’s only digital rangefinder camera with interchangeable lenses and a full-frame 18 mega-pixel sensor, to capture ultra-high resolution. It can be personalized with an engraved signature and can be personally delivered by a Leica photography expert and includes a private training and orientation session. A full suite of Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom 3 digital editing software, a personal letter from Leica CEO Rudolf Spiller and a certificate of authenticity are included for $17,500.  Contact neimanmarcus.com.

10. Roberto Coin. Roberto Coin started his career in the business and hotel world and slowly moved to jewelry making with a bang in Italy.  He’s not only charming in person but extremely talented as well. His jewelry designs end up being worn by international actresses and socialites.

11. Makabata School Foundation. The school is headed by my favorite Poveda directora, Srta. Maruxa Pita.  She came to the Philippines almost 50 years ago from Madrid to help set up a “pink school on Highway 54” called Institucion Teresiana that turned out to be the most prestigious girls’ school today, St. Pedro Poveda College.  From teaching girls coming from the upper-economic bracket, she decided in the mid 1990s to put up a school for the street kids in Ortigas who sold newspapers, sampaguita garlands and cigarettes.  

When I last visited, the Makabata students were taking care of mentally challenged children by giving them art and music lessons and sharing their lunch.  

Maruxa explained that she wanted her students to learn that even with their financial adversity, there were others who were in even worse shape than they were. This way, the Makabata students would realize that they were luckier and would be able to help the more needy.  What a wonderful way for the less fortunate to share with the even less fortunate!

A private school for street kids that Maruxa handpicks from the poorest of the poor, Makabata feeds them daily with nutritious meals, and they are given uniforms, shoes and books, as well as bused to school.  Tuition is only P100 a year, but all school expenses are underwritten by donations — one of them is from Queen Sofia of Spain.

Bakeries and fast-food outlets nearby give their day-old but still very edible food products that she distributes not only to the students but also to their families to partake of daily.

To make a donation to sustain this very worthy project of giving quality education, contact Maruxa Pita at 0915-465-4192, 656-8640/ 1289 or maruxapita_318@yahoo.com.