Spark joy this Christmas with gift ideas for any personality

MANILA, Philippines - If only gifts could be given out in uniform — beating the Christmas rush would probably lead to fewer headaches. But the madness that come with the season, it seems, is simply part of the fun. Despite the stress of shopping for everyone in your life — from your social media-savvy mom to your sports-obsessed brother — there’s nothing quite like seeing the joy on their faces once the wrapping paper gets torn off. On Christmas, more than any other time of the year, giving is better than receiving.

The thing with Christmas shopping is that the challenge only gets harder each year. (“How do I top last year’s amazing present to my pet dog?” you ask yourself.) There are so many ways we try to get our shopping done in time for December: we may start as early as the -ber months begin, or perhaps we wait up for the best deals once the sale season starts. But one thing’s for sure, it’s that you’ll always have a hard time picking a present that says, “Hey, this reminded me of you.” Every recipient has a wholly distinct personality, and matching that with the perfect present is always a test in Nancy Drew-level guesswork.

Making our shopping tasks a whole lot easier is National Book Store, everyone’s favorite source of books, stationery, gifts, school supplies, and more. Through their 30 Days Before Christmas campaign, National Book Store highlights items in-store that would make perfect presents for friends and loved ones. Not only will you see these when you check out #GiftsTheyllLoveatNBS on social media, but you also get another virtual Santa’s Little Helper. This year, National Book Store launched its Gift Generator App, which suggests gifts based on varying interests and personalities. Should you be interested in purchasing an item they’ve suggested, simply click “shop now” to get redirected to nationalbookstore.com, where you can shop from the comfort of your own bed.

Because we wanted to see how truly hassle-free National Book Store’s Gift Generator App really is, we put it to the test given five different personalities. Should you shop for these friends this Christmas, what can you give? The pop culture-obsessed friend, the athletic friend, the creative friend, the romantic friend, and the geeky friend — they all have so much going on and have different tastes and lifestyles. While we’d normally have a bit of a panic over what we’d get, Christmas shopping now seems a little less crazy and a whole lot more fun this time around.

National Book Store’s Xandra Ramos-Padilla gives us her take on finding the perfect gift, beating the Christmas rush, and celebrating gift-giving traditions

What gets you most excited about Christmas?

Every Christmas, I’m excited about the reunions with different barkadas, forums, and relatives. I like preparing a thoughtful gift usually a book or a journal appropriate for each one. I’m also very excited, like most people, shopping for gifts which I start doing in October. Every time I go around National Book Store branches for work, I see something new and remember a person I’d like to give it to. We have a lot of new stationery and art brands which I’m excited to share to people on my Christmas list.

What are your Christmas gift-giving traditions?

My husband and kids gather around the tree on Christmas morning and open our gifts at the same time. I like taking videos of my kids when they open their presents. The smile on their faces are just the most precious Christmas memory. We also have a big Christmas lunch with my mom and dad, relatives and my husband’s family before we exchange gifts.

How do you determine the kind of gift to give someone? Do you have any criteria?

As I meet authors or attend book signings throughout the year, I consider who might appreciate their books and I have those books signed. Closer to Christmas, I break up my list in groups and go around National Book Store or browse our online store. It has become more convenient selecting and shopping for gifts. 

What would you say is a no-fail gift to anyone?

National Book Store gift certificates are always welcome. We get a lot of kids after Christmas choosing their own gifts. I hear a lot of people are saying that the gift certificate they would appreciate getting the most is National Book Store’s. 

Do you have any advice for someone trying to beat the Christmas rush?

Keep it simple. Buy some gift bags and stick your gifts in them and they look great. I keep an envelope of “to and from” stickers or tags, Sharpies, scissors and Post-Its and I can wrap on the go. National Book Store’s paper bags this Christmas are also ready-to-gift and free with every purchase.

The geeky friend

Geeks are totally underappreciated for what they’re really about: intense passion for their many obsessions. They set themselves apart by liking pretty much the same things that we all do, but with a reverence that deserves a bit of recognition. This Christmas, give your geeky friend what they really want — from books written by their Internet heroes, nostalgic notebooks, to science experiments they can do at home.

The pop friend

There’s always the friend who’s a pro at joining trends — they may be even hip enough to start their own sometimes. For someone who’s always ahead of the curve when it comes to matters of pop culture, any gift works best with a personality behind it. Think of books written by today’s hottest authors and influencers; after all, this is a friend who appreciates the know-how and insights of the current purveyors of cool.

The creative friend

There’s nothing a creative friend appreciates more than art supplies to experiment with. Consider that Christmas comes just before New Year — it’s the perfect time for fresh projects. Regardless of medium (whether in terms of visual arts, the written word, or even food), the creative friend would appreciate a gift that would inspire them to elevate their own creative thinking. A book that would be a great source of inspiration or a blank notebook that basically says, “Go create!” are some excellent examples.

The romantic friend

We all have that friend who still believes in fairy tales, and it’s always fun to indulge in their romantic streak whenever Christmas rolls in. For someone with a soft spot for happy endings, books that’ll keep them up all night reading (we’ve all been there!) make the perfect present. Consider some of today’s best-selling young adult authors as a stocking stuffer this year. Trust us, regardless of age, this friend will appreciate the gift of kilig.

The athletic friend

Every gym bunny is constantly looking to elevate their fitness regiment, whether it be for the best ways to reimagine the classic protein shake to learning how to store their all-paleo baon. National Book Store offers a bevy of gift ideas for the sports-minded friend, from reusable sandwich bags (less trash!), insulated lunch bags, and cook books for the health-conscious. All they’ll need are some kettlebells and the perfect filter to cap off that #gymselfie.