Shop this way: Young Star’s gift guide 2012

MANILA, Philippines - As the year’s end draws closer, so does our creativity cache. The Christmas season proves to be the most challenging: making lists, checking them twice, then pulling your hair out trying to be the breakout star of your friend’s Christmas tree present pile. This year, we decided not to scour the malls (Christmas claustrophobia), and look into our alternative options instead. From coffee table books for the style obsessed to typewriters to cardboard lamps, Young Star rounds up a few gift ideas for your friends — and we don’t care if they’ve been naughty or nice. It’s Christmas, after all.

For the fashion girl: Opt out of giving her clothes or the generic GC this time. Give yourself peace of mind by giving her a piece of mind — specifically, Grace Coddington’s. US Vogue’s creative director, who rose to fame as the only one who conspicuously stood up to Anna Wintour in The September Issue, has written a memoir on her years in fashion — from modeling to becoming a global fashion influence. A bonus: she did all the illustrations in the book too.

(Grace: A Memoir is available at Fully Booked)

For the writer: Give your friend the satisfaction of seeing his work in print — immediately. If only to allow them to get a semblance of that Jack Kerouac On The Road feeling, get him this.

(The vintage typewriter is available at Heima.)

For the furniture fiend: Worry not — you don’t have to settle for a candle now. Dekahon has a selection of affordable (and biodegradable!) cardboard furniture that are as functional as they are ornamental, such as this lamp.

(Dekahon is available at The Collective.)

For the beach babe: Let her take advantage of our summer in December and aid in getting her to achieve that golden brown complexion. Real Tan is a locally made tanning formula that puts the nature in natural.

(Real Tan is available at Ritual, The Collective.)

For the go-getter: Be that cool friend and ensure instant concert company by pre-ordering tickets to acts coming to Manila in a couple of months. Tickets to Stars (for Feb, 16) are already available, and Grimes (March 14) should turn up soon.

(For more info, check out kindassault.com.)

For the street savvy: Because a pair of shoes is always a tricky present to give, support and contribute to a different cause instead: your friend’s growing cap collection.

(The Unschld x Ebbet wool cap is available at shop.unschld.com.)

For the kid inside: Hark back to your childhood with these building blocks from Heima x id kids. Modular and multifunctional, maybe you can just keep this one to yourself. After all that Christmas shopping, you deserve it.

(The Babel is available at Heima.)

For the thrifty: This is for the friend who likes to map out their expenses. Go literal by giving them a limited-edition wallet with an illustration of Metro Manila landmarks, designed by graphic artist Kasey Albano.

(The Manila Mania wallet is available at punchdrunkpanda.com.)

For the techie: What sets this iPad case from Jacinto & Lirio apart is that it’s made from plant leather — water hyacinth plant specifically — and makes for a sustainable gadget protector. Two for two, we’d say.

(You may order this iPad case over at facebook.com/JacintoandLirio.)

For the budding collector: For your visually stimulated friend, help him or her build their wall art via print purchase. From illustrations of young artists like Tof Zapanta and Kitkat Pecson to photos taken by Your Evil Twin, get your friend’s frame of mind to align with yours. As an alternative, illustrator Valerie Chua has put up a site where you may buy her work as well.

(You may order the prints over at ava.ph and Valerie Chua’s prints at valeriechua.bigcartel.com.)