For the socially-conscious
What do you give someone who gives of herself for a living? What do you get for the socially-aware individual who really isn’t concerned about the latest trends nor about pampering themselves? It’s tricky trying to please those who rarely think of themselves. So, for your “soci” (socially-aware) friends, here are some items that will surely make them feel good about receiving, and make you feel good about spending.
Jesse Tree, P500, www.JesseTree Project.com
A beautiful handmade tree made from recycled tree branches, decorated with handcrafted ornaments, the Jesse Tree aims to educate children about the true meaning of Advent and Christmas. It comes with a special prayer and reflection booklet to help children learn more about the reason for the season. The tree and ornaments are handmade by mothers at Mano Amiga Community Academy in Taguig City, run by the Altius Foundation (www.altius.org). Mano Amiga empowers them and their families to break the cycle of poverty and transform their lives.
Mac Viva Glam Lipstick and Lipglass, P950, available at MAC counters
More than just giving you a pretty pucker, 100 percent of sales from MAC Viva Glam lipsticks and lipgloss goes to help support over 400 AIDS and HIV organizations worldwide. MAC has been supporting this cause for 13 years now.
Human Heart Nature Christmas Bundles, www.humanheartnature.com
Make charity work a part of your daily lives with affordable organic products from Human Heart Nature — a partner of Gawad Kalinga. Their shampoos, soaps, insect repellants, toiletries and grooming products help support the communities of Gawad Kalinga and also the environment.
Mother Tongue Tees, P500, contact 0917-8920195
A funky graphic tee with the word “mother” spelled out in different languages, this is the perfect gift for all hardworking and loving moms. For every T-shirt purchased, P100 goes to LATCH, a breastfeeding advocacy group that works with Unicef and PGH.
L’Oreal Serie Nature, P588 – P1,170, available at leading salons
Get pretty, healthy hair with a new professional haircare line combining natural ingredients with salon-grade compounds. They try and substitute synthetic components for natural ones whenever possible. This new product line supports the environment through the Haribon foundation.
RIIR bags by Aranaz, P540/P780, available at Aranaz at Power Plant; www.rags2riches.ph
These cute and pretty bags designed by Amina Aranaz and made by the women of Payatas with scrap fabrics, are the perfect gift items for socially-aware fashionistas.
Echostore Green Gift Baskets, from P500, available at Echostore Serendra and Podium, or call 0917-2793094
Made from different recycled materials such as cornhusks, magazines, water lily and plastic, these gift bags are customized for different personalities and needs. Each basket can contain anything from organic home cleaning products to yummy Malunggay cookies and Milkfish paté.
Machiavelli Limited-Edition Chocolates, P1,350 - P1,400 for a box of 16, available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati and Edsa Shangri-La for the whole month of December, or call 489-7408)
Who would ever think that something as indulgent as a box of chocolates could help make the wishes of terminally-ill children come true? Machiavelli, in partnership with Lifestyle Asia magazine, made the Make-A-Wish foundation their beneficiary for this limited-edition offering from Machiavelli which includes Ivorie Jack, which has jackfruit or langka, Purple Yam Yum with ube, Yema de Manila inspired by leche flan, Jasmine Tea, Coconut Screw which draws from the taste of buko pandan, and Batangas Star that hints of barako coffee. Yum!
