The time of the year wherein you write down names of your lucky Christmas gifts recipients and you somehow plan out as to when are you going to buy and what to give them. In our tribute to the Filipinos way of Christmas Shopping, let’s talk about the kinds of Filipino Christmas Shoppers…
(Photo by Howell Santiago at SM Mall of Asia, 2011)
2 kinds of Filipino Christmas Shoppers:
1. The Early Birds – In the Philippines, since Christmas season starts as early as September, expect the good mindset of Filipinos who try to gather gifts already as early as possible. They’re the ones who grab every opportunity to buy gifts especially at shops with pre-Christmas sales. The bargain hunters who have this thinking that shopping should be done as early as September to avoid the price increase and human congestion. I even got friends who buy gifts even before September. Buy as early as possible, stress free indeed.
2. The buzzer beater shoppers – I am guilty to be of this kind, and like my other friends, we just cram all together. These Filipinos would often buy gifts during the few remaining days before Christmas Eve. This kind of Filipino Christmas Shopper usually comes to shopping malls or bargain areas, rushing, panicking, and literally rubbing elbows with the other Buzzer beater Filipino Christmas Shoppers. I remember last year, I got my mom a magic sing as a Christmas present, and I just got it around 8pm on the 24th, just before I went home for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Feast), Buzzer beater indeed. Who’s stressed and tired during Christmas eve? This kind of Filipino Shopper. But there’s this wonderful feeling that makes you proud to say – “I just made it, I just completed the list and finished my Christmas Shopping, just in time for Christmas Eve.”
It’s that thought that counts they say. Whether you are the kind of Filipino Shopper whose gifts have been kept inside the closet months before Christmas or you just got it around 8pm on Christmas eve, what is important is the gesture – that for our loved ones, no matter how early we buy a present, or a bit late, it brings a simple joy , because we come home to remember, we come home imagining the reactions of our loved ones as they unwrap the gifts you got for them.
Christmas Shopping! (The Filipino Shoppers) – one simple joy of being a Filipino.
7,107 Simple Joys of being a Filipino 
I was no.2 when I was in the Philippines. I miss gift giving!