ONCE upon a time, Christmas shopping was the most awaited event of the year. With children able to get all the toys that they want, while the ladies bought jewelries and wardrobe for themselves, and big brother getting his first car or what not as dad purchases a new set of golf clubs. And it was Christmas happily ever after, or so the fairy tale goes.

But snap back to 2008 and we see no happy ending in sight, to some, this year has been nothing short of apocalyptic. Talk about the plunging stock markets worldwide or as some currencies plummet to all time lows.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Then again, you realize that you are in the Philippines where Christmas is the most anticipated event throughout the year. The moment that September falls, Christmas songs are played in the airwaves, and everyone starts counting the days, even if Christmas is not even a stone's throw away.

When its December traffic always seems to be heavier, queues in the supermarket and department stores are always longer, and everything seems to run out of stock -- be it your favorite designer shoes that you have been bugging daddy to buy or the cream cheese in the supermarkets, that's how you know its Christmas in the Philippines.

Recession has been in the news the past few weeks, and it has been hogging the limelight like never before, but is there really recession in this frenzy of shoppers during the holidays?

SM City Davao and NCCC Mall have both seen a steady flow of shoppers since the start of December; Students, young professionals, mothers, businessmen, and just about anybody buying gifts for their loved ones or food and wine in preparation for the upcoming Christmas.

On a weekday, inside one of the malls, all checkout counters was full of people, queuing for their gift items and it's not due to a shortage of checkout counters as all were open that night. Now, what recession are we talking about again?

John Gan, Brand Manager of SM City Davao, said that Christmas is the time of the year that people do not only look forward to, but also prepare for. Christmas after all, is the biggest fiesta in the country.

While Aileen Gajo of NCCC Mall of Davao couldn't agree more, saying that the yuletide season is the peak season for all their stores.

Of Gadgets and Trinkets

A quick tour around the three floors of NCCC Mall, with its 20 feet high Christmas tree towering over the atrium, showed me that there is so much to buy in this mall without hurting the pockets. And mind you, you are in for a surprise at what you may get.

First on my list was this video camera pen, which livens up the sleuth in all of us. It's actually a pen with a mini video cam installed within, even the tiny bit of dot where the camera peeps through is strategically located that it is very convenient for you to use in sleuthing. Erring boyfriends and girlfriends, beware. (2nd floor, Hardware Maxxx)

Second is the fabulous girly stuff for every kikay niece that we have, ranging from the preppy headbands, courtesy of Blair Waldorf fame or Charice Pempengco, to the colorful plastic bangles, with prices from P30 to P150. (3rd floor, NCCC Department Store)

And third, are the grocery gift baskets at the NCCC Supermarket. Even with all the food that there is during the holidays, who can ever resist a basket full of goodies? And it's not limited to the usual Noche Buena ingredients that we used to receive; it now ranges from all chocolate items, to all imported goods, and even stuff for the health conscious. (Ground Floor, NCCC Supermarket)

Retail Therapy

With choral singers rendering heartwarming Christmas carols throughout SM City Davao, a tour of what this mall has to offer had me rechecking my Christmas wish list. And I mean the list, which shows what I want for Christmas.

First on the list are the outrageously colorful clothes and fabulous finds at the newly opened People are People store. From drop dead gorgeous dresses to the funky and chic urban wear, it's all in this store. So, ninongs and ninangs, you now know where to go. (2nd Floor, People are People)

Second are the books at the newly opened National Bookstore mezzanine. It makes shopping for books so much fun, after all it's a whole new level of books and so much more. The 'Twilight' series are currently out of stock, I checked yesterday. (Ground Floor, National Bookstore)

Third on my list are the latest bags available at Travel Club and inside the SM Department Store. The Hedgren Urban Bags or the luxurious travel gear of Samsonite will definitely bring a smile to the discriminating taste of your fashionable loved ones. (Ground Floor, Travel Club) Christmas Movies

On Christmas Day, just as what has been the tradition of the cinemas of the two malls, all their cinemas will be showing Filipino made films that are part of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival.

SM City Davao will be showing Baler, One Night Only, Shake, Rattle, & Roll X, Desperadas, Ang Tanging Ina Niyong Lahat, and the Filipino animated film, Dayo.

Later on, SM will also be showing Iskul Bukol, which showcases the comedic trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, and the biopic Magkaibigan.

Shopping Time

With barely a week before Christmas Day itself, the two malls have been extending their operating hours just to accommodate shoppers who are in a rush to buy their gifts.

NCCC Mall of Davao will be extending its mall hours on December 19 to 21 and 28 to 30 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

While on December 24 and 31, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve respectively, the mall will be open only from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. only.

On December 25, Christmas Day, and January 1, New Year's Day, NCCC Mall will be open from noon until 9 p.m.

SM City Davao is also extending its mall hours on December 21 to 23, and 25 to 30 with the mall being open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The mall will also be open until midnight on December 20.

As for Christmas Eve, December 24, and New Year's Eve, December 31, the SM City Davao will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. only.

On January 1, SM City Davao will be open at noon until 9 p.m.

Both malls will have regular operating hours starting January 2.

It's Christmas!

True, recession may be up in our shores and is just waiting to rock us as 2008 sets over the horizon and 2009 breaks a new dawn. But Christmas, no matter what happens, will always be Christmas.

In true Filipino fashion, nothing could dampen the yuletide season -- not terrorist attacks, not a corrupt government, and definitely not an economic recession.

It is the time wherein we share the little of what we have. It is the time of the year when good old friends see each other again, or when families reunite again after a year of being separated by work. Even as some are not separated by the distance, Christmas is their only time in the year, for family gatherings, reunions, or even simply hanging out with family and friends that cannot be disturbed by calls from work or emails from bosses.

Filipinos are said to be spending too much for the holidays, who cares? We work the whole year round in order to savor every piece of hard work that we had in the sheer joy of seeing our family and friends' faces light up with glee as they rip open the presents that we have prepared for them.

Christmas is priceless, for everything else, there's the plastic card.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan.

For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here.

(December 17, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.