Surviving holiday shopping

ISN'T it terrible that Christmas shopping can often seem like Lenten penitence? I thought I'd do my bit for mental health in the country by giving a few tips on getting your shopping done less painfully. Don't forget, you only have two weekends left.

I should preface this column by saying that my objective is to get gifts that are ecologically friendly, utilitarian and, preferably, locally made. That means shopping less in shopping centers or malls. But if you must go to the malls -- and they do have alternative shops, especially in the "tiangge" [bazaar] sections -- do this early in the morning. The best reason to do this is that shopping's just generally more pleasant early in the day. As the day wears on, you have to deal with irritable, if not downright nasty, vendors and even nastier fellow shoppers.

The earliest birds get to negotiate for the best "buena-mano" [first-buyer] price. Vendors like to believe that the first sale they make will set the pace for the rest of the day. The larger the first purchase made, the better the buena mano, literally a "good hand," which means more big sales the rest of the day. You can therefore bargain with the vendors to give you the lowest price possible so you can buy more, which means a better buena mano. And I just love watching the vendors when they make their first sale, as they use your peso bills to "bless" all their merchandise, hoping the good luck from your good hand will spread.

Early birds get the best of the lot, whether clothes, plants or, most important of all, parking space. It's always a good feeling, too, when you're through shopping and you get to give up your slot for one of the millions of other buyers waiting for a slot. I will never forget how, last year, a visiting American friend actually got out of my car and roamed the parking lot, waiting for someone to leave. At one point, she and another person spotted a car leaving. You should have seen the two of them jumping into the air and sprinting toward the slot, my friend screaming an offer to the other guy: "I'll pay you a hundred pay-sos for the space." You guessed it, not even a hundred pay-sos was enough for her competitor to give up his claim.

Another way to keep your sanity, especially while in the malls, is to find ways where you can get the most gifts in the least time. Gift certificates are the easiest way out, but there's something almost impersonal about them. There is, of course, one exception and it's bookstore gift certificates for children because they then get to browse through the store and choose what they want.

Bookstores are my favorite one-stop shopping place, although for a bookworm like me, there's always the danger that you will end up splurging on yourself rather than for friends.

Compacts discs -- CDs, VCDs and DVDs -- are another good bet. I am so encouraged by the growing number of educational Discovery videos (thanks to Magna Vision). These CDs make great gifts and I hope more selections will be made available. In China and in Thailand, you find a very wide range, the films all properly dubbed. The Chinese and the Thai know these CDs are in a way social investments, helping to boost scientific literacy among the young.

Are there alternatives to the malls? I think so. I haven't gone through the University of the Philippine (UP) Village subdivision in Quezon City this year, but I know there are quite a few NGOs and alternative crafts stores there. Instead of driving around desperately in the malls' parking lots, take a chance and cruise around UP Village to find the different shops.

Another alternative would be the "Scout" area in Quezon City, around Roces Avenue and Tomas Morato Street. First stop could be Popular Bookstore on Tomas Morato, closer to the ABS-CBN side. Then you can do Aklat Adarna, with their amazing range of young people's books. They're in a new office at JGS Building, 30 Scout Tuazon corner Dr. Lazcano, right across the original Max's Restaurant. Lynn Almario, the owner, tells me they have a Christmas sale.

From there, you can actually walk to Kama, Kusina, Atbp., better known as Cardinal Ceramics. Their address is 32 Scout Santiago corner Dr. Lazcano. Excellent housewares there, including a gift pack of cacao tablea complete with the traditional "batidor" and mixing bowl.

Greenhearts, on the corner of Scout Reyes and Mother Ignacia Avenue, could be your next stop. It has the widest selection of herbs imaginable, together with gardening supplies and really useful booklets on cultivating the plants. If you get herbs, you can request them to stick labels on the pot, with the plant's name and care instructions. Make sure, too, that you sign up for their e-mail service, which sends out herb gardening tips.

Move on to Roces Avenue to the Papelmaroti building. On the ground floor is the Papelmaroti shop where you get calendars, notebooks, wall decor and other "feel good" stuff. The second floor has a Books for Less shop, with both new and used books. If you purchase more than 250 pesos worth of stuff you even get a voucher to get free coffee at their shop downstairs. Or, you could have lunch or dinner at Greens on Scout Santiago, which is a vegetarian restaurant that offers meals as well as bread, cookies and other organic foods that you can pack as gifts.

A final alternative, why not drop by the UP Film Center this Thursday, Friday or Saturday to catch Cine Veritas, with several films to mark Human Rights Day. Thursday at 7 p.m. they're showing award-winning "I-witness" documentaries "Selda Inosente," "Babalik na si Ma'am" and "Kidneys for Sale." On Friday at 2:30, 4 and 7 p.m. there's Ditsi Carolino's "Riles" about children growing up by the railway tracks. On Saturday afternoon at 4 and 7 p.m. there's "Magdalene Sisters," the controversial British film about how young unmarried Catholic girls in Ireland were incarcerated. At all these showings, they will be selling tapes of selected "I-witness" documentary features, again good holiday gifts.

Comments to miguel@pinoykasi.net