CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

It is mere twenty days to Christmas but we still have not done any gift-shopping. It was not like the previous years, where as early as October, we already stockpiled on gift items, purposely to avoid the Christmas rush. But this time, we will be jumping right into the fray as we try to beat the holiday deadline. Certainly, this will not be easy. Knowing the penchant and proclivity of Filipinos for late-minute shopping, we are in for a taxing, stressful, laborious and backbreaking endeavor. We will be squeezing and worming ourselves in the crowded streets of Divisoria, the mecca of budgeted and discounted buying in the Philippines.

To be candid, I am not looking forward to this unenviable experience. I have heard a lot of stories from friends and officemates vividly detailing how tough and rough it is to do shopping in Divisoria at this time of the year. The streets are brimful of people that it is rather difficult to move and maneuver. It will be like playing patintero, a childrens' game of catch-me-if-you-can.

I am thus thinking of doing our gift-buying in the mall. The problem though is always the money. Our budget may prove inadequate should we decide to purchase our gift items from the mall. The prices there are often double or triple the prices in Divisoria for the same exact items. But on the other hand, mall-shopping is far more convenient and comfortable. There is less people to contend with and the place is airconditioned, thus sparing one the sweat and the perspiration as well as the odor of a busy marketplace.

At any rate, we still have two weeks to make up our minds. But first, we shall be counting the money in our coin bank. We hope we have sufficiently saved for the Christmas gifts. Otherwise, there will be no shopping to speak of, in which case, we would have to prepare for our escape acts from our beloved inaanaks.