The Best Things to Buy This Cold September

Time flies so fast. Before you know it, the “Ber” months are here—September, October, November, December—and that means Christmas is just around the corner! Filipinos are known to celebrate Christmas for such a long period, beginning from September and extending to January the next year, so why not kick things off as early as now by buying lanterns? These are the quintessential home or office decor that mark the holiday season. And as such, you do not have to go far to look for them.

Makers and sellers of bright and festive lanterns are not uncommon in the metro. Whether in shopping malls or on city streets such as Finlandia Street and Osmeña Highway in Makati City, you’ll find lanterns in all shapes and sizes. In Sampaloc, Manila, you can drop by the Christmas Factory where they sell not only lanterns but also other essential Christmas decorations. Dapitan Arcade is another popular retail store that carries a wide array of items that will surely put the Christmas vibe to your home.

The holiday season seems incomplete without the big man who greets everyone with “Ho ho ho!” He’s definitely coming to town so you better watch out for Santa items, including Santa sculptures in various shops within the metro. The Christmas Factory offers handmade Santa sculptures that are a great addition to your home or office. Budget-conscious and asking where to do your Santa shopping? Where else but in Divisoria! Just don’t forget to haggle to get the best prices for your items.

Filipino cuisine is a melting pot of influences from many different cultures. It is so diverse that even within the country we have different versions of a certain dish. Anyhow, one food item that will always be on our list is the kakanin or rice cake. This is a delicacy that is normally made of rice flour, cassava, coconut meat, coconut milk, and could be with or without glutinous rice. Some of the popular Pinoy kakanin include puto, suman, kutsinta, bibingka, sapin-sapin, cassava cake, pichi-pichi, and maja blanca. Kakanin is a good buy for September as it is usually paired with a hot drink—chocolate, coffee, tea—which is perfect during the cold months.

Don’t you just love your grandparents? Their words of wisdom and warmth always hit our soft spot. This Grandparents Day, you can shower them with well-thought-out gifts to show how much you love them. A necklace will be a constant reminder of your thoughtfulness to your grandmother whenever she wears it. For your beloved grandfather, you can buy a customized shirt with your own message. Other wonderful gift ideas include a personalized family tree that would allow them to show off their wonderful family, custom-made mugs, family photos in handcrafted frames, and soft pillows that are perfect for the elderly.

Jeans come in various styles and colors. Whatever your personal style is, there surely is a pair that will not let you down. Be they slim fit, skinny, bell bottoms, boot cuts, ripped, low-waist, high-waist, and the list goes on, jeans have become a staple for most people. They are very versatile and comfortable, especially during the cold weather. A lot of denim brands carry different types of jeans to suit varying needs. Some of the big names in the country when it comes to jeans are Levi’s, Guess, Wrangler, Lee, Jag, Bench, and Penshoppe. Fashion trends come and go, but jeans are here to stay.

The rainy season normally spells gloomy, cold days that it takes a bit more effort to stay alert and active. It becomes hard to resist feeling sleepy and lazy. To help you dispel the somber mood, you can brighten up your day by wearing fashionable and colorful hoodies! Not only are they great to keep you warm on a rainy day, but also very stylish and can be paired with your favorite jeans. And with a personalized hoodie, you can even show your own style. There are a lot of stores these days that offer personalized clothes showcasing text, graphics, or any design that you want. One of these stores is Hype MNL, which can also take bulk orders of personalized hoodies and other clothing items. This is ideal for your family, group of friends, or team in the office.

In a tropical country such as the Philippines, keeping a made-up face sweat- and smudge-free is always a challenge. Thank goodness there is waterproof makeup. There are so many brands nowadays that offer beauty products that help keep smudges away no matter the weather. MAC Cosmetics, for example, carries a line of waterproof makeup that includes foundation and eyeliner. For flawless, shine-free skin, you can try Clinique’s water-resistant foundation. You can also check out Bobbi Brown’s dual-ended brow pencils, multi-functional bronzing powder and highlighting trio from Elizabeth Arden, and Daniel Sandler’s blusher for a hint of color without drying out your skin.

September is an off-peak season for many destinations, so this is the ideal time to book that much-awaited trip. Tour packages are relatively cheaper at this time of the year, and you can be sure that the popular tourist attractions are not so crowded. Whether you’re planning for a local or international getaway, there are a lot of tour offerings that will satisfy your inner wanderlust. Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Batanes, and Palawan always make it to the bucket list of many travelers. But, checking out tour packages to neighboring countries like Thailand, Singapore, and China is also a good idea.

If flying is not your thing or you want to have a different kind of travel experience, you might want to try going on a cruise. Many cruise packages give travelers the opportunity to explore a number of islands and other attractions during the trip. The cruise duration varies, depending on where you want to go. A cruise package can have an itinerary that is good for six to seven days. If you want to explore more than one country, you can expect the cruise to last for more than a week. Other packages even last for more than a month, such as the Asian Landfalls cruise by Philippine Trails. Their 32-day package covers Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.

You see, there are a lot of good finds in September. This month offers an opportunity to plan a trip, buy gifts or decorations for upcoming occasions, or simply score great deals on things you crave for. With our list of things to buy, you can surely keep the blues away this otherwise cold September.