Before getting onto the plane to London, I ran through the list of hard copy cards to be mailed out, and decided to take a chance in Royal Mail again. There would be time to attend to the business of snail mail. Sat down, wrote greetings in the cards, left some postcards blank just for fun. Figured the friends would recognize my handwriting. Heh. Very glad that the greeting cards reached all their recipients on time, and rather promptly. Weirdly, not one but four of those cards hit Scandinavia without a postmark or any sort of marking. One jokingly said that Santa hijacked the official mailman to drop the card down her chimney. The other was most suspicious that I somehow swung by to pop it into her letterbox. Whaaaat? Without knocking on her door? No way!
Every year, I'd not think about what to get for Christmas presents till October or so. I'd simply toy with ideas at the back of my head, and leave them till either the last minute or when opportunity arises to buy them. There would always be an add-on gift to the intended present. Something handmade, something local, something I'm proud of. Last year, I found the most adorable blooms. This year, there's 'Christmas in Singapore'. (If you can't get to a Starbucks or Gramophone, the album is available on bandcamp too) All proceeds from the sales go to Rare Disorders Society of Singapore, a compilation of original and cover songs for the festive season by a couple of really good Singapore bands and singer-songwriters. Perfect!
Then, there's always a great range of writings by Singapore writers sold at Books Actually. Done! This is of course, based on the assumption that the intended recipients would appreciate the music or the stories. Grabbed a bunch of CDs, a stack of books and brought them over to begin some mad wrapping of gifts. Bought wrapping paper and twine in Singapore too. Well, both items are available here too, but since I found the most apt ones for the respective humans, why dawdle, just get it. And luckily I did. Browsing through the shops, I didn't find the 'right' ones for these particular friends.
The gifts. Yes, the gifts. It's difficult to pick out what the loved ones might want. But since I talk to them regularly, and meet them as often as possible, it's not that difficult to hazard a guess. Won't be able to really spot the exact gift, but at least I'd be somewhere close. Also, these gifts would preferably be something that I needn't fight crowds at the mall to procure. That, would be the dumbest thing ever. Only standalone shops do. Please. No matter how much I love you, it ain't enough to hit the mall during this crazy season.
Dunno if the friends would love it, but a new quarterly magazine that I'm taking home to Singapore to be a gift is Cereal. :) It's the debut issue (with a single pine cone on the cover), and weighing in at 148 pages, it's beautifully photographed and printed with matte paper that feels more like a journal than glossy magazine. There's also Pitch Feather's soothing edgy brand of folk rock. Let Alberta's vocals spread the party joy this Christmas.
Every year, I'd not think about what to get for Christmas presents till October or so. I'd simply toy with ideas at the back of my head, and leave them till either the last minute or when opportunity arises to buy them. There would always be an add-on gift to the intended present. Something handmade, something local, something I'm proud of. Last year, I found the most adorable blooms. This year, there's 'Christmas in Singapore'. (If you can't get to a Starbucks or Gramophone, the album is available on bandcamp too) All proceeds from the sales go to Rare Disorders Society of Singapore, a compilation of original and cover songs for the festive season by a couple of really good Singapore bands and singer-songwriters. Perfect!
Then, there's always a great range of writings by Singapore writers sold at Books Actually. Done! This is of course, based on the assumption that the intended recipients would appreciate the music or the stories. Grabbed a bunch of CDs, a stack of books and brought them over to begin some mad wrapping of gifts. Bought wrapping paper and twine in Singapore too. Well, both items are available here too, but since I found the most apt ones for the respective humans, why dawdle, just get it. And luckily I did. Browsing through the shops, I didn't find the 'right' ones for these particular friends.
The gifts. Yes, the gifts. It's difficult to pick out what the loved ones might want. But since I talk to them regularly, and meet them as often as possible, it's not that difficult to hazard a guess. Won't be able to really spot the exact gift, but at least I'd be somewhere close. Also, these gifts would preferably be something that I needn't fight crowds at the mall to procure. That, would be the dumbest thing ever. Only standalone shops do. Please. No matter how much I love you, it ain't enough to hit the mall during this crazy season.
Dunno if the friends would love it, but a new quarterly magazine that I'm taking home to Singapore to be a gift is Cereal. :) It's the debut issue (with a single pine cone on the cover), and weighing in at 148 pages, it's beautifully photographed and printed with matte paper that feels more like a journal than glossy magazine. There's also Pitch Feather's soothing edgy brand of folk rock. Let Alberta's vocals spread the party joy this Christmas.
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