These Stores Will Solve Your Last-Minute Shopping Dilemma

Philip Cu-Unjieng

December 12, 2018, 08:32 PM

There are some people who actually enjoy Christmas shopping - my late father would begin as early as August, attend bazaars left and right, and be proud to announce he was done shopping for his Christmas list by the first week of October. Even his friends abroad would get their Christmas cards from him by Halloween. Me, am more the procrastinator.

And that’s precisely why department stores work best for me. Rustan’s is still my go-to when I have to cram shopping for a range of people, differing in gender and age. It helps that within one establishment, there’s merchandise that caters for all types - it’s just knowing what’s available or trendy, that would help. And that’s precisely why this feature may come in handy for those who are in the same ‘boat’ as myself.

For the coffee-lovers out there, Cuisinart has an Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker that thanks to its unique spin technology, reduces the brewing time to just 25 minutes. What’s more, you can refrigerate the carafe of cold brew coffee for up to two weeks without losing flavor, sweetness, and taste. At a little over P10,000, this one can be gifted to a household, or that someone very special who needs his or her daily coffee fix.

So many people are into fitness, and the cardinal rule for any form of exercise is to stay hydrated. Hence, the popularity of the water bottle or container, and how different companies have put the effort to make that most basic of fitness accessories, a sexy thing unto itself. Leading the pack in this regard would be the brainchild of two women entrepreneurs from the USA, bkr.

They’re glass bottles sheathed in spiked silicone to keep them from breaking, and for easy gripping. They’ve been the rage with celebrities and models as they exercise, and they’re actually carried in Sephora - and now, to be found in Rustan's as well. They cost around P2,500.

And if you want to be more practical, and are looking for something more economically priced, there’s the Aladdin line. Once again, they’re essentially water bottles, but smartly designed. You twist off the cap when you want to drink; but one can also twist the canister open at the bottom of its neck, and that how ice can be placed in the bottle. This two way lid is it’s signature feature, while the vacuum insulation allows drinks to stay cold for 10 hours, and iced for 18 hours. These ones are priced around P1,800.

For the hipsters and young men, Diesel came up with a slip on sneaker that’s military camo for coolness supreme. A shade under P5,000; you can imagine their eyes lighting up when they unbox these babies. It’s one of those sneakers that are also practical for travel, given how so many airports will still require us to remove our foot gear.

Young girls love to create their own personalized scents, and smell like no other. Solinotes Paris are based in Grasse, and have this thing about creating single note scents that are high in quality and sillage. These can then be mixed and matched to produce something customized. They’re available in Rustan’s, and they’re attractively packaged and even more attractively priced, the 50 ml. bottles are P695.

And if you’re looking for a 'tito gift' or one for men over 50; there’s always Jack Nicklaus. His Double Mercerized shirts are still a favorite among men in this demographic. And it’s nice to gift these shirts to people who actually know who Nicklaus is. Before there was a Tiger in the world of Golf, it was Jack, known as the Golden Bear, who ruled the links. These are priced in the P4,800 range.