My Post COVID-19 Christmas Wish List

By Jenny Uriarte Rodolfo, Account Manager

To say that the first half of 2020 has been rough would be an understatement. It’s hard to believe that in only six months, the Philippines has already experienced a volcanic eruption, the African swine flu, AND the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This series of unfortunate events led to cancelled corporate and social gatherings, mass protests, unemployment, and various degrees of community quarantine.

Despite all of this, I’m thankful I made it to this day. It’s officially June. This means that we’re only three months away from Christmas. (You do know that Christmas in the Philippines starts in September, right?)

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I am excited for the Christmas season because after everything we’ve been through, we all need something good to look forward to. Christmas in the Philippines always means unlimited happy vibes, festive decoration, family bonding, reunions, and all the delicious holiday food we can’t stop eating. I can’t wait!

With the holiday season around the corner, it’s never too early to start your wish list, right? Here are some ideas you may want to consider:

Work from home essentials

Since some of us will be rotating between work from home, and reporting to the office to maintain social distancing, wouldn’t it be nice to make your home office a better place? 

If your work involves a lot of conference calls, you should definitely have a noise cancelling headset on your list. A nice and comfortable office chair, ergonomic keyboard and mouse, a helpful laptop riser, or a standing desk would be nice to have too, especially to aid during inevitable overtime!

The homebaker starter pack 

Since the quarantine period started, everyone has been busy in the kitchen. Some people even started selling to make some extra cash. You name it, someone on Facebook or Instagram has probably baked, and sold it. From treats like mango ref cakes, Spanish bread, ube-cheese pan de sals, the classic banana cake to savory lasagnas and experimental sushi bakes, here are so many recipes to try to help you earn that dough!

If you’re keen to explore this creative side of yours, you may want to wish for equipment such as a stand mixer, measuring spoons, a kitchen scale, various baking pans (they come in all shapes and sizes), and of course, a starter oven. Don’t forget to add cute food-grade packaging to make your yummy creations super IG-worthy!

Home workout 101

When everyone isn’t working or baking, they’re probably exercising to shed those extra pounds they’ve put on as a result of staying home for the past three months.

If you want to restart your fitness journey, your list should include some (or all of the following, it really is up to you!) — yoga mat, jump rope, resistance bands, dumbbells, treadmill, and a stationary bike.

To keep you motivated, you can also add some cute workout clothes, a double-walled water bottle in your favorite color, and reliable shoes for those pre or post workout selfies you plan to share on Instagram.

Whether you’re on Santa’s naughty or nice list this year, we can’t tell just yet. While we wait for this pandemic to be over — keep healthy, stay indoors as much as possible, and last but not the least, breathe and power through. We can survive this. We’re all looking forward to the day we can eat, drink together, and be merry!