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Ninong-Ninang Checklist: Top 5 Ideal Christmas Gifts for Kids Worth P200 and Up

By the end of the one-hour newscast, the giddy anchor announces the obligatory Christmas countdown. “Just nine days to go and it’s Christmas!”


Panic set in. I may have even muttered an R-18 word along the way, though I can’t be sure because my mind was too preoccupied with the fact that I haven’t done my Christmas gift-shopping yet!

In these modern times, I am one of a small contingent of individuals who avoid giving cash gifts to their godchildren like a plague. I don’t know about you, but as a child, tearing down bulky, shiny red wrappers thrilled me better than a flat envelope did. I’d like to believe that still holds true for many kids today.

However, with droves of mall shoppers, Martilyo Gangs and pickpocketing incidences becoming an everyday reality, the mortified mother in me is wary of trooping to physical stores for last-minute presents.


Enter online shopping. 
Online shopping portals like Lazada Philippines take out the chaos in Yuletide gift-purchasing. No long queues, no pesky competition on that hot last item on the rack, no running to and fro sections (a real waste of energy and time, if you’ll ask me). Item comparison and selection are easier with the search tab, easy drop-drown category menus, and customizable shopping carts. Purchases are delivered free of charge too (in 1-5 days at that). If you’re unhappy with your purchase, then simply have it refunded for credits. It’s sheer shopping bliss in real-time. And the best part? Infinite shopping hours and exclusive discounts! Ladies, holler with me on this.

If you, like me, haven’t begun Christmas shopping for your godchildren yet, check out these neat kiddie items worth P200 and up I found on Lazada (photos of the actual items are from the Lazada website):

1. Play Doh Sets (Starts at P249)

A Play Doh Burger Builder set sells at P799.

Toddlers – my daughter included – and young children love the gooey mess that come in those tiny 5-ounce Play Doh cans – so much so, they gobble them like vultures! True story.

Play Doh sets help promote hand-eye coordination and imagination. The non-toxic, malleable dough encourages inquisitive minds to squash, squeeze and sculpt any creation imaginable from scratch using their bare hands. Seriously, what kind of child wouldn’t adore such messy, explorative play?


2. Wooden Toys (Starts at P298)

Aside from their green and safety component and longer lifespan, wooden toys allow for better developmental play. They’re simpler; instead of batteries and manuals, they rely on the child’s creativity and imagination to shape possibilities. In addition, they are multi-texured, which as studies suggest, enhances overall sensory experience and brain progress.

3. Animal hard-shell backpack (P699)

Shaped from polycarbonate plastic, this sturdy hard-shell travel bag is a perfect on-the-go companion for kids 5 and up. It has adjustable padded straps and a large rubberized handle for better grip, plus cute and quirky animal designs (lady bug, croc, bumblebee and penguin). With the summer vacation and upcoming school year looming near, this child-friendly backpack will sure come in handy.

4. Underwater Lomo Camera (P899)

Do you have a budding George Tapan for a godchild? Indulge his photo ingenue potential with the Aquapix Underwater Lomo Camera. The durable, waterproof plastic casing protects the underwater camera from water splashes (submergable up to 4 meters deep!), bumps and other kiddie accidents. It comes with a free 24- shot film roll and yummy designs too (Disney characters, Barbie, floral; or in plain colors – green, blue, red, pink, white, purple, and black).


5.  DTC Junior (P1,988)

Source: DTC Facebook fan page
If you’re feeling extra generous this Christmas, reward your godchild’s little efforts with the DTC Astroid Junior. Manufactured by one of the Philippines’ leading budget device makers, the Android Gingerbread-run handset is a pocket-friendly, no-frills dual SIM smartphone that boasts a 2mp cam, a brawny 1GHz processor, 256 MB of RAM, and a multitouch 3.5-inch WVGA screen. Thin, lightweight and stylish, it is an excellent on-the-go mobile phone for tech-savvy kids and teens.

With the slew of child-friendly Christmas gift choices available in online shops today, there’s really no need for last-minute shoppers like me to panic. Unless, of course, everything’s on mega sale.

How about you? Are you done Christmas shopping yet? What gifts did you bag for your godchildren?

About the Author

Gretchen Filart

Gretchen Filart is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet and essayist from the Philippines. Her confessional pieces draw from love, motherhood, healing, nature, and intersections and have received distinction from phoebe’s Spring Poetry Contest and Navigator’s Travel Writing Competition. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok @gretchenfilart. She is usually friendly.

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