For those who love to entertain, Christmas is very much like planning a wedding. It requires long checklists and timings that one must adhere to. There are beverages and menus to plan, presents to shop for, and color schemes to consider. To help inspire your creativity this season, The Beauty Edit talks to three industry experts on the topics of gifts to give and to avoid, tablescape themes, and the best food finds, among other elements to consider.
Gifting Etiquette
Olen Juarez-Lim or “Ms. O”, a certified Image, Etiquette, and Civility Consultant, President and CEO of OJL Consulting, and President of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), shares her gifting and regifting rules… and a horror story.
What is your general rule when shopping for Christmas gifts for different people, such as loved ones, colleagues, or acquaintances?
The whole essence of gifting is about giving gifts that are well thought of and I always think of the person I give a gift to. It’s about personalization. It does take time and effort but it is what makes gift giving more worthwhile.
Are there gifts you avoid giving at all costs?
A pet is not a good gift, except for a child who has been begging for one. You have to care for them and they’re a big responsibility. Plants, too, because you also have to care for them.
This season especially, people like giving wine or alcohol but what if the person doesn’t drink, what will they do with it? It goes back to personalization. I also make it a rule not to give undergarments or lingerie, because it’s too personal. The thought that counts isn’t always the ideal way to go about it.
Don’t give fake gifts like ‘designer bags’ and try to pass them off as the real thing. I would rather receive something of low value that is authentic and of good quality. Also, avoid religious items like giving bibles if you don’t know if that person is religious.
Do you have any horror stories when it comes to gift-giving?
Once I received a gift that had nothing to do with me! I forgot the exact item but it looked like a souvenir or a gift from the States and was wrapped in a random gift wrapper.
What are your thoughts on regifting?
It’s okay to regift but you have to do it strategically, don’t give gifts to recipients in the same circle. You can be direct about it [being regifted]. Be honest about it but don’t give it in its original packaging and with the card. Of course, don’t regift something that has initials or is personalized for you. Keep a list of these gifts you have and want to regift. And if you can’t regift it and have no use for it, just donate it to the church.
Do you have any easy go-to gifts?
I like getting our close friends something that their families will enjoy, like board games. There are so many finds on Shopee, Lazada, but my go-to is Amazon. They often appreciate that you went out of your way to have it shipped.
Food is also always a good choice. I always like supporting local businesses, like Tita Paring Suman Latik.
What was the best gift you’ve ever received?
When people see me, they think they have to give me something expensive. But I appreciate everyday items like a nice tote bag for my groceries. I even appreciate little things like an umbrella, because the one in my car is always broken.
I appreciate things of value, especially from my children, because I know that they worked hard for it or they saved for it.
Food and Drink
Pierre Dee Addison, sommelier and restaurateur of Adviche F&B Solutions, Ricksha, and Love, Pierre Wines, clues us in on wine pairings, cocktail discoveries, and food and drink gift ideas to consider.
What is your rule of thumb when creating wine pairings for common holiday dishes, like lechon?
Normally, when I do wine pairings, there are many factors to consider, like what is the budget, the average cost per bottle the diner is willing to spend, and what the consumers usually like to drink. I have to consider the style or the preference of the drinker.
It really depends on what the spread is. I normally recommend lechon to go with rosé. The key is to figure out what part of the menu you want to pair your wine with, what type of guests you have, and what they want to drink. I can start with a sparkling, then go to white and red, but some people don’t drink sparkling wine, for example, so the pairing should be flexible.
You and your husband Cyril are restaurant owners, and I’m sure you have given gifts this Christmas that are food items, may I ask what food gifts do you love giving and what to avoid?
From Deli by Chele, there are gift boxes that are focused on homemade items. We’ve also given samosas from Richska with the sauces. As a home cook, what makes gift-giving special for me is something made from my kitchen. My kids also help with making the gift, from beginning to end.
As for what to avoid, because the food has to travel, packaging is very important. It should also get to the recipient on the same day. Pack it properly. I don’t think there is anything we don’t want to give. It all boils down to what we think is special and the more personal the gift, the better.
Do you have any negative experiences when it comes to gifting?
We’ve had horror stories with Richska because we tried to be more sustainable with the packaging, but it didn’t hold the sauces properly. Again, it’s about the choice of packaging.
Do you have any new wine or cocktail discoveries to share this season?
For me, what I like to do is introduce wines that people don’t normally pair with certain dishes. One of my biggest discoveries is that the key to pairing food and wine is all about balance. Balance means the flavors come together very nicely, and factors of the wine include its intensity and finish. Consider the quality of the wine, as well, and quality doesn’t mean it’s expensive.
What was the best gift you’ve ever received?
I think the season is more about spending time with the family. Gift-giving is just a bonus.
Floral Arrangement and Decor
Joselle Faustino-Castaner, founder and creative director of Jos Curates, shares her general rules when it comes to hosting and styling your home for holiday get-togethers.
What’s your general rule of thumb when it comes to partnering floral arrangements with tableware for the holidays?
There’s no rule to it, it’s art. If you’re using muted or colorful flowers in your arrangement, I think that would still complement whatever table pieces you use. If you use colorful arrangements, use muted colors on the plates, but if you use simple cutlery or tableware, then you can go a bit crazier with the floral arrangements. I definitely like to balance it out. As I said, it’s art and there’s no right or wrong.
What color combinations are you currently loving for Christmas tablescapes and arrangements?
Just the other day, I saw a black arrangement. Black is very nice, where they spray the greenery with black paint but that entails a lot of effort. Then you can add touches of red, which would make it very modern. I actually do dried arrangements as well, which are very fresh. I once created an installation using dried arrangements and started off my business with dried flowers.
Are there any last-minute arrangements people can quickly put together?
You can easily have flowers from Dangwa delivered by Lalamove. Just get dried floral arrangements from Shopee and put them together. You can also get fresh mini pine trees as table arrangements and Christmas trees.
It doesn’t need to be something new, you can always use items around the house, like bows or ribbons.
Did you ever face any challenges when it came to creating arrangements and what did you learn from that experience?
Everything is a learning process and until now, I’m still learning. One thing would be working with your clients–some could be difficult. I really appreciate it when clients provide you with creative direction so they give you inspiration and show you Instagram or Pinterest photos. I always tell them not to expect that it will look exactly like this because I would never copy or mimic something that someone else has made, however, I will use that as inspiration. Some clients expect arrangements that are exactly the same.
Another challenge is overbuying at the flower markets. I tend to overbuy and they go bad. That’s the sad thing about using fresh flowers. And during transit, it could die or wilt. For weddings or big events, I have to make sure I purchase them on the day itself and I have to have access to a fridge room. That’s one good thing about dried flowers–you don’t have to worry about them going bad.
What was the best gift you’ve ever received?
What actually got me started on my floristry adventure was an arrangement from my best friends that was given to me for my birthday. It sat on my dining table for nearly a year but I never had the courage to throw it away because it was so beautiful. It dried beautifully–it had Australian flowers like protea, eucalyptus, and lots of different local elements. It dried into muted purple, and green. That was when the dried flowers came at the start of the pandemic. I started off being a curator so I already had vessels and decor in my place. I tried getting a bunch of dried flowers and I made three flower arrangements. My hubby suggested that I should make an Instagram account, and I did and this sold the arrangements instantly.
