ABS-CBN — Metro Gift Guide 2024: Gifts You Can Give Yourself This Holiday Season

By Kate Paras-Santiago

Ah, the holidays! Who doesn't love the rush? It makes us feel excitement, enjoyment, warmth, fuzziness, and all good feelings. We don't like long queues, traffic jams, endless to-dos, and you know the "S" word—stress. While the holidays can truly get busy, we can always take a step back, assess our priorities, slow down, and find ways to fill our cup.

That's why we at Metro came up with a gift guide for picks you can give yourself this Christmas and beyond—wellness picks, tips, and advice to help you get through the hustle and bustle unscathed, and even ready for the new year to come. Keep scrolling, and we hope you find something you fancy! Happy holidays, everyone!

1. Gift Idea 1: Waterpik Cordless Portable Water Flosser

There's a reason dentists remind us to floss daily. While this step in our oral hygiene often tends to be neglected, there's growing awareness about why this is indeed vital. While brushing our teeth is the first crucial step in oral hygiene, adding mouthwash and flossing are must-dos too. Flossing daily helps remove dirt that toothbrushes can't reach, and avoids the build-up of plaque, cavities, halitosis, and even gingivitis. This holiday season, with lots of parties (a.k.a eating) on the horizon, arm yourself with an extra layer of dental care by flossing daily!

We love Waterpik's innovative Cordless Portable Water Flosser, as it comes from a brand recommended by dentists. Not only that, as the Waterpik Water Flosser has settings that allow you control the movements and output to your preference. Expect nothing but deep cleaning, minus the waste. This pick is great for travel too, allowing you to keep your dental hygiene in check wherever you may be. Shop here.

2. Gift Idea 2: Eight hours of quality sleep daily

The holiday season is notorious for making people lose quality sleep. Let's not let that happen to us this time around by carving out a proper sleep schedule amidst the hustle and bustle. According to sleep coach Maria Campos Lopez, "If food is fuel for our body, sleep is fuel for our brain. It supports healthy brain function and maintains our physical health. It affects all aspects of our lives." Does it ever occur to you that when you haven't properly slept, you're more irritable, you can't focus, and you just feel spent all day?To echo coach Maria, it affects all aspects of our lives! 

While our well-being depends on it, our looks do, too! According to Dermatologist Jarische Lao-Ang, "Having enough sleep is often an overlooked factor when it comes to taking care of our skin. adequate sleep is important for the skin’s renewal and regeneration. It is the time wherein not just the body but also the skin rests and repairs itself." 

Dr. Jarische goes on to share that timing is also crucial when it comes to sleep. She adds, "When it comes to adequate sleep, it is not just important to look at the hours of sleeping, but the sleep quality is crucial as well. 9 PM to 11 PM is the time that skin repair and renewal starts; cell production, melatonin, and collagen production happens within this time frame."

So if you're at a loss for ideas on what to give yourself this Christmas? Start with the basics. Start with better sleep. We promise, you'll thank yourself for it!

3. Gift Idea 3: Joyce & Diana Pillows and Sheets

When we talk about sleep, our environment matters. If your room is messy, and cluttered, with a TV blasting, your laptop on nonstop, and a bed that's less than desirable to sleep in? You guessed it—you won't get any quality ZZZs here. We recommend investing in your bedroom, and by investing you can do a good spring clean and inventory of what you should keep and not keep. Toss out the stressors in the room, and bring in some warmth and coziness. We also recommend investing in a quality mattress and sheets for your bed. 

Pillows and linens from Filipino brand Joyce & Diana boast the same 5-star quality offered in hotels. No wonder our sleep experience in hotels is different—their beds and linens hug our bodies the right way! Having this kind of luxury in your very own room will upgrade your regular sleep time to upgraded, quality snooze time. The brand takes pride in its craftsmanship, employing skilled Filipino artisans to handcraft every product for your ultimate satisfaction. Shop Joyce & Diana here.

4. Gift Idea 4: Ogawa Master Drive AI 2.0 Genuine Leather Massage Chair

Who isn't a fan of massages? We honestly don't know anyone who doesn't like getting a good session in! So this Christmas, if you're feeling extra generous to yourself, why not get the gift of a massage anytime of day at your very own home? This Christmas, Ogawa launches their latest innovation—the Master Drive AI 2.0 made of genuine leather! More than just a massage chair, the Master Drive AI 2.0 is a personal health assistant, designed to merge wellness, luxury, and intelligence in one sophisticated package. Utilizing the power of AI, this massage chair offers more tailored massages, a health tracker and scanner, and voice command control to give you an unparalleled relaxation session every time you sit down.

To celebrate the season, Ogawa is offering an exclusive holiday promotion on the Master Drive AI 2.0. Available for a limited time at a special price of Php 439,000 (regular SRP: Php 599,000). You may inquire in store for credit card installment plans (zero % interest up to 36 months), or trade-in your old unit for this new one. On the other hand, straight cash payments get an additional Php 10,000 discount. Log on to their website for more information.

5. Gift Idea 5: Supplements from LAC

When it comes to supplements, we've already progressed from just taking the usual vitamin C and daily multivitamins. These days, with the abundance of knowledge and assortment of products in the market, we can literally shop for supplements for every possible concern we might have. Enter: LAC. A trusted brand for high-quality supplements, LAC offers a diverse line of supplements for kids and adults, addressing needs from immunity to beauty. This season, the brand turns the spotlight on their kids' LAC Calcium Fit™Junior with Vitamin D, a highly absorbable calcium jelly that supports bone health. It contains Calcium Lactate and Red Algae with natural Vitamin K to help build strong bones, Vitamin D for better calcium absorption and muscle function, and Casein Phosphopeptides for healthy teeth. 

To further enhance kids' nutrition, include LAC Vitamin C Junior Gummy, delicious orange-flavored gummies packed with 125mg of Vitamin C. This not only helps boost the immune system, but also accelerates recovery, promotes healthy skin and gums, and improves the absorption of iron and calcium, making it perfect for strong bone and teeth development. Gifts for your inaanak? Check! 

And now for your own supplement cabinet, LAC highlights the LAC Taut® White which enhances skin clarity through its concentrated formula of antioxidants and revitalizing ingredients. Complementing this is the LAC Taut® Rejuvenate+ Premium Collagen. This unique 13,000mg collagen formula is specifically designed to protect your skin from Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), which contributes to premature aging. Not only is it one of the most potent collagen drinks on the market, but it also combines powerful ingredients like thoroughbred placenta, AG complex, vitamin blend, hyaluronic acid, and ceramide to firm, hydrate, and rejuvenate your skin, helping you achieve a youthful, radiant appearance.

Have a restful, peaceful, healthy holiday season!

— Metro Gift Guide 2024: Gifts You Can Give Yourself This Holiday Season | ABS-CBN Lifestyle