For the confused parent: A gift guide for millennials
Dear parent,
I understand that this generation kind of baffles you—their behavior, how they think, the way they dress, the music they listen to. But ‘tis the Yuletide season and you want to give your millennial youngster something nice. What’s in fashion anyway for an under-thirty idealist from the slasher generation? They’ve outgrown writing letters to Santa and stuffing them in stockings. But, no fear—we’ve put together a gift guide that could give you an idea or two.
A housewarming present
For the millennial who is itching for independence and likely to move out of the house and into their own space soon, a housewarming present is thoughtful and necessary. Forget the potted plants (they wont even have time to do the laundry regularly). Get them this adorable wine cabinet from Heima, so they can stock on all the cheap Merlots they’ll be hording at Rustan’s. When their friends come over for a really put-on wine and cheese night, their place will be the go-to destination solely because she has a cabinet made especially for the wine. How cool is that?
Maddison Short Wine Cabinet (P29,400) at Heima LRI
A coming of age
Taylor Swift totally gets it. Her new album “1989” is a coming of age, depicting the evolution of a girl into a woman in her mid-20s. She sings about growing up, coming to terms with certain realizations of adulthood, and letting go of some of the innocent ideals of her past. “1989” is totally relevant for the under-30 generation with too much feels. Plus, Taylor Swift totally pulled out of Spotify.
Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ (P850) at Astroplus.
Rebel gear
Self-expression is important for a millennial. This is a generation who lives for OOTDs (outfits of the day). If you’re going for the ultimate generational gear, Proudrace nails it in the head. Which millennial doesn’t want to be owner of a rocking piece from a label built from scratch by a local design duo? Or perhaps, which millennial hasn’t attempted to already build their own label from scratch?
Proudrace sweaters (price available upon request) at www.proudrace.com.
The all-around workbag
This is the phenomenon that really that bemuses the older generation: the millennial at work. Why do they keep changing jobs? Why is their work ethic so strange? Why are they already expecting a promotion? For the working millennial, get them this classy Lulu Swing leather tote bag, big enough to fit the necessities of the everyday work hustle, and apt for whichever job your millennial is dabbling between—whether it is banking one year, or commercial modeling another. The all-around workbag is suitable for all job titles the millennial believes she can conquer.
Tote Bags P1050 at Lulu Swing.
An app
Another thing you can’t understand about the millennial is technology. This is the one thing that sets them apart from other generations. Get them a subscription to Spotify Premium so they can play any song they want anytime, even offline. It’s something they know they want but just don’t want to spend for.
Spotify Premium (P129/month) at www.spotify.com.
Instant printer
It’s like those Polaroids you used to carry around in the 70s, but this one plugs straight to your smartphone. Perfect for the me-me-me generation who made the selfie (and then later on the selfie stick) a thing, this Instax Smartphone Printer prints like a Polaroid, but with all the benefits of new technology. Think of it like a handy printer you carry around because you want to print your photos pronto. Think of it like film, except the photos can be heavily edited and beautified with filters. Think of it like a neoprint booth, except camera sized.
Fujifilm Instax Share Smartphone Printer SP-1 P7,849 at www.instaxmanila.com.
(Photo from photojojo.com)
Travel journal
Blame the millennial for bastardizing the words “wanderlust” and “explore,” overused to pulp by Cebu Pacific piso sales and travel selfies on Instagram. For the millennial who likes to be called a free spirit and can’t stop talking about their itchy feet and lust for adventure, get them this nifty travel journal made and designed locally by two travelers themselves. Its pages are filled travel inspiration, space to plan future trips and drafts for a bucket list.
Where to Next Travel Journal (P280) at www.facebook.com/wheretonext2015
An autobiography
For the millennial that is discontent and feeling lost, get them Lena Dunham’s autobiography. The creator of the hit TV show Girls just finished her first book, Not That Kind Of Girl, which illuminates life as a millennial: on finding love, discovering self-worth, struggles with weight issues, yada yada. This is a book that every millennial should not be a copy without. Because what millennial doesn’t want to read about themselves?
Not That Kind of Girl (P799) at Fully Booked.
