Early Christmas shopping: 5 friends you buy gifts for

MANILA, Philippines — It's never too early for Christmas gift shopping. This is true for us Filipinos whose Christmas can start as early as September and end as late as January the next year.

To help you avoid the stressful Christmas rush, we named some gift ideas which you can start crossing off to be given to every type of friend you have on your list.

The Foodie

You endure long queues together just to get the first taste of the newly opened resto in the metro. It is with him that you rant or rave over a new food hype and go places searching for the best spots to take your next meal. 

What to buy:

• Madècasse Chocolate Bars
• Emily’s Caramels
• Barney Almond Butter
• Yummy Earth Yummy Gummy Bears

The Health-Conscious

Unlike your foodie friend who's practically willing to try out any food under the sun as long as it's edible, the health-conscious friend is rather the picky one. He won't eat or buy anything without looking at the calorie count or the fat or sugar content and wouldn't mind putting any food or snack back to the shelf no matter how tempting it may be.

What to buy:

• Glutino Gluten-Free Breakfast Bars
• Woodstock All Natural Trail Mix
• Alter Eco Organic Dark Chocolate Bars
• I Heart Keenwah Gluten-Free Quinoa Clusters

The Beauty Buff

Make-up, nail polish, haircut skin treatment—there is no beauty regimen this friend of yours hasn't tried yet. She's the only person who can splurge an entire month's pay over tiny bottles and flashy containers of stuff you don't even know how to put on.

What to buy:

• Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Moroccan Oil
• Jason Healthy Hair Gift Set
• Andalou Naturals CC Cream
• Nature’s Gate Borage Oil Serum

The Animal Lover

We all have that friend who spoils his cats or dogs so much you'll think your mother never loved you. His social media pages consist of daily photos of their pet's cute outfits and adorable activities and all their little adventures together. You won't miss strands of dog hair and smudged paw prints on his white polo and black trousers.

What to Buy:

• Aroma Paws Dog Coat Spray
• Dynamo Dog Functional Treats
• Holistic Bite & Itch Relief Shampoo
• Organic Aloe Vera Pet Wipes

The Elite

This is the friend whose typical Sundays consist in a short drive to Manila Polo Club, long weekends at Balesin Island Club and partying on a Friday night at 71 Gramercy. Old money or new money, you know you can't buy this friend something that isn't of fine quality and good taste.

What to Buy:

• Pol Roger Champagne
• Full-bodied Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Napa
• 2011 Gewurztraminer

Whatever personality your friends have, shopping early for their Christmas gifts is a task that people usually take for granted until they're stuck in the middle of the Christmas traffic jam with a million other people queuing by the cashier lane.

Shopping early not only saves you money by getting to spread the cost, it also gives you more time to think through the presents you'll give out to your friends and loved ones on a special day like Christmas.

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For more holiday gift ideas, you may visit the Isabella Ballroom of Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Monday, October 20 for a showcase of attractive and practical presents from Healthy Options, Bow & Wow, Wine Story and Planet Grapes.