My friend Angela gave birth last December 2009. The christening of her daughter will be next weekend. Being one of the godmothers, I went to the mall last weekend to find the perfect gift for the occasion.

Normally, I would’ve gone for the baby medicine stuff like thermometer and nasal aspirator. But since I have a few extra cash, I decided to go all out and buy something they can use (and even reuse) for a longer period – a baby stroller!

I settled with the Baby Jogger City Mini stroller because of its rounded handlebar and good legroom for pushing which makes it a very good choice for small to tall parents – Angela is petite and her husband is quite tall. Moreover, it has a patented quick-fold technology wherein you simply lift up on the grab-and-lift folding handle, and the stroller collapses in a single easy step! To cap it off, its sun canopy provides excellent coverage and the under-seat basket and large mesh pocket on the back of the seat provides good storage.

Now that’s what I call good value for money. ^_^ I can’t wait to see them use it.

For my favorite cousin’s birthday, I made her choose among a Cole Haan pinot noir suede ‘Hena Air’ maryjane pumps, a full body massage in a luxurious spa, and a Nokia basic phone which she’s been eyeing for months now.

I was secretly hoping she’d go for the pumps since I have a dress that matches it completely. Yes, I am planning to borrow her pumps. But guess what; she ended up choosing the Nokia basic phone and all because of its very helpful feature - flash light! Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to buy the pumps on my own.

My cousin was pretty excited about getting the new phone and kept bugging me about it. Then last night, I decided to surprise her by stashing the phone amidst her books on her study table while she was talking on the phone. Inside my room, I could hear her screaming and literally jumping up and down – she was very ecstatic and touched with her new phone. In fact, she was so happy she rushed through my bedroom and kept gushing about it for more than an hour. I’m glad she liked it.

I’ve been frying my brains out thinking of the perfect wedding gift for my sister. I thought of giving her something kinky like sexy lingerie. But then, she’ll probably just use it on her honeymoon then it’d be boxed up afterwards. She’ll most likely be needing a full body massage before and after the wedding; but then again, I want something that will last for a long time…

Aha! Modern furniture. You can never go wrong with it. I remember a particular L-shaped, cream sofa she’s been eyeing for months. If I’m not mistaken, there’s a Valentines sale this coming weekend in that same furniture store! It’s my lucky week, I guess. ^_^ I get to buy a very useful and highly coveted gift at a not-so-expensive price.

While waiting for my PHP classmate Sarah for coffee after work last Friday, I decided to do some window shopping. There have been some major political issues at work and I needed time to de-stress myself before meeting her so that I won’t look haggard during our very rare coffee experience.

Blankly hopping from one store to the next, a giant lavender bean bag pillow caught my eye. I immediately went inside, inquired at the sales lady and found that it’s one of those outdoor pillows that you see in Mediterranean beach clubs. The giant pillow bean bag measures 54 inches by 72 inches - the most comfortable place to curl up, lounge, read, nap, chill or recline almost anywhere! Imagine that!

To cap it off, not only is it an all-weather durable type, it uses polystyrene bead fill which makes it easy to mold into the seating shape of your choice - simply shift and the giant bean bag comfortably shifts with you. Cool huh? ^_^

At last! I and my friends finalized the date for Lisa’s baby shower. We have been planning this for more than a month now but our schedules could not meet. Lisa’s on her eighth month already so it’s a must to give the shower now (else it’s too late). Everyone agreed to give gifts which are not only cute, but also useful for the baby.

I was so excited to buy the gift that I rushed to the mall after work. I searched the department store but I couldn’t find the perfect gift. Then in this small gift shop, I saw the diaper cake! Yes! It looks like a cake but made of diapers. Hahaha. It was actually a collection of baby stuff like bottles, blankets, bibs and diapers arranged like a three layered cake. It really is a cute gift. I bought two sets, the other one for my 1 year old niece. Sigh. Having a baby really gets the oldies excited.

Flowers are becoming stylish and are no longer just associated with courting and boy-girl relationships. It can represent all types of affection – a thank you from granddaughter to grandmother, appreciation of a student to his/her favorite teacher, a happy birthday of one girl friend to another, etc.

Unfortunately, and as always, the delicate and striking flowers such as Casablanca Lily, Hydrangea, Holland Tulips, Stephanotis, and the exotic Blue Roses are pretty expensive. For something ephemeral, I often think more than twice before buying flowers for someone (unless the recipient prefers Everlasting, of course). Then again, with discounts like Interflora’s voucher code, you will definitely see my family, relatives, and friends (perhaps even my colleagues) carrying a bouquet of flowers every now and then – from me!

For those interested, Interflora’s voucher code is “web123″ which is worth $4.99 off your order. Do take note that there is a minimum spend of $19.99 to be able to avail of the discount, and the promo period will last until October 31. The good thing about the $4.99 discount is that you can convert it as ”free delivery” or ”free chocolates”. Although chocolates are nice add-ons, I would go for the free delivery if I were you. It’s more practical.