They say nobody does Christmas like the Pinoys -- what do you say we take it a notch higher -- and make an effort to give Christmas gifts that are made in the Philippines?

I visited the Global Pinoy Bazaar last weekend to jumpstart my Christmas shopping, and I definitely didn't come out of the Rockwell Tent disappointed. (I didn't come out with a lot of money left either, but that's Christmas shopping for you!) This bazaar, organized by Yabang Pinoy, featured products that were made or designed by Pinoys.

(Like this article? Check out: Pride in a Product: The Global Pinoy Bazaar 2011)

Here are some gift ideas from 5 of my favorite stalls:

1. For your eternally bejeweled best friend: Island Girl Accessories

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Island Girl traces its roots from the sands of Boracay, calling D'Mall its home. Their fashion accessories and resort footwear are 100% made by Filipinos from indigenous materials found in the country. They use wood, shells, coconuts, bamboo, plant fibers, hand-made resin, seeds, and Philippine leather.

I love mixing their chunky statement necklaces with more serious, elegant blouses -- kinda makes me feel like an urban mermaid, if that even makes any sense!

2. For your Imeldific girlfriend: DAS shoes

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DAS shoes gives but one disclaimer. "Warning: these shoes can kill." You'll understand what they mean when you see their line of crazy, traffic-stopping shoes -- but I highly doubt if that will even make you think twice about buying a pair.

(Check out the metros best shoe stores here)

Designed by the Bhagwandas Sisters, their shoes are sturdy, comfortable, and proudly made in their shoe factory in Cebu.

I had my eye on this particular sparkly pair, but couldn't decide between the silver or the fuschia version!
 

3. For your bag-loving tita or mom: Vesti bags

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Proudly hailing from the South, Vesti bags are made out of "Mindanaonon-Materials" combined with modern embellishments. These bags are more than just uniquely designed and beautifully crafted, Vesti also supports small-scale industries and livelihood programs in Mindanao.

I'm always on the lookout for locally-made bags that are standout, one-of-a-kind pieces -- and Vesti bags are exactly that, but without the designer price! They have triangular clutches made out of native woven material, and even these small purses made out of Tinalak cloth from the dreamweavers of the T'boli. Can you imagine what great conversation pieces these are?

I know I said this is a good gift idea for your tita or your mom, but I'm betting you'll find yourself frequently borrowing the bag post-Christmas.

4. For your music maven brother or boyfriend: Timbre headphones

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Let's take supporting local music to an entirely different level. If the music-lover in your life is sporting headphones from Skullcandy, Beats by Dr. Dre, or still stuck with the standard issue Apple earphones -- it's time to switch it up with these Filipino-designed headphones.

The guys from Timbre (pronounced 'tam-ber', and I have no idea why) describe their product as "50% Art. 50% Music. 100% Filipino." Their first batch, TIMBRE GITARA, was a result of a design collaboration with one of my favorite design studios (and personal heroes), Team Manila.

5. For anybody in your life who loooooves chocolate: Theo & Philo artisan chocolates

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Make like Willy Wonka and send out some extra special chocolate this Christmas. While these Theo & Philo bars might not have come from Willy Wonka's Oompa-Loompa-maintained chocolate river, I'm absolutely sure you'll find it equally fascinating.

Some of their flavors include -- are you ready for this -- dark chocolate with siling labuyo/chili (pictured below), dark chocolate with green mango and salt, dark chocolate with pandesal/bread, milk chocolate with organic barako coffee, and dark chocolate with calamansi. I swear, I spent a good 10 minutes just testing each one and getting my mind blown by how accurate the taste was!

The cherry on top (of the chocolate)? Theo & Philo's cacao beans are sourced straight from the farmer and they prioritize sourcing locally: their cacao is from Davao, and their sugar is from Bacolod.

(Like this article? Check out: The Best of Bacolod)


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