Tips for Finding the Perfect Christmas Gift and Avoiding Last-Minute Holiday Shopping

Keep the Shopee Christmas ambassador’s tips in mind 

as you start your holiday shopping at the Sep 30 Payday Sale

As we settle into the -ber months, it’s time to start thinking of your Christmas list. If you’re at a loss as to how to spread joy to your loved ones during the holidays amidst a pandemic, who better to ask for advice than one of the Philippines’ Christmas icons, Jose Mari Chan?

The musician, who has been Shopee’s Christmas ambassador since 2018, shares that the important thing is to imbue the true spirit of Christmas. “This pandemic may have completely changed our shopping habits, but one thing remains the same—every chance you get to show kindness, do so. Whatever you give doesn't have to be a big amount.”

Begin your holiday shopping at Shopee’s Sep 30 Payday Sale and keep these other tips from Jose Mari Chan in mind:

1. Take advantage of the convenience and accessibility of online shopping

Like plenty of Filipinos, Jose Mari Chan prefers to shop online these days, from gifts to basic necessities and healthcare products. “Instead of taking public transport or driving to a store, you can purchase from Shopee while staying at home.” Aside from enjoying the safety and convenience, he adds that users get to help out other Filipinos. “You're doing not only yourself a favor. You also continue to support small businesses, manufacturers, and delivery services.”

2. Always check for free shipping and other promos to make shopping more worthwhile

Jose Mari Chan reminds users to keep an eye out for vouchers, especially during Shopee’s big sales. At the upcoming Sep 30 Payday Sale, for instance, users can enjoy free shipping with no minimum spend, 30% bills cashback, and 30% off vouchers. Stack vouchers for bigger discounts. Jose Mari Chan says, “What more can you ask for? I assure you, when you purchase on Shopee, you will always be able to get the best deal.”

3. Go cashless for safe and convenient transactions

Start opting for contactless payment methods for safe and convenient payments. Use ShopeePay, Shopee’s all-in-one e-wallet, to Buy Load, Pay Bills & Scan to Pay. At Shopee’s Sep 30 Payday Sale, enjoy ShopeePay-exclusive promos such as up to 50% off on mobile load; 30% bills cashback from Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, and over 60 other billers; and ShopeePay ₱1 Deals from Puregold, Potato Corner, Seaoil, and more.

For account security, Jose Mari Chan adds, “Change your ShopeePay PIN regularly and do not share it with anyone to prevent unauthorized purchases.”

4. It's better to plan ahead and organize your Christmas list early on

Jose Mari Chan shares that he and his wife are early birds when it comes to holiday shopping. He advises users to follow this principle and plan ahead. “List down some important people whom you want to cheer up, then browse online to see what items you can give. Do it early. If you leave it up to the last minute, you might make some impulse purchases or even overspend,” he says.

5. Put more heart into picking gifts to make them more meaningful

Feeling stumped about gift ideas? Here’s a piece of advice from Jose Mari Chan: try to come up with gifts that hold meaning for the recipient. “For the past years, my wife and I have been giving each other a common gift that we’d both agree on prior, such as items we need for the home. I would also ask special friends if they have a favorite charity, and I would donate in their name as a gift.”

The musician concludes that as he gets older, he derives more pleasure from giving than receiving. “When you receive, it's just a moment's pleasure. When you give, it lasts longer. When you give out of kindness, love, charity, and generosity, the impact will last for many years.”

Get gift ideas at Shopee’s Sep 30 Payday Sale via this link.

Enjoy the Christmas festivities with Jose Mari Chan and watch his latest Shopee video via Facebook at https://shp.ee/5kkbwhh or YouTube at https://shp.ee/vtk84wr.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Go Higher with the EU in the 2021 Virtual European Higher Education Fair Philippines

Planning to take graduate or post-graduate studies in the EU?

Let the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2021 guide you to “Go Higher with the EU”.

The biggest of its kind in the Philippines, EHEF will give Filipino students, academicians, researchers, and university officials the opportunity to connect directly with world-class higher education institutions from across the European Union.

The Fair will be inaugurated on 1 October at 1:30pm and streamed live at https://www.ehefphilippines.com and on the EU Delegation to the Philippines Facebook.  

The registration at https://wwww.ehefphilippines.com is free and all that is required is an internet connection, an interest in pursuing further studies in the EU, and dreams to go higher in life.

“The EHEF 2021 promotes the diversity and excellence of higher education in the EU,” says EU Ambassador Luc Veron. “Useful, practical and comprehensive information about the different mobility initiatives and distinctive higher education programs will be available at your fingertips.”

The EU is one of the world’s top centers of academic excellence and a hub for cross-fertilization of ideas and cutting-edge technologies and innovation.

Outside of academia, the EU offers limitless opportunities for borderless travel to some of the world’s best, most iconic destinations and to immerse in a wide diversity of cultures.

This holistic experience is how post-grad students can “Go Higher with EU”, the motto of this year’s Fair.

EHEF 2021 will be the biggest yet, with 140 European higher education institutions offering MA and PhDs that will improve the career opportunities of talented Filipinos wishing to study in any of this year’s participating EU member states, namely, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Finland, and Sweden.

Participants can look forward to two days with a packed schedule of activities including webinars on specialized courses and programs, country presentations, and live chats with representatives, alumni, and scholars from participating institutions.

Regional partner institutions for this year include Wesleyan University (Luzon), Silliman University (Visayas), and Xavier University –Ateneo de Cagayan (Mindanao), which will host clustered presentations for students and other members of the academe. 

University partners for this year are the following: University of Sto Tomas, University of the Cordilleras, Lyceum of the Philippines University - Batangas, Mabalacat City College, St Louis  University, Rizal Technological University, Trinity University of Asia, Ateneo de Manila University, Visayas State University, Jose Rizal Memorial State University and Mindanao State University’s (Marawi) College of Public Affairs.

The Fair is supported by Campus Erasmus and the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities. Media partners this year include Business World Spark Up, Cebu Daily News, Gadgets Magazine, Inquirer Super, Panay News, Subselfie Online, Philippine Star, Manila Times, Adulting Millennials Podcast, The Philippine Business and News (thePhilBizNews.com), and SunStar Davao.

The Virtual EHEF 2021 is organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, together with EU Member States’ Embassies, education services, and Institutes and in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education.

If you’re ready to Go Higher with EU, register for EHEF 2021 now at https://ehefphilippines.com/.