Yuletide is celebrated in most parts of the world, but there’s nothing quite like a Pinoy Christmas. We celebrate it longer than most countries—for over a hundred days, in fact.

What makes a Pinoy Christmas so special? For Filipinos, it’s the sumptuous holiday spread, twinkling lights and decor, meaningful gifts, and Christmas carols, all made even more special with precious memories of enjoying them with our loved ones.

To make this year’s Christmas celebrations even more memorable, stock up on Pinoy Pasko essentials below at Shopee’s 11.11 Big Christmas Sale, Shopee’s biggest sale of the year:

Deck the halls and fill your home with holiday cheer using colorful Christmas trees and lights. After hanging up your parols, don’t forget the star of the show—the Christmas tree. Homehuk Hakone Christmas Tree stands 1.8 meters tall, perfect for smaller rooms. Decorate it with a string of multicolored Firefly Christmas Lights, which runs on seven watts and lights up with eight different effects.

When it comes to Filipino holiday parties, the hapag-kainan is always the focal point. Filipinos forge stronger bonds over meals, after all. It’s when we reconnect with our loved ones, share milestones, and crack jokes. For that big holiday spread, prepare a mouthwatering serving of naturally smoked Swift Festival Ham and top it off with a honey pineapple glaze. Next, cook some spaghetti with Royal Pasta + Spaghetti Sauce, which comes in a sweet flavor Pinoys will love, and plenty of chopped hotdogs.

A truly Pinoy Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a lot of music. Belt out your favorite hits with the whole fam using Platinum Karaoke, which comes with thousands of songs and two wired microphone input jacks. Or play classic holiday tunes in the background with Zeus x Fujisan Desk Speakers. These bluetooth speakers feature 60 watts of bold sound and a strong bass.

One sure-fire way to make holiday parties even more fun? Dress up in themed apparel. Slip on a pair of cute and comfy BEAR LEADER Cotton Socks, which come in a variety of Santa Claus- and snowman-themed designs. For a cool, casual look, go for MetroSunnies Sunglasses. This pair features a holiday-ready color, stylish cat eye frame, and UV protection lens.

For more deals at the 11.11 Big Christmas Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale. New to Shopee? This 11.11, it’s the perfect time to join! Enjoy big savings on your first purchase with exclusive promos for new users such as free gifts, free vouchers, and ₱1 deals. Invite your friends and family to join Shopee as well for a safe, fun, and rewarding shopping experience.

You can also use ShopeePay to buy load, pay bills, and scan to pay at thousands of merchants nationwide. Get up to 50% discount on load for all networks. Pay your bills with ShopeePay to avail of the special 30% cashback this Oct 30 Payday Sale. 

You can use it to pay Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, BPI, and a growing list of partner billers. Lastly, buy ShopeePay ₱1 Deals on the app and enjoy exclusive discounts when you pay via ShopeePay QR at Puregold, Potato Corner, Bonchon, Fruitas, and other partner merchants. Make sure to activate your ShopeePay wallet and cash in through online banking, debit card, and over-the-counter partners to enjoy these exclusive perks.

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

Shopee Live has been a go-to for sellers on Shopee to connect with users and attract more sales. With the pandemic driving the digitalization of businesses, Shopee pushes for innovation that will help local MSMEs adapt to the evolving global retail landscape. E-commerce continues to gain momentum in the Southeast Asia region, with a projected value of US$132 billion by the end of 2021 - and it is expected to double after five years. With more consumers turning to online platforms for their needs, entrepreneurs strive to adopt digitalization to sustain their businesses and capture opportunities in the new digital economy.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “The needs of our sellers are always evolving, and we are committed to providing the necessary tools for them to improve their methods of engaging with shoppers. As more shoppers turn to livestream to learn about brands, products and interact with sellers, we are glad that the new Shopee Live features will also enhance their shopping experience. We will continue to innovate and make improvements on existing tools to support the growth of businesses on Shopee.”

Shopee launched several initiatives that aim to further improve the overall e-commerce experience for sellers and shoppers with Shopee Live. Earlier this year, Shopee rolled out the co-streaming feature which allowed live stream hosts to co-stream with one of their viewers for a more interactive streaming session. The Livestream Flash Sale was also introduced to help sellers gain more viewers and boost their sales during streaming sessions on Shopee Live. With this, sellers can promote their discounted products, attract more views, and boost orders during a live stream. The In-app Business Insights features gave live streamers access to the number of unique and total views, total likes, and confirmed orders from the live stream, letting streamers gauge what their audience wants.

11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale 

Shopee continues to bring more joy to Filipinos with the Shopee 11.11-12.12 Big Christmas Sale happening today until December 12, 2021. Shoppers can enjoy over two months’ worth of exciting promos such as ₱1 deals, free shipping with no minimum spend, and 10% off daily vouchers at Shopee's biggest sale of the year.

Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Scan to Pay with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

They say Christmas is the most meaningful season, and though this year could be a lot different from previous pre pandemic celebrations, we might as well find ways to be inspired and see things in different colors and perspective— just like the way we look at art.

In time for merriment, warmth and nostalgia, SM City Baliwag let shoppers see the beauty of life through art with the recent My City, My SM, My Art book exhibit— a celebration of the life and works of some of the country’s most fascinating visual artists.

The exhibit featured pages from the book, a compilation of the My City, My SM, My Art campaign highlighting the best of Philippine visual arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and filmmaking. During its three year cultural journey from 2016-2019, My City, My SM, My Art featured masters, modernists, and millennials in a roadshow around the SM Supermalls as far north as the Cordilleras and as far south as General Santos.

Mallgoers have a rare glimpse of the different pages of books at the My Art house, which is inspired by Luzon’s Bahay na Bato. The larger than life book pages showcased National Artist for Visual Arts in Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino, who is considered as the “Father of Philippine Arts”. It also showcased the works of influential modernists, Fil Delacruz and Buddy Ching, plus other Bulacan based artists like tri-dimensional painter and mixed-media artist Danilo Pangan, hyper realist artist Jayson Cortez, surrealist painter Froilan Calayag, as well as husband-and-wife artists Kiko and Ynah Marquez; who were featured in the My Art stop at SM City Baliwag in September 2017.

The exhibit also put into spotlight a capsule collection from selected My City, My SM, My Art Bulakeño artists like Fil Delacruz, Danilo Pangan, Jayson Cortez and Froilan Calayag.

This exhibit gives audience a visual journey in colors with some artworks depicting stories of love and cycle of life.

My City, My SM, My Art honorees such as Jayson Cortez and the family of Danilo Pangan lead by his wife Ma. Victoria Pangan graced the opening of the exhibit. They were welcomed by SM City Baliwag Assistant Mall Manager Eugene Martin together with Building Administration Manager Jay Esquivel.

My City, My SM, My Art is the latest edition in the My City, My SM series, which celebrates the beauty, culture, traditions and great people in cities around the Philippines where SM has malls. This comes after My City, My SM, which highlights tourism; My City, My SM, My Cuisine, which features heirloom recipes from prominent families around the country, and My City, My SM, My Crafts, a celebration of traditional arts and modern Philippine design.

The holidays bring us joy, but the season also marks one of the busiest and most demanding times of the year. While we look forward to our loved ones’ company, there are still plenty of tasks at hand: virtual parties to plan, a holiday shopping list to organize, and work to wrap up before we go on vacation.

If you want to maximize the holiday festivities, take some time to focus on your well-being. This is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, after all! Take it slow, decide which tasks to prioritize, and ask for help if you’re struggling with all the responsibilities on your plate.

Here are a few other tips to help you take it easy during the holidays:

Get enough sleep

A good night’s sleep equips you with enough energy to face the day. Wake up to better mornings by indulging in a luxurious at-home massage with Rest Easy Massager, which comes with an advanced heating function. Then snuggle in bed and relax any tense muscles with the ergonomic HoshMemory Foam Pillow. Lastly, improve the air quality and add a relaxing ambiance to your room with the Fresh Air Wooden Humidifier.

Get your mind off work

It’s difficult to relax when your phone keeps pinging. If you can, disable notifications after working hours and try out new hobbies to take your mind off work. For instance, spend more time outdoors and try gardening. AceHardware Garden Tool Set, which includes a trowel, transplanter, and pruning shear, is perfect for budding green thumbs. If you’ve always wanted to explore the art of baking, Oster6-Speed Hand Mixer will make each culinary experiment easier with its powerful 250-watt motor and chrome-plated beaters and dough hooks. Meanwhile, those interested in dabbling in photography should invest in PaperangPortable Thermal Printer for high-quality instant photos.

Build a self-care routine

Each day, take the time to pamper yourself and melt the stress away with personal care products. With glowing, hydrated skin, you’ve got one less thing to worry about! Start your skincare routine with the GarnierCleanse Glow Trio. This serum, micellar water, and day cream set contains a concentrated Vitamin C formula to help even out your skin tone. Don’t forget to treat your legs and arms to some loving too. AveenoDaily Moisturizing Lotion protects dry skin with natural colloidal oatmeal blended with rich emollients.

Indulge in guilt-free me-time

Sometimes all you need to destress is leisurely me-time. Take a much-needed breather and release your pent-up stress using NintendoSwitch Console V2. Its new system features a vibrant seven-inch OLED screen, wide adjustable stand, dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio. Or sit back and binge-watch your favorite K-dramas on AvisionSmart Digital LED TV, which features a 1366x786 display resolution. For quality audio, you can’t go wrong with Xiaomi11T Pro. With its Dolby Atmos dual speakers, you can unwind while listening to your relaxation playlist.

Self-care means getting the best bang for your buck, too! To enjoy more deals at Shopee’s Oct 30 Payday Sale, check out with ShopeePay for safe and cashless payments. Get free shipping vouchers with no minimum spend, 30% off discounts, and 30% cashback on your self-care purchases, exclusively with ShopeePay.

You can also use ShopeePay to buy load, pay bills, and scan to pay at thousands of merchants nationwide. Get up to 50% discount on load for all networks. Pay your bills with ShopeePay to avail of the special 30% cashback this Oct 30 Payday Sale. You can use it to pay Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, BPI, and a growing list of partner billers. Lastly, buy ShopeePay ₱1 Deals on the app and enjoy exclusive discounts when you pay via ShopeePay QR at Puregold, Potato Corner, Bonchon, Fruitas, and other partner merchants. Make sure to activate your ShopeePay wallet and cash in through online banking, debit card, and over-the-counter partners to enjoy these exclusive perks.

For more deals this payday, visit https://shopee.ph/m/payday-sale.

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

 ShopeePay, Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, partners with GHL Systems Berhad, to expand digital payment acceptance in the Philippines, bringing cashless payment solutions for businesses and consumers to over 83,000 merchant points nationwide.

GHL, ASEAN’s leading payment solutions provider, with a vast footprint of 383,600 payment touchpoints across the region, teams up with ShopeePay to drive digital payments in the Philippines as more Filipinos continue to shift towards safer and more convenient options. ShopeePay users can now pay at establishments such as Phoenix Petroleum, Family Mart, Three Sixty Pharmacy, Prince Retail, and more chains nationwide. 

The future of digital financial services in Southeast Asia sees great potential. The region’s gross transaction value will experience a 15% increase, expecting to reach U$1.2 trillion dollars from digital financial services by 2025. With more Filipinos embracing cashless payment methods, the total transaction value for digital payments is expected to have an annual growth rate of 14.67% in the next four years. With this, ShopeePay continues to expand its roster of partner merchants to serve more individuals anytime and anywhere. 

Ruoshan Tao, Head of ShopeePay Online Philippines, said, “As more consumers adopt digital and contactless payments, it’s essential for ShopeePay to provide easier ways for our consumers to transact online. With our partnership with GHL, we can scale up our network of partners and offer our customers access to a wider variety of partner merchants. We will continue to collaborate with other organizations to support Filipino consumers embracing digital payments.” 

The collaboration between ShopeePay and GHL aims to encourage Filipinos to embrace digital payments. ShopeePay will work with new partners to boost both financial and digital inclusion throughout the country, and will push for initiatives that will support the easier adoption of finance digitalization.

Rey Maria R. Chumacera, Chief Executive Officer at GHL Systems Philippines, said, “Adding ShopeePay to our range of digital payment acceptance is definitely the way forward to allowing our merchants to reach a larger consumer base. With ShopeePay’s expansive reach, we can continue growing together, reaching immense scalability in time. At the end of the day, consumers are the clear winners from an enhanced payment experience.”

Users can activate and cash-in their ShopeePay wallets through online banking, debit card, and over-the-counter partners to enjoy a safe and rewarding cashless experience. For more information about ShopeePay and its perks and benefits, visit https://shopee.ph/m/shopee-pay. 

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

One of the blessings of being homebound during the pandemic is that it has brought us closer to family members that stay with us – parents, spouses, kids. It has also brought us closer to our pets, who have brought us comfort, laughter, and fun during challenging times.

And as we refurbish our homes to accommodate WFH arrangements, on-line classes, and other new normal adjustments, it may be a good idea to dedicate a space for our furry friends.

Pets, after all, also need their own personal space. Dogs and cats are prone to sleepiness, irritability and personal boundary violations just like their pet parents. Whether it’s a well-appointed crate, or a small area in your bedroom or living room, creating a sense of security for your pets will keep them emotionally safe and physically comfortable.

Pet Express, the one-stop shop for all your pet’s essentials, has a wide variety of high-quality pet food, toys, dog beds, crates, climbing gyms and other accessories, that will keep your home a haven for your pets. Here are some practical tips on how to keep your home pet-friendly:

●     Create a cozy corner for your pet. By assigning their place, you will be able to train them and provide a bed space for your pet to rest and unwind.

●     For small breeds and small pets like cats, who like to cling to their pet parents, putting a small bedding area for them in your living room or under the dining space will make them secure and safe.

●     Have a clean designated dining space for your pet. Do not forget to store your Pet food properly that is out of your pet’s reach. Get an automated Pet feeder so mealtimes can be fun.

●     Organize your pet needs and accessories in a shelf or cabinet. Remember to keep it within your reach.

●     Pet-proof your home. Set up a retractable fence to set boundaries between yours and your pet’s space.

●     Hide their pet bowls and litter box. Give your cat some privacy and provide a small screen to their litter box in a corner.

●     Dogs love to bathe and play on wet area. Provide them a space in your wet area by adding a platform for their muddy paws and a quick wash after a play.

●     Keep your pets active. It is important to give your dog something to chew on like treats or rubber toy; while cats should have a scratching post or climbing trees on their active days.

●     As you bathe and groom your pet, you should keep their area clean and germ-free as usual. Use pet-friendly disinfectant and cleaners in keeping their nook clean and tidy.

Pet parents can now place their order online thru www.petexpress.com.ph and on their Call and Collect services in selected branches and shop thru a PAWSONAL SHOPPER at 0917.8091864. Also, Pet Express is now open at The SM Stores in SM Megamall, SM Marilao, SM Bicutan, SM East Ortigas, SM Marikina, and SM Novaliches. For more info and updates, follow PetExpressPH on Instagram and Facebook.