Two Christmases ago, my friends and I had a regifting exchange gift. Errr… or should I say we exchanged gifts that we haven’t used but think can be of use to others. I got two towels and liquid bath soaps. Yes, we’re still using the towels.

The idea of regifting is good (for me at least) IF and ONLY IF these few guidelines are observed:

• the gift itself has not been used
• the gifts don’t have torns and molds
• the gifts are put in an entirely new package (don’t ever give a present wrapped in Christmas wrappers during Valentine’s Day! No, no, no!)
• the gifts suit the giftee (give the urinary incontinence products to a grandaunt and not to the young niece or maybe a rap CD for an nephew and not for the uncle)
• the gifts are clean (or clean it yourself if it has been left to gather dust)
• the gift did not come from a manufacturer that has long ago closed it’s books (errr… outdated things like these scream regifts!!)

So, in this penny-pinching hard times, regifting is not really tacky, just do it with class and your gifts are as good as new

For me, it feels like a fireplace with a roaring fire, a plush rug on glass mosaic tiles on the floor and a big rocking chair should complete the picture. Well, there is a rocking chair but not near the tree.

My interior designer brother-in-law prepped this as he always does every year. It takes a lot of time and patience along with creativity and style to make a home look like this.

Of course, it takes more than Christmas decorations to say the Christmas spirit is in the people’s hearts.

This goes the same with elementary and high school reunions, if I may say so. Yes, you and your classmates can’t possibly talk about how fat you were when you were in third grade or how someone else looked awkward wearing his/her Christmas program costume, much as you can’t possibly talk endlessly about your children or insurance quotes or your golf handicap unless they seem genuinely interested.

What do you do then? Sing. Yes, sing and have fun bashing the karaoke

(Just make sure you don’t disturb the neighbors too much though)

Last month, I blogged about Kraft Eden cheese and the goal to cook 5,000 dishes to top India for the Guinness world record for the most number of dishes cooked.

And they did! 5,845 dishes cooked with cheese, woohoo! So we show the world that we Filipinos are cheesy, huh?

Check the Kraft Eden YUMM Sarap ng Buhay site for some cooking ideas and if you want to contribute a recipe. Mine is the cheesy turon

Now I am off to read about NC health insurance as a favor for a friend

Oh by the way, do we have FF next Friday?