When the Christmas spirit is in the air, expect gatherings, parties and celebrations left and right as people are wont to bring the holiday cheer through laughter and gifts. The Negrense Blogging Society, Inc. (NBSI or Negros Bloggers) is no exemption as it gathered its active members for its annual Christmas Party.
L’Fisher Hotel was generous enough to host our party by providing us a venue, plus a treat of their sumptuous buffet. We say that “dreams do come true” because a year before, we had our Christmas party across this hotel and had a photograph with L’Fisher at the background, wishing that someday we would hold our party there. Finally, our prayer was answered this year.
And out of the many sponsors who showered us with gifts, I have listed down several Christmas treat ideas for your loved ones, especially if they happen to be in Bacolod City, known as the Philippines’ City of Smiles.
Gift them with a staycation or a sumptuous treat at L’Fisher Hotel
During the holiday season, many family and school reunions take place. There are some who would even come home from various parts of the globe just to attend these special gatherings. One of the best places to stay when you are in Bacolod is L’Fisher Hotel. It has so many offerings for their guests and customers this time of the year.
In-house guests get to avail 50% discount on all food orders in their Ripples and Chalet restaurants. This is available from Mondays to Thursdays from 11:00am to 8:00pm, but not applicable on December 24, 25 and 31. That is because they are offering 50% off for every four tickets purchased at Ripples for the December 24 Christmas Eve dinner buffet, December 25 Christmas Day lunch buffet, December 31 New Year’s Eve dinner buffet, and January 1 New Year’s Day lunch buffet.
And during the weekends of December, L’Fisher Hotel is offering their buffet menu at P750.00 (approximately USD 16.00) for two persons. Fridays and Saturdays are dinner buffets from 6:00pm until 11:00pm while Sundays are lunch buffets from 11:00am to 2:00pm.
If these are not enough reasons to stay in L’Fisher Hotel or dine in its restaurants, its 2016 New Year’s Eve Party may be a good motivation for you to take part in one of its biggest event for the year. L’Fisher promises it to be the best New Year’s Eve party as you dance to the beat of DJs Anton G, Miguel Rojas, Pao Mijares, Ken and Zero One under the stars and the fireworks at the L’Fisher Chalet Roofdeck. Definitely, it will be a great way to cap the year 2015 with a bang and welcome 2016 with loud cheers.
Get your loved ones into a Shopping Galore
Ladies and men in your family will have a fun time shopping in the leisurely ambiance of The District North Point of Ayala Malls in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. It is located just beyond the borders of Bacolod City and within the vicinity of posh neighborhoods. The District North Point is a two-story community center with shopping stores and an outdoor restaurant strip for alfresco dining. This is part of Ayala’s integrated mixed use project with residential subdivisions and office development.
If you are looking for a shopping venue that has gotten everything all for you, then head off to SM City Bacolod, where there are cinemas, groceries, department store, food and retail outlets and a convention center. SM City is probably the biggest mall in Bacolod, complete with many popular fast food chains, restaurants and fashion brands.
One of the shoe stores found in this mall is Skechers which is a global brand known for its durable but comfy footwear and apparel. In case you do not have the time to bring your loved ones for a shopping spree, you can always give them with gift certificates from The District North Point, SM City, and Skechers.
Now, for some bargain buys, you can also shop at GellyVee’s Closet located at the 888 Chinatown Square Premiere. Or, you can select beautiful souvenir shirts and items as gifts at Azatri Souvenirs.
Feast with them in the finest restaurants in town
Bacolod City and its surrounding towns and cities are known to be food havens. Food is one of the main attractions in the province of Negros Occidental and you can find rows of restaurants dotting the metropolis. If you are into seafood that is cooked fresh the way you want it, there’s Bacolod 18th St. Palapala Seafood Grill and Restaurant. There are also restaurants that serve international cuisines. You can also treat your loved ones to authentic Vietnamese food at Rau-Ram Café located in Barangay Bata. Jacopo, on the other hand, serves Mediterranean cuisine, something not very common in Bacolod.
Other must-tries are Chifa, a Peruvian eatery; Italia, which specializes on pastas and pizzas; Fogo, a Latin American Restaurant; popular chicken inasal resto, Aida’s; the sought-after 21 Bar along 21st Lacson St.; and Aboy’s, known for its delectable Filipino food.
Swing by at Shawarma Habibi or Bascon Café and try their specialties. Gift certificates (GCs) are also available as a surprise gift to a friend or loved one.
Sweeten them up with local pastries and delicacies
Bacolod is known as the City of Smiles because of its sweet people. It comes as no surprise because it is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, the sugar bowl of the Philippines. A good gift idea that you can take with you from Negros to friends or loved ones outside of it are the delectable pastries and delicacies.
Some of them are available only in the province therefore, it is a good way to take a piece of Negros as a gift to your friends who are not from here. There’s Quan Delicacies, Bongbong’s, Merzci, and Bacolod Cupcake Café (BCC).
Wrap your Christmas boxes filled with sweets from Quino’s, Sugarlandia Barquillos, Virgie’s Pasalubong, and Bailon’s Piaya.
Give a basket with a variety of food products
Locally manufactured food products are aplenty in Negros. You can have a basketful of those from Victorias Foods, Jarvis Gourmet Foods, Pan de Sal, and products from Columbia Marketing. There are sardines, spreads, breads, and grocery items.
Introduce a healthy lifestyle to your loved ones
At this day and age, when more lifestyle diseases are popping out from nowhere, it is good to let your loved ones know that you care for their health. One of my gift suggestions is to give them an anti-oxidant called Meganox, processed and produced in Negros Occidental.
You can also bring them to known healthy and organic hubs and let them taste delectable all-natural food. There are great choices, such as the May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant, Fresh Start Organics, and the Peñalosa Farms in Victorias City.
Pamper them with beauty and wellness treats
Treat them to a massage or two or gift them with beauty and wellness products from Oryspa, Grand Royal Spa, and Spa Natura. Or, let them enjoy a makeover from El Kay Salon or Ysabella’s Salon.
Take them to fun-filled travel experiences and adventures
When you are in Negros, unwind and relax in Palmas del Mar resort and hotel. You can swim in their pools and chill out. Another option is to do some horseback riding at the Bantug Lake Ranch. For more tips where to go and what to do in the province visit ExperienceNegros.com travel and lifestyle site. You can also visit the poster image of Talisay City, which is The Ruins.
Wow them with gadgets and accessories
With the onset of technology that is now at the palm of our hands, literally, gadgets and electronic accessories seem to be good gift ideas. You can give USB disks, earphones, speakers, powerbanks and anything that we can use with our cellphones, tablets, laptops and computers. One great store to shop for these kinds of items is Allphones located in SM City Bacolod.
Provide your loved ones with services for their benefit
Sometimes, your gift can be intangible, yet, can impact those who will receive it. Like Meca-J Rent-a-Car which they can use to roam around Bacolod and beyond. To protect your loved ones you can also gift them with a personal accident insurance from Admiral Insurance Brokers. You can also make someone feel special when you broadcast your message to them through a tarpaulin banner that can be printed through Innove by Wilmar.
Delight them with simple pleasures
Young or old, we all take delight on simple pleasures. You really do not have to spend that much just to express your love, care, gratitude or generosity. Spending time with people who are special to you is enough to let them know their place in your heart. You can take them to a local store and share a cone in Munsterific and in Beni’s Gelato, or a drink or two at I love Milk Tea and Erv’s Cane Juice.
Whatever gift you give, as long as it comes from the heart, matters to the people you love. They say that this is the season when people are generous, so do it not out of custom but because you mean it. And we should always remember that the best gift is to share the love of the Baby born in the manger and that is the unconditional love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Awesome guide Claire! Thank you so much for being a part of NBSI. So happy to have met you! 😀 Merry Christmas to you and your family! 😀
Thank you Sigrid! I didn’t want it to just a plain “thank you” so I thought of another way to highlight all of them. 🙂 Me, too, I’m happy to have crossed paths with you! And the chances of us being related? Who would have thought of that? Merry Christmas!
Thank you Team Lo for helping organize the event and leading the solicitation. We had so much fun! Hopefully next year we will have a bigger event. Merry Christmas to all of you!
They’re very hardworking. 🙂 And so are the rest of the NBSI officers and members.