*This is part of a series of posts about the material things I want for Christmas. I have another list of things which are intangible and could not be bought by money, but that’s a different story altogether. The number one item on that list would be world peace, followed by a gift inspired by the movie Love Actually - a “you” for whom I can sing the song “All I want for Christmas is You.”
 Growing up in a semi-middle class and “provincial” family, I learned to stop making a list of material things I want for Christmas knowing that I would never have all of the items on the list. I considered myself lucky if I got at least one item from my list on Christmas Day when the whole family open up their gifts. I remember one Christmas when I wished for a lot of things — one of them a big toy truck, which I knew was impossible to fit into the small red sock that I hung on the living room wall. There were lots of other things in the list and I was saddened when all I got was a matchbox toy car which was obviously very cheap. I felt really bad and envious of my cousins who had really nice toys, but I couldn’t blame my parents for not being able to afford such things. I moved on and decided not to wish for anything at all during the holiday season. From that time on, I knew that creating a wishlist was an effort in futility.
Fast forward to today. I now earn my keep and I have some extra on the side. I know that I can afford pretty much anything that I want (thanks to credit cards) just so I’d feel better about myself, or at least feel good despite my lonesome heart, during the holidays. I have a list of things that I wanna buy and can afford, and I have a list of things that I want to have, can afford, but not so much of a financial priority at the moment, and would rather receive them from Santa Claus.
This year, I have realized that I should only buy things that are actual NEEDS and not WANTS. And whenever I bought things, I made sure they were both functional and stylish. (Para ano pa’t naging bakla ako kung hindi rin naman ako marunong magmaganda diba?). So I came up with a short list of material things that I wish Santa would send over to me from the North Pole. I’ve been a good boy have I? I have not been naughty have I (hello, the dry spell made me a good boy!)?
So in a series of posts, I will reveal the items on my very short list of functional-yet-stylish things I want for Christmas!
