Family Manito Manita

We started our family Manito Manita on the second week of December and had everyone picked the names to whom they are going to give the gifts to. It’s a bit late when we started our Kris Kringle activity compared to the previous years. You know how the busy schedule of a working momma like me may sometimes leave other commitments missed unintentionally.☺

From six participants, we now have a total of seven Manitos/Manitas adding our newest member of the family, Eric. He is my sister’s boyfriend. Yay! The more, the merrier. After everyone had their assigned Santa Clause, next task was to of course create our own wish list. This yearly tradition of giving gifts always makes me excited. Not just because I can’t wait to unwrap my own presents, rather, I am more thrilled to see everyone happy getting what they wanted for Christmas. I do give each of them an extra gift aside from the presents they’ll be getting from their respective Manito. The joy of giving is incomparably better to the happiness of you receiving the gift. Wouldn’t you agree with that?

My Mama asked me a couple of weeks ago if the time will come and I will be working away from home, are we still going continue to do this tradition. As the person in charge for our yearly activity, I don’t want our tradition to stop just merely because of the distance. I confidently told Mama that we should continue regardless of my presence. I will also try my VERY BEST to be with them during Christmas. I’m not certain about what the future opportunities may entail. I’m praying hard we can still bond during special occasions like this in the coming years. Prayers make miracles! I believe on that.

So, what’s next after the wish list? A busy bee needs to take advantage with the two days off granted. My husband and I with our toddler went our way straight to the nearest mall to buy some of the gifts to avoid Christmas shopping rush of panicking to buy all the gifts in one shopping trip.

How do you normally shop for your gifts? Do you do it in one shopping adventure or by batches? I can’t do it in one go.

As early as the month of November, you can already observe the holiday shopping fever feels like the long wait time standing in a queue for the cashier, traffic congestion, rushing busy shoppers. What else can you add to these scenarios? I’m pretty sure you can relate to my experience.☺ With the long wait time, I have to do it by batches whenever there’s an opportunity to do so with lesser customers shopping.☺ I won’t have the burden of carrying big shopping carts in doing this too.

Have you wrapped your gifts? I can’t post what specifically I’ve prepared for them just yet.

We will be opening our gifts by the 29^th of December, that’s technically already after Christmas. Well, that’s how we do it every year. Supposedly on the 30^th but we are expecting to be a bit busy on our only boy’s birthday. Wohoo! I can’t wait to celebrate Akyn’s special day.

Do you also have a family yearly tradition every December?