Policarpio Street

Two nights ago, Mom and I randomly thought of checking out the famous Christmas street in Mandaluyong known as Policarpio Street. We've been waiting for this since we transferred to our new apartment because it is just few blocks away from us. It was on  nationwide news that night that this glittery and extravagant street had just opened for public.
We noticed a lot of people as soon as we stepped out, mostly groups of families. That made me more excited because this time I am finally seeing it not just on TV. I'm funny like that! :-)


It was literally open for public, meaning to fees to be collected. There was a tall gate hovering at the entrance, perhaps it is closed during normal days though I wonder why because it is not even a village.
I noticed how big the lot sizes are on this street, my guess is ranging from 400 to 600 sqm so the owners must be that well off. The first house has this big Belen (a traditional Filipino Christmas symbol) representing the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. I'm not sure if they cover the Belen on regular season. There were about 4 to 5 security people watching over this house, and yelling at those who block the driveway. I recall C.O.D. in Cubao while looking at the Belen. 80's kids in Manila must be so lucky to have had experienced it.


This was the second house that captured our attention. First thing that came into my mind is how much they are paying for the Meralco bill. The house was literally covered with Christmas lights! It was beautifully designed! They must have hired people to organize the colored lights to form each Christmas piece. And there was like a tower behind with a giant parol (Filipino Christmas lantern that is usually star-shaped). I'm assuming it's that big as it is still visible from my standpoint.


Third house is probably the crowd favorite - The House of Santa Clause. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the owner is a known collector of thousands of Santa Clauses? How to keep all of these and how to clean them all? Pinroblema ko talaga ano? :-)



The entire house was very amusing, it almost looked like a theme park. Kids adore taking pictures with the famous huggable white-bearded man in red and white costume.


This house is connected to the first house above. The colorful rope lights exude a modern Christmas feel. These houses are probably using LED lights.


Me and my little one's favorite is the second house. She looked very amazed with the spectacular glittery lights. I keep asking her if she's happy and she gives me nods and smiles in return. We only stayed for less than thirty minutes because the crowd got bigger and I bet you noticed how cold it gets nowadays. That made me realize my girl is running out of jackets.


Update: this is another favorite house, the one next to House of Santa Clause. It was simple but as you see, my daughter's face turned bright as the lanterns!
Sound bites: When you wish upon a star.. (Hi-5 version)


Are you excited for the upcoming season? I am! Not just because of the gifts and reunions but also because we're nearing our second wedding anniversary! *teehee*
Happy Christmas shopping to all! :-)

Philips Get LightstyLED Event

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Echoing the belief that “Home is where the heart is”, Royal Philips Electronics, the global leader in lighting solutions, today unveiled its newest range of stylish and versatile LED home lighting solutions, to address the growing demand of Filipino consumers for quality lighting products that combine style and functionality. Light is more than turning on or off a switch. True enough, it can make a difference to our life and our home, affect our mood and transform a room in an instant. I'm sure many of you will agree on that and what make our lives easier is that with the use of Philips LED lighting solutions, there are more possibilities than before.

The event was graced by Fabia Tetteroo-Bueno, General Manager for Philips Lighting Philippines, which according to her speech, “Philips is committed to fully understanding the needs of its consumers. Innovation and design is key to our LED lighting solutions. We continuously strive to develop innovative lighting solutions that can further enhance the quality of people’s lives. By using Philips’ LED lighting solutions, homeowners can transform spaces and enhance the overall human experience. We give our consumers the unique opportunity to see and experience life, as well as its precious moments, through a clearer, more colorful perspective."



Through its comprehensive LED lighting range that offers lamps, luminaires, and controllable ambience solutions, homeowners can transform houses into homes, kitchens and dining rooms into areas that promote bonding and friendship, studies into havens of learning and inspiration and bedrooms into cozy sanctuaries. See below photos taken during the event. Not only it feels home and relaxed having these LED lights, we also get to save energy consumption in as much as 50-80%. That is equally important for Mommies like me who strictly monitors the monthly electricity bill.

My family has been a Philips' loyal customer since then and we intend to continue supporting the brand that commits to meaningful innovations and helps consumers to be mindful of the environment. I am very much pleased to be a part of this launch. Special thanks to Ms. Christine for inviting me on this event.

*Philips diverse range of LED lighting solutions is available in all Philips stores, and in over 30 branches of Wilcon Home Depot nationwide.*