It's #MerrySMChristmas Everyday

My son Charles as Santa's Little Helper at the SM Cubao's holiday display a few years ago.

Thank God for SM!” That’s how my son, who was three-years old then, expressed his happiness when he finally got the toy he describes as something he's “dreaming of all his life.”

It was Charles’ last birthday party and everyone in the family was trying to get her vote: Who had given him the best gift that day? It was quite amusing because, looking at the mountain of presents, gift wrappers with SM logos dominated the landscape. This is understandable because SM Megamall is just a few blocks away from our house.

The winner was Papa Lohel who bought the Dinosaur toy for his very makulit apo. We were thinking of filing a protest because we found out that he secretly asked Charles what he wanted for her birthday when they visited SM a week before the occasion. But we decided not to after he promised to treat us to dinner the following week. As usual, it was at the SM Food Court.

I got served served at Army Navy - SM Megamall

Speaking of Papa Lohel, another funny incident happened on his birthday recently. Knowing that he likes Sahara brand polo shirts, it was a no-brainer that this would be a gift he would surely appreciate. So when he opened his presents, he was amused to find three almost identical shirts — one from his wife Inday, one from daughter Hazel and one from daughter-in-law Minnie. Blame it on SM, they said. Good thing they all had different tastes in color.

Basically, SM has been a part of our family’s everyday life since it opened. From the food we eat, the plates, forks and spoons we buy, our frying pans and stoves, to the clothes we wear — even my boxers come from SM. I am a bargain bin scavenger and I’m not shy to say it: yup, one of my pairs of boxer shorts came from there.

With my boo at SM Cubao Toy Section

No important family occasion passes without a touch of SM. The mall is true to its motto: “We’ve got it all for you.” It’s like a one-stop candy store and we’re like kids excited to buy our stuff, going to one escalator to another.  Look for new appliances? Pick up home improvement tools and materials? Clothes to impress our partners? Where is the best place to buy Christmas gifts?  You can do all these things in one place, at the most reasonable prices, only at SM. And I still haven’t mentioned that we also do our groceries, bill payments and even banking at SM. (I must sound like a hard-sell TV commercial, but I’m sure I am not the only one.)

Rain or shine, I love joining events at the SM Activity Center

Speaking of Christmas, I am so grateful to my favorite mall simply because I have had a lot of great experiences and memories that happened there that can make me feel like it’s the happiest time of the year. My first date as a high school geek was inside SM Megamall. The first thing I bought with my very first paycheck was at the SM Record Bar (it was a cassette tape of the Eraserheads’ “Sticker Happy” album). I bought my first cellphone (a Nokia 5110) at SM City, Sta. Mesa. I could write a book on my life’s firsts and SM would be mentioned in many, many chapters.

It's a wrap! We're ready for the exchange gifts.

Thus, for me a #MerrySMChristmas does not just happen during December. It can happen any time  of the year. That magical feeling that you get when you give your best effort to scan every shirt designs at the SM Teen section to find the gift that can make your younger brother happy. How about the endless window shopping with your best friends and your promise that you will buy them all they want the moment you win the jackpot in lotto? Or buying baby cloths and feeding bottles with your pregnant wife who’s expecting your first baby soon, and moments like you care to share the spirit of Christmas to children of orphanages and charitable institution through the SM Cares Program's Bears of Joy.

Ahhh…  the joy that one can only find in SM. The spirit of giving that we thought can only or should only happen during the holidays is unfolding every day in our favorite shopping mall.

    

Thus, I totally agree with my son, “Thank God for SM!”

It's like a Merry Christmas for Charles in every visit to his favorite section at any SM Mall.

You too can experience a #MerrySMChristmas, visit http://bit.ly/MerrySMChristmas for more details on events of the nearest SM Mall in your place this season. Also, watch this cute video “How #MerrySMChristmas Begins” featuring Cheska and Kendra Kramer. Happy holidays, everyone!