tnppostwoman.com archives

Germaine Says: Buying Christmas presents has never been my forte. I never know what to get friends and family.

Besides, I prefer to splurge on more indulgent presents on birthdays. And even then, I sometimes ask the recipients what they’d like. After all, what’s a present when someone doesn’t like it and won’t ever come close to using it? 

This year, however, marks a departure. I want to get everyone around me a little something. Maybe the gloom of the prevailing economic downturn has inspired this change and wanting to spread a little Christmas cheer has driven this ‘mission’. Suffice to say, the shopping bit hasn’t been wallet-friendly. Little amounts added up rather substantially.

So now that I’ve busted the budget and can’t afford to buy anything anymore, I’ve turned to the next best option: handmade gifts. A friend warned me, “Don’t even bother. They won’t appreciate it.” But I have no choice and time is running out. Besides, the overly crowded streets of Orchard Road scare me.

While I have never been an arts and craft person (I never did well in the subject at school), I’ve been in a baking frenzy. Why not put my trusty mixer and oven to good use and treat my friends, I thought. Hopefully, my friends will appreciate the effort. It doesn’t take much to spread a little Christmas cheer in such gloomy recessionary times.

After all, it’s the thought that counts.

Tell Us: How are you keeping costs low during this festive, gift-giving period? What do you think of handmade gifts?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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Since the season to be merry has been somewhat tainted by the economic crisis,people are increasingly frugal and gone are the days most of us can expect extravagant presents.That does not mean the Christmas spirit is purged, as if they are the number of digits on the bank account balances. Here are a number of ways to keep costs low while engaging in the festivities.

.Be selective about where we shop, lots of bargain stores such as Daiso carry little ornaments which will fit snugly at homes anywhere for the price of two dollars. It’s probably made from the same factory as those nine dollar ornaments at upmarket stores anyway,why pay more?

.A festival meal does not have to cost an arm and a leg.With merchants comprehending the depths of the the economic crisis,the likes of Waruku are presenting bigger portions and better valued set meals. A conversation over a meal can make a great gift.

.Buying things in bulk can help.A gifts store had a little fair at Suntec Atrium featuring impeccably packaged sweets at just over a dollar per pack.That can be a nice heart warmer for casual friends.

.Drinks tend to be cheaper by the carton behind close doors, as compared to those found within mugs in clubs. A house party tends to be messier but easier on the pocket. It helps in avoiding hefty taxi bills as well. Just sleep in and hit the first train/bus the next morning.

Home made gifts are a real option.True friends will not sulk at such presents because they can be straight from the heart and easier on the pocket.One should not look at the gift horse in the mouth and for most cases, the value of the presents should be secondary to the emotions invested. Whether it’s little knick knacks or home made butterscotch cookies, they can all make a real friend smile. The time invested is just as valuable as thick wads of cash spent making hefty purchases. At least true friends will appreciate it, as for the rest of the folks who may be less sincere, the less we talk about them, the better!

Peng Tie Lun

Germaine Says: Some of us aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

And enterprising celebrities have made their lifestyles accessible by launching personal products.

You may begin by spritzing Magnifique to smell like Anne Hathaway, who is the face of the Lancome perfume. For Halle Berry’s enviable complexion, put on some Revlon makeup.

Now, celebrities are banking on real estate endorsements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), even if there are no obvious links between both parties.

Hilary Swank, Brad Pitt and Shah Rukh Khan have been named as spokespersons for various properties in the UAE.

While Khan has played movie characters involved in the construction business, Pitt is perhaps the most accomplished ‘builder’ of the trio as he is involved in a rebuilding project in Hurricane Katrina-devastated New Orleans.

Champion golfer Tiger Woods has also swung his way into Dubai with a 200-membership residential golf community. Not to be outdone, design gurus like Donatella Versace, Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld are introducing their fashionable way of life with eponymous residences and hotels.

Do such ventures lead us closer to celestial living?

For one, you would need at least US$7 million to get your hands on one of these exclusive properties. And even if you are loaded, sale of projects like Swank-endorsed The World is by invitation only.

Tell us: Will you be sold on such brand name associations? Will you buy a property because your favourite idol is its ambassador?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number. 

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LETTERS VIA E-MAIL

Branding is a very delicate business. When a celebrity is linked with a product because of obvious connections, it can be a mutually beneficial arrangement. For example, if Korean actress Song Hye Kyo flashes her fair skin as she convinces TV viewers about the benefits of a skin whitener, Miss Song will have a heavier wallet and the cases of skin whiteners will disappear instantaneously from storehouses. They will make their way to the hands of adoring fans who wants to emulate their favourite stars’ skin. However, if there is no direct bridge between the product and the celebrity, it can appear misguided at best and mercenary at worst. How many dodgy advertisements featuring celebrities and inappropriate products do we need?

Singapore is a very pragmatic society and people will not be easily swayed when it comes to expensive products. It’s one thing to convince someone to shell out a few bucks and another to make them take up a massive commitment like a house. Just think about the massive endorsement fees that the celebrities will command and where all the money comes from. As much as I like a celebrity, I will not spend my hard-earned money lining his pockets to such a massive scale. A CD, concert, or even a perfume in his name, sure. Getting a ‘Song Hye Kyo’ apartment for twice that of a similarly positioned but unbranded unit is simply out of the question.

In such economically lean times, people will err on the side of safety and it’s intriguing why people would shell out massive sums. As the gap between the rich and poor widens, social ills will becoming increasingly dominant. The money that a single rich person spends on luxuries can serve the needs of many poor folks. May the rich always retain their social consciousness!
Peng Tie Lun

Shah Rukh Khan has this exclusive property in UAE - The Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard - and from endorsing watches to budget cars (which of course he does not use) to satellite TV operators, the list goes on.

It leaves me to ponder why we have given celebrities so much importance in our lives, that instead of trying to find ourselves, we are caught aping others.
Clothes, watches, perfumes are understandable. But why would I want to stay in a place that has walls painted of Shah Rukh? It doesn’t make sense. If we try to build a home where we would live with peace and love, then what is Mr Khan doing there?

The fault is clearly in us, as we have been time and again misled, wearing the same shoes as Beyonce doesn’t make you Beyonce, applying L’Oreal makeup doesn’t make you Aishwarya Rai and living in The Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard doesn’t make Mr Khan your neighbour.

How realistic would such a world be? Isn’t it enough that we see them weekly for three hours of entertainment? But letting them take over our lives like this is complete madness. I guess those houses were built for the hardcore SRK fans, who would wait hours at the airport to get a glimpse of him, and now they’d just prefer to wait a lifetime.

I would hardly buy a perfume if my favorite celebrity is an ambassador if I don’t like it. But I guess there is a majority of people out there who would, that’s why such brand associations are made. What leaves me perplexed is do people get the brands because they are good or solely based on the fact that it is endorsed by their favourite celebrity?
Sadhna Rai

Germaine Says: So the F1 weekend has finally come and gone.

And what a jam-packed three days of glamourous parties, fine dining and celebrity-spotting it has been. From the F1 party at Attica, to the Vertu party at IndoChine, to the Motor Racing Golf & Gala Dinner on Sentosa. And celebrities like Michelle Yeoh, former F1 driver Damon Hill and 2008 Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza were spotted. Not to mention the slew of eateries around the F1 track which revved up their menus with special F1-related weekend deals.

But in terms of our shopping and nightlife sector, how much have we benefitted from having our first night race on the streets of Singapore? Retailers in the Marina area lamented empty stores and quiet malls as Singaporeans stayed away because of the road closures.

I think we should take things into context. Of course, with hosting a huge event like this, there will be inconveniences on a local scale. But this is the premier motor-racing event in the world and hosting this has put us on the world map with countries like Japan, Italy, Brazil and of course, our neighbour Malaysia. And at the dollar being targetted is not yours but the tourists who come to witness this event.

What’s a few days of inconvenience compared to such bragging rights?

Tell Us: How do you think hosting the F1 race here has helped our entertainment sector? Should we host more races in the future?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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As one of the volunteers in orange overalls,I was standing under the sweltering heat for days on end to end,Hence i can’t claim to be any kind of expert on the FnB options around the vicinity.All i had was packed food and Nuts bars for days.The last thing i would be doing would be to spend my hard earned dollars on overpriced tourist baits.However i do have a few observations to mention.On my way to the track side, i did not notice any significant crowd increment in Citylink Mall nor Marina Square. Throngs of people were there doing their thing as usual. I did not witness any huge crowds at any of the food outlets either.Then again i am always there around noon and the crowd really gets overwhelming at night, closer to race hours.We have all heard of the exorbitant charges some restaurants and hotels have been charging for prime viewing spots during race time, but i don’t think that pocket of a few hours will give our FnB outlets any kind of sig! nificant boost.

As for the other topic, i do believe international events such as IOC 05′ and GP:SG 08′ should be hosted whenever possible for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, tourists may not spend that much on food, but they definitely need a place to stay.The boost to our hotel industry is a massive boon.International VIPS who bump into town for our events may like what they see and see Singapore in a better light.Those global heavyweights can certainly play a part in strengthening our economy with their massive investments!Secondly, it gives our amenities such as the much heralded Singapore International Airport more airtime and that rise in profile will benefit Singapore in both a long and short termed basis.If we can handle such massive crowds, it’s virtually a badge of pride for our operations. Thirdly,it challenges Singapore’s otherwise arguably rigid administration to loosen up and pursue new perspective and angles. Creating the race track in the middle o! f town has to be a innovation we should be proud of.To fit in a long race track in the middle of town entailed a huge shift in mindsets and point of views.We made it happen! Fourthly,there is no better way to tickle sporting afficionados than to present to them their sporting heroes in blood and flesh right in front of them. If you told someone else we would host a night GP a decade ago, we’ll probably get laughed in our faces. Look whose laughing now?

Peng Tie Lun