[Personal Update] Santa's Elves for a Day

Yesterday, December 18, 2013, I've been a little too occupied the whole day because of preparing for our classroom Christmas Party on the 21st.

As much as I like being a lazy-ass, I am the class tyrant/dictator/supreme ruler president of my section so I had no choice but to step up and play nice.

For a day, I and a couple of classmates and friends, had to journey through the downtown of Iloilo City to buy toys for 100 kids while on a budget. We also had to buy candies for the goody bags that we planned to give away, and had to prepare prizes for the games we planned to facilitate on the 21st.

To be honest, I was spent by mid-afternoon, but we accomplished a lot so I would say that our efforts weren't for naught. Also, we were like Santa's Elves for a day! We wrapped toys and candies and made sure that everyone had a little something. It was fun although a little tiresome. haha

Oh, and one interesting coincidence is that way back in November, I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts that I originally wanted to give out toys to the children in my neighborhood this Christmas. I had money saved up for it, but it never came through because typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan hit the Philippines. Instead of the toy giveaway that I was planning to hold, I donated what little money I saved up to the relief efforts for the victims of the typhoon. I even joined the relief operations organized by my school.

I was without any budget and I thought I would not be able to give toys to children this Christmas.

Coincidentally, when my section had a meeting about our Christmas Party, we decided that instead of having a usual party, we could just hold it in Ivisan, Capiz and do a good deed for the victims of the typhoon. Ivisan, Capiz is one of the areas that was badly hit by the typhoon back in November, and up until now, electricity still has yet to be restored to the area.

We also came to agree that our Christmas Party will be for the benefit of the children in Ivisan, Capiz.

Another coincidence was that a week before our meeting about the class Christmas Party, I was able to earn some extra money and was contemplating to revive my original plan to give toys to children for Christmas.

So by some very fortunate turn of events, I was given a bit of budget and an opportunity to give toys to children! It was like when I decided to do something good, the world moved and gave me a chance to do it! The coincidences are just whoah!

I could not help but think of that specific quote from Harry Potter by Luna Lovegood --- >

I lost the opportunity to give toys to the children in my neighborhood, but I was given a chance to give toys to the children in Ivisan, Capiz. I was alone in my original plan, but I ended up being with my classmates and friends for our Christmas Party good deed. =) Amazing, if I may say so myself.

Here are some pictures I've taken yesterday after we finished our tasks:

Oh, and before I get accused of being too kind or selfless, the truth is, I'm actually not. Hee. I made sure to give myself a gift this Christmas, too! =)

I got myself J.R.R. Tolkien's complete Lord of the Rings paperback set, and a copy of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass.

After all, you could never really give love unless you love yourself first.

<--- This is me expressing my great love for myself because I love myself too much!! haha!