Eating pizza that the big boss treated us to for lunch.

She doesn’t normally do this, so I'm taking advantage of this sudden burst of generosity.

For this Christmas, she gave all of us a gift package from The Body Shop. It contains a traveler's size combination bath gel and lotion of in White Musk. A cool enough gift if only I wouldn’t end up smelling like the a third of the support staff.

This is her first year of giving gifts—probably her only year considering the project will be ending and she’ll be shipping out by end of January next year. Last year she just kind of watched in fascination as the consultants handed the support staff gifts.

This year she caught on and raided The Body Shop gift section. Granted that everyone loves bath stuff, especially ones that come from The Body Shop, but the least she could have done was to diversify and to take off the price as well as the 10% discount tag.

It’s the thought that counts, yeah, yeah. I’m like wondering what thought was that? This wasn't a smarmy cheap gift or a hastily wrapped packaged, this was something that she picked up off some counter because she felt obligated and left out.

People still remember the maple candy incident. (a box of 24-piece Maine Maple candy that she brought home from the States to be shared amongst 35 people)

Hello, Martha Stewart! Rachel Ashwell! Jeebus, Katie Brown, somebody help this girl!

Maybe it's because it’s not the American way to give your officemates small gifts for Christmas. Heck I don't think these people give away anything that isn't a grant or tax deductible, or at least provide ample media coverage…positive media coverage.

Filipinos are so used to picking up trinkets for other people.

Sure, the stocks of scented candles and picture frames can be pretty annoying, but that’s the kind of gift where you will stop and say "It’s the thought that counts". They considered the scent, the price, heck what the shit looks like. They didn’t just wander in some store and thought "well, that looks okay, I can afford it" and it’s off to the checkout counter.

Here, let me just hand you a clean conscience. That way you’re free of any obligation.

I know I should just be thankful that I received something, but I don’t think she realized why people do this here.

You do it because you this because it's Christmas and you feel like giving. You do this because you want to make other people smile with your token. You do this because it’s tradition and it’s just a thoughtful thing to do.

I’ve had some really bad and useless gifts, but I appreciated them all the more because the people who bought them spent some time on it.

The best thing about this is at least she’s learning. There’s no doubt that she'll revert to herself when she's back in the States, but at least there is this small patch at the back of her brain that has at least learned something about social gift giving.

Maybe that ought to be a rule: If you don’t feel like giving a gift, then don’t. Other wise you will be found out.