Christmas shopping's halfway done

It's been two years that my husband and I give Christmas gifts that benefit poor communities (read Gifts that give). This is going to be the third year, and I've started really early.

The Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED) is one of our favorite beneficiaries. They help the teachers, principals and other school officials of our public education system by providing continuing mastery of subjects (most of our teachers cannot afford further studies on their own) and management workshops for school officials (most of whom were not trained for their positions). And with the state the Philippine public school system is in, they need all the help they can get!

Anyway, last December, ACED was selling cakes, Christmas cards and planners to help raise funds for their programs. We bought cakes for some of our friends, but since I already had Christmas cards, we didn't buy those. But I told them that if they had any left over in January, to give me a call and I'd buy them. Last week, I got an email from them saying they had 25 boxes, so I went over to get them. They were offering me a discount, but I declined—what for, if part of our purpose is to help them. Later in the week, I got another email saying that more had been returned by groups which helped them sell the cards last Christmas. I'm thinking of getting them all, but I'll consult my husband first—it's as many as the first batch!

ACED's cards are based on artwork made by students in their partner public schools. They come eight to a box, and the boxes are green and red and pretty enough as gift boxes. And that's what we'll be using them for this year—as early gifts to our friends. Maybe one red and one green box, tied together with a gold ribbon, and a tag saying that it's an early Christmas gift so they can use it for their own Christmas gifts. We'll give them mid-November, before most finish their shopping.

My only problem now is to find a spot to store them well, a place that doesn't get hot or moist—very difficult, considering Manila's climate.