Hate the Christmas rush? Head to Noel Bazaar at Filinvest Tent Alabang

If you have been to the Noel Bazaar at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, there's no reason why you shouldn't check out the one at the Filinvest Tent Alabang.

For some reason, Noel Bazaar in Alabang has a different vibe: the place is not as big as the one in WTC but it's not crowded.

The shoppers aren't rushing as much and the vendors are eager to take all your inquries, give you tips, and let you browse freely through their wares.

The bazaar, one of the country's biggest and longest-running shopping events, has a distinct Southern vibe in Alabang.

It's perfect for those who hate the Christmas rush and want to enjoy their shopping experience.

Noel Bazaar will run from December 2 to 4 at Filinvest Tent in Alabang's business district. The doors open at 11:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

Noel Bazaar is presented by GMA Network for the benefit of various charities including the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

Justine Bautista, Business Development Officer of Cut Unlimited, the organizer of Noel Bazaar, told GMA News Online that there are fewer stores at the Noel Bazaar in Alabang, compared to WTC.

Noel Bazaar at WTC had over 400 shops and food stalls while the one at Filinvest Tent has only 200.

Still, Bautista said the shops are "well-curated" as they made sure there's a good balance in the kinds of products being offered at Filinvest Tent, which is near hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, and mid-to-high end residential communities.

Bautista said there's no GMA Kapuso Foundation's Celebrity Ukay Ukay booth at the Filinvest Tent although it was one of the most popular spots at the Noel Bazaar in WTC.

She assured shoppers though that the booth, which featured pre-loved personal items of Kapuso celebrities, will be back in the third and final leg of the Noel Bazaar at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from December 15 to 18.

Bautista did mention that one Kapuso star, Mark Herras, has a booth at the Filinvest Tent. It features some of Mark's personal collections such as a special edition pair of rubber shoes that the actor bought for P16,500, never got the chance to wear it, and is selling it for P9,500 for the charitable endeavors of the Noel Bazaar.

The booth also features special, pre-loved shoes of Mark's girlfriend, actress Wyn Marquez, aside from authentic NBA jerseys as well as gadgets such as drones and a wristwatch phone.

Another interesting booth at the Noel Bazaar at Filinvest Tent is the shop that features pre-loved luxury bags from a Japanese pawnshop.

The shop purchases pawned Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach and other brand name bags that were no longer claimed by their owners.

The booth also features KitKat chocolate flavors that are unique to Japan such as sake, cranberry, and green tea.

Crimson Hotel, located in Alabang, also has a booth at the Noel Bazaar featuring their Christmas baskets and goodies. Red velvet and shortbread cookies go for P248 per pack (120 grams), chocolate Santa is also P248, a box of truffles is P498.

Gingerbread houses range from P750 to P998, cheesecake is P748 but panetone bread goes as high as P1,298.

For those who love seafood, there's gourmet bangus that ranges from P195 to P225; gourmet tuyo for P215, and gourmet bagoong for P185.

There's also a special kind of candles made in Australia from eco-friendly soy wax, are paraffin-free, and use fragrances that adhere to international standards.

Each fragrance tells a story about the life of the lady who hand-pours each jar of candle: "19 Tyler" made of cinnamon, apple and pine oils is about the place where she grew up; "Basque" made of frangipani and coconut oils is where her mother hails from; "Miracle" made of rose and baby powder oils, was especially concocted when her child was born.

Infinity Candles, which have a burn time of up to 72 hours, are sold at a higher price in luxury shops but cost only P900 to P1,500 at the Noel Bazaar. — LBG, GMA News

All photos by Riz Pulumbarit