Christmas Dinner Ideas and The BIG Holiday Outlet Sale (A Giveaway!)

December is the season for fabulous feasts. That time of the year that we go on a diet for. You know, to make room for all the food that we will partake of during all those parties and reunions that we will go to.

Nobody goes on a diet on December. The two words, while they start with the same letter, is simply antithetical. That is why every year, I rack my brain to come up with recipes that will knock everybody's socks off during Noche Buena and Media Noche. Of course there will always be roast beef, but it's always nice to have something new and exciting on the table next to it.

Next to food, family, and friends, it is also the season for shopping. Every year, I seem to forget how frenzied the crowd gets in the malls and it never fails to amaze me. Never mind if the sales come in before and after December and everything on the shelves is at full price, people seem to always do most of their holiday shopping in December. Those people, unfortunately, includes me. It's a good thing that my friend (the new mom), Mossy, told me about this huge 3-day sale starting on December 21, 2012, dubbed as the BIG Holiday Outlet Sale 2012. 

WHEN: December 21-23, 2012, 10a-9p
WHERE: SMX Convention Center, Hall 4, Mall of Asia Complex
WHAT: Sponsored by BPI Edge, SM Cinemas and e-PLUS

• Up to 80% off on select merchandise from major brands

• Free entrance to BPI + e-PLUS cardholders (w/ valid ID)

• Hourly raffle draws for BPI Edge cardholders (1 raffle coupon per P1000 minimum receipt)

• New Brands!

• Havaianas, Vibram Fivefinger, Oakley, Skechers,  Levi's, Dockers, Technomarine, Hush Puppies, Sebago, Cushe, CMG (Celine), Melissa Shoes, Ipanema, Grendha, Adidas, Maldita, Space, Speedo, Uratex, Ikea, McJim Leather, Digital Walker, Rudy Project, JBL, Sennheiser, Creative, Ray-Ban, Homedics, Parker, Giordano, Suki Shoes, Daniel Hechter, Robe di Kappa, Case Logic, JB Music, Guerlain, Shiseido, Majolica Mallorca, JB Sports, Polo Leather, Rustan Marketing, Paul & Joe, Nike Golf, Bridgestone Golf, And-1, Gola, Ryka, Pollywalks, Switch, Philips, Triumph, Jockey, Babolat, and SO MUCH MORE!

I love love love outlet stores and just thinking about event makes me feel all giddy inside. So naturally, I plan to do the rest of my Christmas shopping there. Entrance to the event is Php50. But for everyone with a BPI credit card or those apply for one during the event, entrance is free. Not eligible for free entrance? Let me make this outlet sale sweeter for you...

My Food Notebook and Malibu Enterprise, the good folks behind the BIG Holiday Outlet Sale, are giving away FREE tickets to the event. Just send an email with the subject, "TBHOS" to  and in the body of the email, write your first and last name  and help me figure out what to serve along with my holiday roast beef by completing the sentence:

My favorite holiday food is _____________________.

The first 20 email senders get 2 FREE entrance tickets each to the BIG Holiday Outlet Sale.

Yay!