It’s that time of the year again. With the Yuletide season already upon us, everyone is all agog with excitement and anticipation. People will have a few days of respite from the monotony of everyday life. They are thrilled at the prospect of being surrounded by family and friends, of spending time with each other, of having some fun, of touching base, of catching up with each other’s lives, and of creating beautiful experiences that will make for priceless and lasting memories.

With all the festivities, though, come the monumental traffic jams, the annoying noise and crowds, and the long queues. People are looking for the perfect way to balance the perks and the inconveniences of this magical season. Well, you need not look far.

At the heart of the metropolis is the city that could make it all happen for you.

Taking a staycation instead of an out-of-town vacation may be what you need. It’s a lot cheaper and it does not involve travel planning, travel time and travel stress. You’ll have ample time to enjoy the things that you want to do with the people who truly matter to you.

Join me in exploring the dazzling city of Makati with everything that it has to offer. (For more information, visit www.makeitmakati.com)

1. Festival of Lights. Delight in Makati’s holiday atmosphere with a visit to the Ayala Triangle Gardens where blazing lights transform the place into a magical paradise. With more than a million lights that twinkle, flash and change colors to the beat of Christmas musical medleys, the hearts of the revelers –both kids and grown-ups– will surely be filled with holiday cheer. This lights and sound show was hailed by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the 7 Most Spectacular Light Shows in the World.

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2. Circuit’s Christmas Tree. Bask in the wondrous season as this 56-foot outdoor Christmas tree, the most interactive of its kind in Makati, lights up and looms high from Nov. 18 to January 8, 2017. Heavily laden with the bright and merry feels of Christmas, the immersive Christmas Tree installation will undoubtedly bring the unmistakable Christmas spirit alive.

3. Ultimate shopping experience. Makati is dotted with shopping malls perfect for all your Holiday shopping needs. It also boasted of the biggest outdoor bazaar, the Circuit Makati Bazaar, that featured over 500 merchants offering a wide array of gift items, food, clothes and other holiday delights, plus celebrity booths, musical performances, and outdoor games.

4. Superb dining destinations. All that walking and Christmas shopping will leave you with a growling stomach. Worry not because Makati is brimming with restaurants (fine dining, cheap eats or romantic lounges), coffee shops, drive-thrus, stands and kiosks. Experience the celebrated Makati nightlife with all its bars, pubs, clubs, bistros and watering holes. You will definitely have a good time with your colleagues and friends. And Mastercard has some amazing offerings for their cardholders. March to Spectrum at Fairmont Hotel for their 3+1 offer on their delightful lunch and dinner buffet and, then, to Long Bar at Raffles Makati during their Happy Hour to enjoy one (1) complimentary choice of their sumptuous tapas.

5. Spas and wellness centers. If you need to slow down and relax, drop by these sanctuaries for the weary where you will be pampered and rejuvenated. With their soothing spaces and natural therapies, your body, mind and spirit will get the royal treatment and indulgence that they deserve. If you have a Mastercard, go to Willow Stream Spa as they offer 30% off on regular spa treatments. Consider this life’s simple pleasure your Christmas gift for yourself.

6. Accessibility. Don your most comfy shoes because you won’t need your ride in going around — to the parks with friends to breathe some fresh air, to the cinema to support your favorite MMFF movie entry, to the museums and art galleries for a quick educational trip, and to the Greenbelt Chapel or to the Ayala Triangle Gardens. To give meaning to the season, Thanksgiving masses will be held daily from December 15 – 23 at the ATG Fountain Area every evening at 6pm.

7. Finest hotels. You’ll never find Makati wanting when it comes to accommodations. This Christmas season, treat your family to a staycation. There’s a host of activities that will keep you entertained while bonding you as a family even closer. You can go swimming, get some exercise at the gym, play board games, or engage in a movie marathon. Hotels can also be a private party venue for your barkada. If it’s just you and your partner, though, you can enjoy your little romantic rendezvous by dancing to slow music, snuggling while watching your favorite holiday romantic flicks, whispering sweet nothings, and making slow, sweet love. If it’s alone time you’re after, your staycation will see you catching up on your reading, meditating, downloading songs and updating your holiday playlist in your ipod, or wrapping the gifts you meticulously picked for family, friends and colleagues.

INQUIRER.NET/Lorelei Aquino