shopee – Page 3 – Jellybeans in the City

Grab your limited-edition Polland Special Tikoy from Shopee today!

With the Lunar New Year just a few days away, you may have hounded your Chinoy friends to send you some tikoy, am I right?

More widely known as Chinese New Year because most of the traditions surrounding it originated from China, the Lunar New Year marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional in countries such as China, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam.

It is a time when families get together to wish each other good fortune, happiness and health. Among the traditions that made its way to our country are wearing red clothes, the festive Dragon Dance, the much-anticipated gifting of ampao – red envelops containing money, and the exchange of Nian gao, which is more commonly known as tikoy.

Nian gao translates to “sticky cake” but it also has a similar sound to the Chinese term for “higher year.” Eating some tikoy during the Lunar New Year therefore symbolizes raising oneself up in the new year. It is also produced in a circular shape, the same shape as money, which is said to attract wealth.

The term tikoy, on the other hand, is the Filipinization of the name tike in Hokkien which translates to “sweet pastry.”

Tikoy is traditionally made with glutinous rice flour, sugar and water. It can be sliced thinly and served as is, but we Pinoys love to dip the slices in egg then lightly fry them until the the outside is slightly crisp and caramelized while the inside is deliciously chewy.

Its lucky connotation and its appeal to the tastebuds make the tikoy a highly sought after delicacy especially at this time of the year.

The good news is that you won’t have to harass your Chinoy friends for some tikoy. Getting some for yourself is easy, thanks to Shopee!

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. With its wide product assortment supported by integrated payments and logistics, it makes it so easy for shoppers like us to find and get what we want and need.

Take our collective enthusiasm for tikoy, for example. By housing the online store of Polland Hopia, Shopee makes it so convenient for to buy our favorite tikoy but also discover new variants that appeal to Pinoy palate such as: White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Ube, Strawberry, Pineapple and Buko Pandan. These tikoy variants are priced at Php125 for small (600 grams) and Php200 for medium (1.2kg).

But don’t stop there! Polland also made limited-edition tikoy that will surely tickle our fancy such as:

Mini Lucky Tikoy (Php100). A 300g white sugar tikoy topped with an intricate strawberry detail for “HOK,” the Chinese character for luck.

Fish Tikoi (Php300). A 350g meticulously handpainted fish-shaped white sugar tikoy. Fish is traditionally served during Lunar New Year because the of how the Chinese word for fish rhymes with the Chinese term for “leftover”. Eating fish during Luna New Year is said to attract bounty such that you will have a lot leftover at the end of the year.

Heart Tikoy (Php100). A 350g strawberry tikoy shaped into a heart. Everyone loves a good mash-up and this tikoy serves as an adequate segue from Lunar New Year on February 12 to Valentine’s Day on February 14.

The sheer variety of tikoy that you can have on your table is sure to add more color and life to your Lunar New Year celebrations.

How about adding more luck into the mix by including Polland’s claim to fame? Since the 1960s, Polland Hopia has been producing deliciously authentic flaky-crusted mung bean cakes, known here as hopia. Aside from the classic Mongo Special (made with yellow mung beans), Polland Hopia expended its hopia repertoire to include Black Mungo (made with black mung beans), Ube (made with purple yam) and Hopia Baboy (made with wintermelon chunks and pork). With their lucky round shape and snackable size, they make for a welcome addition to your Lunar New Year spread or snack stash.

Here’s an idea: how about gifting your pals (especially your Chinoy friends) and wishing them fortune, health and happiness in the Year of the Ox with Polland Hopia products?

Let me know how it goes!

Gong xi fa cai, foodies!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature article.

Not yet done with shopping for your Valentine’s Day treat for the fam? Check out this post on Valentine’s Day gift ideas available on Shopee.

Ten Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale gift ideas you need to add-to-cart now!

Surprise your loved ones with gifts from Shopee’s Valentine’s Day Sale

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love. It’s also a time to recognize other equally important relationships—those we share with our family and friends.

Whether you’re celebrating the occasion with a significant other or not, remember to show your appreciation to other loved ones as well. Let them know that they’re on your mind this special day. The world could always do with a little more love to go around!

On February 14, surprise them with the thoughtful gifts below. You can get up to 90% off on these gifts and more at Shopee’s Valentine’s Day Sale.

Cowin Wireless Sweatproof Earphones

Has your brother ruined several earphones while working out? Get him the Cowin Wireless Sweatproof Earphones. It touts water-resistant earbuds, superior sound quality, and up to six hours of playtime.

Xiaomi Mi Band 5

Encourage your dad to get started on his fitness journey with the Xiaomi Mi Band 5. This smartwatch tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. It also monitors the heart rate and sleep cycle. The battery can last up to 20 days on standby.

Pineng Powerbank

Is your sibling’s phone constantly running out of juice? Get them the Pineng Powerbank, which has built-in battery protection to prevent overcharging and short-circuiting. It runs on a capacity of 3.7V/20 000mAh 74Wh and can charge two devices at a time.

Sesame Street Sleepwear

Treat your pamangkin to cute new jammies. Each pajama set is made of cotton spandex, so it’s breathable and comfortable to wear. This also comes in adult sizes perfect for kids at heart.

Bling Light 3D Night Light

Know someone who’s obsessed with all things hallyu? Buy her this adorable finger heart-shaped Bling Light 3D Night Light! This compact lamp comes with three light color options: yellow, white, and warm white.

Vice Cosmetics Kavouge Everyday Palette

For your makeup junkie pal, the Vice Cosmetics Kavogue Everyday Palette features 12 multi-purpose powders for filling in the brows, adding color to the cheeks, and creating flawless eye looks. This product also comes with a handy makeup mirror.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser

If you’re tired of your sister constantly rummaging through your skincare stash, it’s time to help her build her own regimen. CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is non-comedogenic, non-irritating, and fragrance-free. It effectively removes dirt, oil, and makeup while retaining moisture.

Eco Natural Bamboo Toothbrush

Help a friend through their sustainability journey with gifts that won’t end up in landfills. The Eco Natural Bamboo Toothbrush is made of a durable bamboo handle and petroleum-based plastic bristles that will biodegrade within months.

Gun Massager

Your super mom works hard to take care of the whole family, so treat her to a well-deserved massage. This Gun Massager alleviates muscle stiffness and enhances blood circulation. It also features four massage heads and six variable speeds.

Anti-Aging Eye Patches

Everyone has that one busy tita. She’ll love using these Anti-Aging Eye Patches during her downtime. These soothing, moisturizing collagen patches are great at reducing puffy eyebags and dark circles.

Don’t miss out on the chance to score big discounts on these gifts and more at the Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale. Enjoy up to 90% off until February 14.

For more deals, don’t forget to top up your ShopeePay! Until February 28, enjoy 10% cashback on all cashback shops when you use ShopeePay.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Images and details provided in a recent press release.

Three reasons to take up coloring books as your quarantine hobby

Stuck at home because of the quarantine and you’re itching for a way to break the monotony of the days passing by?

Why not do something creative? Drawing or painting from scratch or learning to play an instrument may seem daunting but you can always start with something relatively easy. Coloring books, for example.

For quite some time now, this erstwhile niche pastime has evolved into a trendy pursuit for many, who swear by its contributions to their mental well-being. In a 2016 CNN Report, certified art therapist and Clinical Assistant Professor and NYU’s Program Coordinator for its Graduate Art Therapy Program Marygrace Berberian posited that while coloring books is not the same as completing an art therapy session, it “definitely has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus or bring about more mindfulness.”

Wondering how coloring books can bring about a more peaceful and productive state of being? Read on.

1) It can calm a busy mind.

The basic and repetitive motions you use to fill in the intricate designs with shades and hues can engage your mind but also quiet down your anxiety.

2) It can help you catch some zzzs.

With the increase in people’s anxiety levels over the COVID-19 pandemic, the forced isolation to maintain social distancing as well as the abrupt changes in daily routines have led to many reported cases of sleeplessness.

Engaging in an relaxing spate of coloring activity instead of staring at gadget screens, or worse, news reports (!) before bedtime may facilitate a more restful slumber.

3) It can unleash your creativity.

Filling in the blank shapes in coloring books is akin to collaborating with their artists in bringing their work to life. Choosing the colors and applying various strokes are also decisions driven by your own creative vision and executed within your control.

Keep this up and maybe soon, you’ll find yourself more confident in applying your re-developing creativity and decisiveness in other aspects of your life such as your home or career.

Ready to pick up your pencils, markers and crayons but have limited access to coloring books that catch your fancy? Worry no more.

E-commerce platform Shopee hosts Shopping on the Side’s online store filled with adult coloring books sourced from all over the world. Here, you can take your pick among a wide variety of books from meditative mandala patterns, whimsical drawings of fairies, intricate illustrations of travel destinations to humorous comic strips. Shopping on the Side is well-rated by Shopee users who praise the shop’s premium and high quality inventory, immediate shipping of ordered items and secure packaging.