It’s September, which means the “Ber” months are officially here.
If you’re Filipino or familiar with Jose Mari Chan, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If not, allow me to explain.
“Ber months” is our rather cheerful way of referring to the months that end in -ber: September, October, November and December. And in the Philippines, the arrival of September more or less signals the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season.
Yes, Christmas.
In September.
Don’t look at us like that. 😂
Filipinos are famously enthusiastic about Christmas, and once September rolls around, the countdown begins. Christmas songs start making their way into playlists, decorations slowly appear, gift lists begin taking shape, and before you know it, you’re wondering how December arrived so quickly.
Living in Singapore, I suspect we’re not entirely alone in this. Christmas may not quite start in September here, but the malls certainly know how to get us thinking about it early!
And since we’re now officially in the “Ber” months, I thought it was a good time to announce a little something I’m doing with my commissioned pet portraits this Christmas.
One for Christmas, one for keeps.
For the next three months, I’m running a little Ber Months Special.
Book an A4 commissioned pet portrait between 1 September and 15 November 2026, and I’ll include a complimentary A5 pet portrait with it.
The A4 portrait can be a Christmas gift for someone special, a memorial piece for someone who has lost a beloved pet, or simply something you’ve been wanting for yourself.
Because let’s be honest — we don’t always need an excuse to have our pets immortalised on paper.
The A4 commission will feature one pet, and will be priced according to my usual rate of S$4.20 per square inch. The complimentary A5 will also feature one pet, and can be of the same pet or another pet you’d like me to draw.
And yes, the A5 is my gift to you. 😊
There is, however, one little catch.
The A4 is the Christmas commission. The A5 is the bonus.
I’ll prioritise the A4 commission so that it can be completed in time for Christmas, provided it is booked and confirmed by 15 November. Commissions booked after that date may still be completed before Christmas, but I won’t be able to guarantee it as my commission schedule fills up.
The complimentary A5, on the other hand, will be scheduled separately from the A4. It may very well be ready in time for Christmas…or it may arrive later.
And I’m perfectly okay with that.
In fact, I rather like the idea that the A5 can become a little post-Christmas surprise — something to look forward to after all the Christmas madness is over.
A few things to know
This special is available for Singapore deliveries only and applies to A4 commissions featuring one pet.
Each qualifying A4 commission comes with one complimentary A5 single-pet portrait. The A5 can feature the same pet or another pet, subject to discussion and a suitable reference photo.
The complimentary artwork has no cash value and cannot be exchanged for a discount or another item. It must be redeemed within 12 months of the original A4 commission.
If you’d like your A4 portrait framed and ready to gift, framing can also be arranged at an additional cost.
Otherwise, you can have it delivered unframed and choose the frame yourself — which is what many of my clients prefer to do.
So…who’s this really for?
Maybe you’re already thinking about Christmas gifts.
Maybe there’s someone in your family who still talks about a dog they lost years ago.
Maybe your best friend’s cat is basically her child.
Or maybe you just looked at your own pet and thought, “You know what? I want a drawing of that face.”
That’s good enough for me.
And here’s another way to look at it: book the A4 portrait for yourself, and gift the complimentary A5 to someone else.
You get a portrait of your own beloved pet, someone else gets a little piece of art for Christmas, and everybody wins.
A win-win, if you ask me. 😊
Because while Christmas is technically about giving, there’s nothing wrong with keeping a little something for yourself too.
So if you’ve been thinking about commissioning a pet portrait, the Ber months might just be the right time.
One A4 portrait for Christmas. One A5 portrait for keeps.
A little something extra from me to you.
And because this is a limited seasonal special, the offer runs only until 15 November 2026.
Now excuse me while I start creating a Christmas playlist.
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