Meeting Santa

Martin del Rosario—INSTAGRAM

For Martin del Rosario, Christmas brings back a lot of childhood memories, but among the special ones is an experience that debunks a holiday myth.

“It’s probably the time when I discovered who Santa Claus was,” the “Born Beautiful” actor tells the Inquirer. “Si Papa lang pala!”

Martin’s plans for himself this Christmas break are still uncertain, but he’ll be with loved ones at some point. “Just like the previous years, I’d be spending it quietly with my family.”

On what present he’d like to give or receive, the Kapuso heartthrob says, “Maybe something for my condo.”

He adds, “I would probably treat my family to a relaxing weekend in a hotel or resort. They enjoy that a lot.”

Empress Schuck

Looking forward to more parties this year

For Empress Schuck, Christmas Eve is always made more memorable by her mother and her scrumptious cooking.

“I always look forward to our Noche Buena. My mom cooks everything. And it’s no joke because we’re quite a big family; I have four other siblings. She whips up special dishes. I love her kaldereta, as well as her spaghetti with barbecued chicken with honey,” she told the Inquirer.

Christmas this year will be spent in Manila. “But I’m still not sure if it’s going to be with my side of the family, or the father’s side of my daughter Athalia,” she related. “Since I now have an extended family, there are also more celebrations to look forward to.”

For New Year’s Eve, on the other hand, Empress will fly to Singapore. “I just wish for more blessings and continued happiness for me and my family in 2019,” she said. “I hope all my dreams come true; that my endeavors become successful.”

Miles Ocampo

Tricky Christmas

What is Miles Ocampo’s fondest Christmas memory?

“It’s every time I get to spend Christmas Eve with my cousins at our house in Fairview,” the young actress told Inquirer Entertainment. “We live far apart, so we only get to hang out during the holidays. This is why I always look forward to bonding with them—sabay-sabay kaming nagpupuyat at nagkukwentuhan about how life has been treating us the past year.

“But, Christmas Day will be tricky for me this year because I will join a cinema tour to encourage everyone to support my film, ‘One Great Love.’”

‘Santa’s’ visit

Singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan shared his two most memorable Christmas experiences.
He recalled: “My first most memorable Christmas happened when I was 10 years old in Iloilo City, where I was born. That one Christmas Eve, I couldn’t attend the midnight Mass because I had a slight fever. And so, my parents went without me.

“I stayed home, sat beside the Christmas tree and listened to the radio, which at one point—quite aptly—played ‘The Little Christmas Tree’ by Nat King Cole. I dozed off. The next thing I remembered, I was being awakened by my mother, who had just gotten home. Then, she handed me my Christmas present.

“The other most memorable Christmas happened much later, in New York, where we lived from 1975 to 1986.

“One Christmas Eve, when the children were all asleep, I got my pair of rubber boots, put powder on the soles and made foot tracks from the fireplace going to the Christmas tree and back.

“The following morning, the kids were all like, ‘Santa was here!’”—OLIVER PULUMBARIT, MARINEL R. CRUZ AND ALLAN POLICARPIO