‘Namamasko po!’ When celebs went caroling

(Conclusion)

In this part two of our forum, the Inquirer interviewed other singers and musicians, who reminisced about some of their most unforgettable experiences going from one doorstep to another—with makeshift instruments in tow—in hopes of chancing upon a household that wouldn’t drive them away before they could even sing a single word.

KYLA

I grew up in Tondo. My friends and I used to collect cola bottle crowns on the street, hammer them flat, punch holes in them, and turn them into makeshift tambourines.

We also used dishpans, spoons and forks as instruments. We went from house to house. We knocked on doors and begged that their gates be opened.

Some gave us 25 centavos; many more yelled, “Patawad!” We didn’t take the singing seriously then. I didn’t even know I could sing well at the time. It was just like a game for all us. We did it for fun; for the thrill of running away as we get shouted at!

I also enjoyed going to Bulacan, where the entire family, on my mother’s side, used to gather. We did palayok games. We would line up in front of our godparents and ask for money. I so miss that.

Things aren’t the same now that we have our own families; now that some of us live abroad. Airfare isn’t cheap! But I hope we could all do it again one day.

JED MADELA

My friends and I would craft makeshift tambourines from bottle caps and drums from milk cans. In Iloilo, our neighbors would happily open their doors to us and really listen to us sing. They would even serve us merienda, apart from money. I would never forget how good that felt.

After making our rounds in the evening, we would huddle and sit in one corner, divide our earnings and buy candies at the store. But it wasn’t really about the money—at the end of the day, it was about spending time with friends and making great memories.

KARYLLE

I was part of a choir when I was in high school. We would walk from house to house, then ride a van and go village-hopping. Our first time to go caroling was very fulfilling for me, because we were able to raise money to buy medical equipment for Ospital ng Maynila. It was such a positive experience I will never forget.

I would love to do it again. But with the traffic these days—good luck! I was recently at my mom’s (Zsa Zsa Padilla), and I had this urge to sing at random doorsteps. Just for fun. But I’m afraid they would mistake me for a thief or something (laughs)!

YENG CONSTANTINO

I’m a shy person—more so when I was child. I dreaded being dragged by my mom to my godparents’ house to ask for money. I was like, “Ma, please, no!” Ironically, I didn’t have any problem caroling at people’s houses in our village. I went with a group of friends and sang using our makeshift instruments.

We started at 6 p.m. and called it a night at 9 p.m. The best thing, of course, is counting all the coins we received!

NAR CABICO

I consider Christmas caroling as one of my early training grounds for performing!

Growing up in a Muslim subdivision in Zamboanga City, my family and I would go to friends’ homes and sing for them. This became a family tradition of sorts for us … I also remember that, at one point, even our dog joined us as we went caroling, howling along as we sang.

And unlike regular children carolers, we would rehearse full songs and sing them in harmony.

It’s amazing how Christmas tunes can break barriers between religions—Muslim or Christian, we celebrate Christmas through music.