House-to-house Christmas caroling and watching MMFF movies

Toni Gonzaga recalled that every Christmas Eve, until she turned 12 years old, she and sister Alex would go around their subdivision to knock on neighbors’ gates and ask for money.

“Our neighbors would give us P20s, P50s or P100s. The biggest aginaldo we got was P500,” she shared with the Inquirer.

“We would use the money we’ve collected to buy movie tickets, which was only priced at P50 back then.”

“What’s funny is that, these days, kami naman ang kinakatok ng mga bata. It’s time to give back the blessings,” Toni said.

Toni Gonzaga

She added: “We enjoyed watching MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival) movies, especially the ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ series.”

Sister Alex’s favorite Christmas memory is also watching movies that were part of the annual MMFF. “Finally, we will have our own film at the MMFF,” she beamed.

Alex was referring to the romantic comedy “Mary, Marry Me,” which also stars her sister, Toni, and Sam Milby. “This year, we will watch the movie with our respective families.”

Alex Gonzaga

Toni said her family didn’t plan any vacation this year because her work as host of the reality show “Pinoy Big Brother” had been keeping her busy, even during the holidays.

Christmas in Canada

Ariel Rivera and Gelli de Belen are in Canada this Christmas season to visit their two boys, who are currently studying there.

“We’ll stay in Canada for two weeks. I’ve been super excited to see them,” said Gelli, who admitted she would oftentimes cry because she missed them. “Ours was a very cold Christmas—the ‘winter wonderland’ kind!”

Gelli de Belen and Ariel Rivera

Ariel said his favorite Christmas memory was in Canada, when he was just 5 years old. “I got a toboggan (a long but narrow sled). I was so happy! I remember that it snowed on the morning that I received it, so I got to use it as soon as I opened it,” he recalled.

Bittersweet Christmas

“Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus” lead actress Iana Bernardez looked forward to celebrating Christmas this year with the whole family in Baguio, where they’ve been spending it for several years now.

The daughter of actress Angel Aquino also said her favorite Christmas memory happened last year, when she brought her dog along with her. “Love na love ko ang dog ko. I didn’t know then that it would already be his last Christmas. I guess that’s why it was pretty memorable. It was his first and last year in Baguio,” Iana shared with the Inquirer.

Iana Bernardez

“Christmas is my lola’s favorite holiday. In Baguio, we would usually rent a house. It’s just so nice being with them, since we’re usually not together on New Year’s Day.”

Father and son Christmas bonding

One of the most memorable Christmas memories for “The Girl in the Orange Dress” director Jay Abello happened some eight years ago.

“My son is based in the United States and would only visit me during the summer, but there was one Christmas when he got to come home. He was only 7 or 8 years old then. We spent time by going to the beach or by watching movies,” Jay recalled.

He said he did not plan anything grand this Christmas because his pregnant wife, Maita, was set to give birth anytime soon.

“We will just stay home and make sure it is ready for our baby girl (to be named Malena),” he said.

Christmas ‘merienda’ in the slammer

Film producer-lawyer Joji Alonso said her favorite Christmas memory took place inside a city jail.

She shared this with the Inquirer: “I visited a client there. I was helping him with his case. After the usual lunch with the family, I brought pancit and shared it with a lot of people inside.

“It felt good that, even for a few hours, I was able to cheer them up.”

This Christmas season, Joji’s schedule will definitely be more hectic since her movie, “The Girl in the Orange Dress,” is a finalist in the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Enjoying Christmas lights display

Child star Angelica Ulip said she would forever remember the holiday she had spent with the whole family while watching the Christmas lights display in Pasig.

“The lights warm the hearts. They’re so beautiful! It was also my first time there,” she told the Inquirer.

Angelica’s mom, Jane, said this was at Meralco Village in Pasig City. “She loves looking at lights, so I also brought her to Meralco Theater during that holiday break,” she added.

“This year, I’ll just be chilling at home,” declared the star of the indie movie “Ang Sikreto ng Piso.”

Missing real pine trees

Actor Ernie Garcia said the smell of real pine trees would often bring back good memories of when he was still a young boy. “When my siblings and I see our new tree arrive, we would get excited even though it still didn’t have decorations,” he told the Inquirer. “I would then feel sad if I see that it’s turning brownish. These days, having real pine trees as a Christmas decoration is already banned in some communities.”

“It was my sister who squealed to everyone that our dad was our Santa Claus. When that happened, paramihan na kami ng sinasabit na socks,” he said, laughing. “This was to make sure we’d get something nice for Christmas.”

“Last year, I just celebrated with friends. I tagged along in their gift-giving event in Bicol. We gave away aginaldo to 1,000 kids, as well as toys. That was fun, too!”

Dad plays Santa

Beauty-queen-turned-producer Joyce Penas Pilarsky said she would forever cherish the memory of when her late parents would cook food for her and her six siblings on Christmas Eve. “My father, who was a lawyer, was a very busy man. He was always away, but he would make it a point to serve us, his kids, during Christmas,” she told the Inquirer.

“We grew up knowing that our dad was our Santa Claus. He would take us to shops to buy us whatever we wanted. He died at an early age, but I will never forget how loved he made us feel,” recalled Joyce, who is both an actor and producer of the indie “Ang Sikreto ng Piso.”

This year, aside from spending time with her family, Joyce is thinking of bringing her staff somewhere special. “They worked so hard throughout the year,” she explained. Earlier this month, Joyce also led a group in treating the kids of Child Haus (Center for Health Improvement and Life Development) in Ermita, Manila.

1st Christmas gift at age 8

Comedienne Beverly Salviejo said she was 8 years old when she got her first Christmas gift—it was a rosary made of dark wood. “I think you can buy them in Baguio these days. Back then, it was sold at a novelty shop in Quiapo that was owned by one of my godmothers. I was so happy to have received it because it was a first,” she recalled.

“Sadly, I lost that gift when we transferred from one house to another,” she told the Inquirer.

Beverly Salviejo

“This year, my Christmas will just be ordinary and like the usual. I will have dinner with my family.”

Spending Christmas with mom

Christmas is actor Ricky Rivero’s favorite holiday.

“Every Christmas is memorable to me, but the most special ones are those that I’ve spent with my late mother. She passed away in 2001,” Ricky said. “So the Christmases we had in the late ’90s were all special, because I still got to spend it with her.”

Radio jock’s Christmas in a ‘kubo’

Radio DJ JC Tevez lived in the United States when he was younger, but he considers Christmastime in his family’s hometown in the Philippines a special part of his childhood.

“My fave Christmas memory is visiting Angeles, Pampanga,” says the RX 93.1 jock and host of “The Halo-Halo Show” podcast. “We would have family gatherings and Noche Buena—Christmas dinner at my grandmother’s kubo!”

This Christmas break will be a time for reflection, JC shares: “I want to plan my 2019 ahead, but for real—with conviction. I feel like every new year usually begins with plans that fizzle early.” —WITH A REPORT FROM OLIVER PULUMBARIT