Belle Mariano, Donny Pangilinan, others reminisce their favorite Christmas memories

For Belle Mariano, Christmas has always been being with family and opening presents together. This has been a memory forever etched in her mind.

Christmas will always be the most wonderful time of the year, as it’s a time for families to create memories away from their everyday hustle. And for Mariano, as well as these Kapamilya stars, it’s a special day that they will carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

On the sidelines of the Star Magical Christmas party, Mariano and her onscreen partner Donny Pangilinan (or DonBelle), Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte (or LoiNie), and Chie Filomeno and Jake Cuenca recalled special holiday memories they consider to be their most unforgettable even until the present.

Mariano was all smiles when she was asked to share her favorite Christmas memory, and the first thing that popped in her mind was her family’s tradition of opening presents together as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Christmas eve.

“Me and my family, sabay-sabay kaming nago-open ng presents every 12 midnight so I think ‘yun ang pinaka-enjoy ko (we open our presents every 12 midnight so I think it’s a memory I enjoy the most). I think it’s something I’ll apply for the rest of my life,” she said.

Meanwhile, Pangilinan shared that his favorite Christmas memory took place in 2022 in Japan. For him, it was “surreal” to spend a white holiday and to be together with his family. “It was snowing at the time, so it felt so surreal to have a Christmas with snow because it’s very different [from here in the Philippines].”

“But besides that, it’s the fact that we’re all together as a family and it’s rare. Just being able to spend time, seven of us together, is really, really fun,” he continued.

Andalio and Alonte also shared their favorite Christmas memories involving their families, with the actress laughing at how she was so excited about lighting lusis (sparklers) — which is a tradition of theirs — that she almost burned her hand.

“Nagpapa-lusis ako n’un. Tuwang-tuwa ako habang sinasabi ko sa mama ko na, “Ma oh, nasusunog ang kamay ko (I used to light lusis fireworks. I was so happy about it that I told my mother out of excitement, mom look, my hands are burning),” Andalio said, while laughing.

While Alonte admitted he couldn’t remember the particular year of his favorite holiday memory, he noted it was nonetheless unforgettable as it was a time where his older siblings were in the country to celebrate.

“Noong mga 2017 or 2018, nabuo ang family namin kasi nasa ibang bansa ‘yung dalawa kong kapatid na panganay at first time naming nabuo (It was around 2017 or 2018 where my family was complete. My two older siblings are based abroad and it was our first time to be complete),” he said.

Filomeno and Cuenca, on the other hand, considered their most unforgettable Christmas in their home network ABS-CBN, with the latter noting the party as a “full circle” moment for the two of them since they crossed paths at the media giant’s party last year.

“My greatest Christmas memory is with ABS-CBN,” Filomeno said.

“I guess a special Christmas memory for me was seeing Chie [at the Star Magic Christmas Ball] last year. It came full circle for us,” Cuenca said, while recalling that the talent agency’s holiday party prompted him to rekindle their romance after going on several dates in the past.