A very clannish Christmas home

JACUZZI is a favorite spot for Grandpa and the little ones.RICHARD REYES

The Christmas lights and decor are as vibrant and cheerful as the homeowners.

Felipe L. Gozon, chair and chief executive officer of GMA 7, and his wife Tessie are proud of the neon lights on the front gate of their Makati home, though the head-turning setup simply says, “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.” But it carries the rainbow-colored, heart-shaped logo of the country’s top network as some sort of punctuation.

“My neighbors were impressed,” Gozon told Living Stars. “Some actually asked me where I got the lights—which are definitely not the usual kind.”

Quite a feat, because the neighbors are some of the wealthiest people in the country, including a handful of taipans, mall owners and world boxing champ Manny Pacquiao.

The lights aside, the Gozons celebrate the holidays the same way every year—laid-back, fuss-free gatherings with their nearest and dearest.

HEART glass sculpture is from a local store, A Touch of Elegance.RICHARD REYES

“FLG,” as he is referred to in the network premises, explained: “It has been a tradition for us to be together as a family—at home or some place else.”

On Christmas Eve, when they’re in the country, FLG and Tessie, their children, in-laws and grandchildren sit down to a home-cooked meal at the 14-seat dining table. And then, at midnight, they open gifts.

“We gather under the tree. Tessie and I watch as our grandchildren’s faces light up with excitement,” said FLG.

That’s the main tree, in the sprawling sala; the Gozons usually have three, each one special and unique. The tallest one, at 15 feet, stands at the main staircase landing. “My wife and our youngest daughter, Maritess, a doctor, bought it three years ago in an after-season sale,” FLG recalled.

A FERNANDO Amorsolo in the house photo:richard reyes

He still finds it funny that Tessie and Maritess at first kept the new tree a secret from him: “I had complained earlier that two trees were one too many. I found out about the third one only when it was already up and decorated and I could no longer do anything about it.” Actually, he had a change of heart upon seeing his grandchildren’s reaction. “The kids really love Christmas trees,” he said.

The tree in the living room is adorned with dolls dressed in the native costumes of different countries—from Spain to Korea and other exotic destinations. It has been dubbed “United Nations Tree.”

FLG explained: “We got it at an auction over 15 years ago. The tree was donated by a foreign ambassador who decorated it with dolls from all over the world. We’ve added a few more, since my wife buys souvenirs from every country that we visit.”

Sheepishly, Tessie disclosed that she had taken a “scary” one down from the tree: “It looked like a voodoo doll.”

The third tree, whose place of honor is at the main entrance, beside a Frosty the Snowman figure, is two decades old.

“It’s a traditional tree with traditional ornaments and we’ve had it since we were in our old house, also here in Makati,” said Attorney Gozon. He isn’t shy to say that most of their holiday charms and trinkets are “old.”

Decorating rule

This year, eldest daughter Annette Gozon-Abrogar, also a GMA 7 executive, recruited her good friend Charina de Villa to help spruce up the house that the whole clan calls home.

They’ve stuck to the “Santas and dolls” but, this year, laid out a giant belen (Nativity scene) outside the front door, in keeping with the subdivision’s celebration theme.

THE GOZONS got the “United Nations” tree at an auction. Photo by Richard Reyes

Which makes the overall concept for his holiday home decor “anything goes,” FLG jested. He added that he abides by a straightforward decorating rule: “The more, the merrier—especially when you have a household full of kids.”

It’s pretty evident that the tough lawyer-businessman turns to putty in the hands of his five grandchildren. He’s most gentle toward the latest addition to the family, 3-month-old Bono—his “mini-me,” the beaming grandpa insisted.

He enthused: “To my grandchildren, I am literally and figuratively a Santa Claus, not just during the holidays but all-year-round.” He had been a stern disciplinarian as a dad, he revealed, but evolved into a doting grandfather.

“I have not scolded any of my grandkids so far,” he said. “I allow them to have their way with me and leave it up to their parents to correct them.”

Needless to say, his grown children Annette, Philip and Maritess complain that they got the short end of the stick. “When they were young, I suppose they felt like they were always walking on eggshells,” he recounted. “They couldn’t make any noise when I was asleep. When she was 4, Annette got spanked for waking me up. But now my apos jump on me while I’m sleeping. They switch channels while I watch TV… I let them get away with everything.”

That is to say, he was the king of the household until these little ones came into his life. “The kids rule this house,” he confessed, with no trace of regret. But he insisted that he doesn’t spoil them with expensive gifts. “Only with love and affection, not material things.”

Two wings

Also, he is making certain that the children will grow up with a keen sense of social responsibility. He related: “Every year, before the holiday season, we ask the kids to collect their old toys, clothes and other things they no longer use, so we can donate these to the less fortunate. We want them to understand that it is the spirit of giving that should prevail during Christmastime.”

FAÇADE is gaily decorated with lights, belen and other holiday ornaments. Photo by Richard Reyes

The “modern, clutter-free, breezy” (the owner’s words) residence, which stands on a 2,500-sq-m property, has two added wings, one each for Annette and Maritess, who are married. Another wing is in the works for son Philip, also a lawyer, “who may decide to settle down soon.”

Clearly, the Gozons are a tightly knit clan. FLG said, “Our three children slept in the master bedroom until they were in their post-graduate years. That’s because my wife couldn’t rest until she was certain that everyone was safely home.”

He admitted that he had “selfish reasons” for inviting everyone to stay with him and Tessie: “To be near our grandchildren. I want them to grow up close to one another—to become cousins who treat each other like siblings.”

Annette and husband Lito like the arrangement for sensible-parenting reasons. “Even if we’re all busy with work, mom is always there to watch over the kids,” said Annette.

Actually, the house could be more lavish, considering who the occupants are. But it’s more than enough for the head of the family that his home “evokes a feeling of warmth and gratitude to the Lord that I was able to build it for my family through years of sacrifice and hard work.”

13 TV sets

There are 13 television sets, “one in each bedroom, except the master bedroom, which has two.”

To relax, FLG watches TV (although he still considers this work, since it includes monitoring the network’s shows), reads books, plays chess…but he’d much rather hang out with his little masters. “On weekends, if the water in the pool isn’t too cold, I swim with them,” he said. “Or I sit in the Jacuzzi while I watch them splash around.”

The garden and pool area is a favorite spot. Tessie, Annette and Maritess took care of the interiors, but Atty. Gozon personally supervised the landscaping. “I planted the bamboo trees myself, and set up the orchids that I inherited from my mother,” he said.

It’s a sizable array of orchids, but he pointed out that it’s just one-fourth of his mother’s collection—the rest was given to his siblings.

This Yuletide season is a sentimental one, the first without Attorney Gozon’s beloved mother, Carolina Lapus-Gozon, who passed away at 97 on Dec. 19.

“Our family traditions were started by my mother and the Lapuses,” FLG recounted. “In the past, the entire clan would gather for lunch on Christmas Day. This year, the reunion will be held here, in my home.”

He described the family Christmas meal as “old school”—a home-cooked meal, and they might order a special dish, maybe lechon or roast turkey. For media noche, hot tsokolate with toasted pinipig, pan de sal, queso de bola and ham are served.

“This year, however, we plan to enjoy the caviar and champagne that we bought in Europe during our most recent family holiday,” said FLG. “We’re now sosyal,” he quipped, laughing.

Yes, the Gozons are not content living under one roof; they also travel as a family, Annette said. The patriarch explained: “It’s more practical, if you compute the costs to include even the nannies.”

They usually take Mediterranean cruises and book the garden villa, which can accommodate the entire family. “And it comes with a butler,” noted Maritess’ husband Blas.

One gift that FLG would like to receive is a big cruise ship on which he could take not just his family but also their friends. “We’d forget about work, travel around the world the whole year round,” he said wistfully. “But of course I’d have to save forever for this dream to come true.”

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