How celebs are celebrating Christmas

‘Tis the season! The STAR asked celebrities how they get into the festive spirit and celebrate Christmas with their families even amidst a pandemic.

Dingdong Dantes: “Parang pareho lang din sa iba, yung nakagawian na kapag Christmas Eve, dun kami sa bahay ng magulang namin (my side of the family). Then on Christmas Day, dun kami sa bahay ng side naman ni Marian, parang ganun siya. Pero ngayon lang, mas challenging because of course, there’s swab testing first bago mangyari yung mga gathering na yan kahit sabihin mong fully-vaccinated na lahat. Mga bata hindi pa, so may pag-iingat pa rin (even as the COVID situation has improved).”

Angeli Pangilinan (third from right) and husband Gary Valenciano (center) are joined by their children Paolo (with wife Samantha Godinez and daughter Leia), Kiana and Gab.

Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano: “Christmas is special because we have a tradition of dressing up the tree and Pao is in charge of putting up the lights. Watch his YouTube vlog on ‘The Other Vees’! It shows what we do. Kiana was in the USA pa so we were unable to make her join so we called her! It was very hectic in the past as we had Pangilinans and Valencianos in one day in the North and the South! Last year, it was a simple celebration. In years past, all 29 grandchildren plus now two great-grandchildren would converge with eight in-laws and nine siblings plus my mom. Total 48 plus two in-laws equals 50. All in one house! Haha ang gulo!”

Rico Hizon, his wife Melannie and son Migo at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Rico Hizon: “In my 25 years overseas, we would always fly in from Singapore and spend Christmas and New Year in Manila with the Syquia family during Christmas Eve and the Hizon’s for the New Year. But since the family came home for good in March 2020, our first Christmas holiday was very subdued and simple. Small gatherings only with the immediate family for lunch and dinner and the exchanging of gifts. We always remember that every year, it’s not about the gift-giving and the celebration, but Jesus is the reason for the season.”

Ogie Alcasid and wife Regine Velasquez with their son Nate.

Ogie Alcasid: “Our Christmas has been different during the past years. We were always in Australia. But, of course, because of the pandemic, nandito lang po kami sa bahay. This year will be no different. We will be in Bulacan this Christmas Eve. And then we will go to my mom naman sa 25th. And then dito na lang kami sa bahay. I’m taking my son and my wife to a little camp before the year ends, kami-kami lang. Ganun lang ka-simple kasi ang break po namin, well, ako personally, ang break ko lang is 26th to the 31st. Then Jan. 1, trabaho na naman po ulit.

“To be honest, it’s not only (a Christmas) wish. It’s a prayer that we are constantly aware of our health, especially the onset of Omicron. I’m no doctor but I am aware that it is just a matter of time so if we can really prepare for that, we are seeing what’s happening in Europe and in America.

“You know, my wife asked me this, sabi niya, ‘Bakit kaya parang OK tayo for now?’ I have a simple answer to that. No. 1, tayong mga Pilipino talagang madasalin. At the same time, there was a time, ito alam naman ng lahat ‘di ba, yung mga mayayamang bansa kinuha lahat ng vaccines. Tapos tayo nawalan. So, we had to cope on our own. Wala tayong mga bakuna, so we had to do our own little thing. And ngayon na lahat na nandiyan na mga bakuna, halos marami ng bakunado, so patuloy.”

Sylvia Sanchez (leftmost) and husband Art Atayde (second from right) with their kids (from left) Gela, Arjo (with girlfriend Maine Mendoza), Xavi and Ria.

Sylvia Sanchez: “Christmas in our home is really family-centered. We would have dinner together on Christmas Eve and then, we would all gather in the living room to open Christmas presents at home in the morning of Dec. 25 before proceeding to the Atayde residence for lunch.

“In previous Christmases, we would invite all our house staff and their families and the entire Atayde clan would give them Christmas bonuses. All of our house staff and their families are around 400 to 500 since the Ataydes are a big family. When the pandemic broke, we weren’t able to do this and we celebrated on Zoom, instead of our traditional family lunch.”

Julia Barretto (second from left) with (from left) boyfriend Gerald Anderson, mother Marjorie Barretto, siblings Claudia, Dani (with husband Xavi Panlilio) and Leon.

Julia Barretto: “Pag noche buena talaga si Mommy nagluluto ‘yan lahat ng favorites namin. We’re just all gonna be together, me and my siblings. Of course, si Ge (Gerald Andeson) will be with us. I just got back (from a taping). I really didn’t have time to do (pack Christmas gifts). But thankfully, my mom volunteered to take care of all my Christmas gifts for me. She said (to) just send her a list. To be honest, my mom is gonna take care of my Christmas gifts for everyone. (As for my Christmas wish) everybody wishes the same, sana talaga next year, kahit konti, sana mawala na talaga yung pandemic. I just miss hugging everybody. I miss seeing anybody, anytime that I want and just working normally. Sana lang, next year will be better for everybody in terms of the pandemic.”

Kuh Ledesma with daughter Isabella Gonzalez.

Kuh Ledesma: “Well, you know, siyempre, it’s the gathering of families, di ba? Alam mo dadalawa lang kami ni Isabella, ang layo pa namin dito. My family, most of them are in the states. One of my brothers is here, Tito. So, he is definitely joining me and his people. Para sa akin kasi I always prepare food, that’s a tradition, prepare good food and invite my people to come, pati their families. Para sa akin, yun yung the best that I can give them for Christmas.”

Brothers Alfred (second from left) and PM Vargas with their wives Yasmine Espiritu (leftmost) and Chrissy Rocket.

Photos from the celebs’ official social media accounts

Alfred Vargas: “We have our traditional ‘program-program’ program where the kids perform and show their talents. Generous aguinaldos await the performers. We’ve been doing this since the ‘80s when we were children. And now, it’s our children, my nephews and nieces who do it. The next generation.

“We also have our traditional gift-giving where our Tito Alex plays Santa Claus and reads all the dedications in the greeting cards of each gift. With this, we are all compelled to write the best Christmas messages to everyone we give a gift to. These traditions were halted last year during the height of the lockdown. Our Tito Alex joined the Lord a few months ago so the Santa Claus duties are now assigned to me and my brother, PM.

“This year, we look forward to a better Christmas with the family, face-to-face, while following safety protocols. It’s going to be hard to not hug my relatives but that’s how it’s going to be. My wife, Yasmine, is preparing delicious food and my two daughters, Alexandra and Aryana, will perform a song for everyone on Noche Buena.”