Christmas balls
MANILA, Philippines - Young Star serves up a pre-Christmas noche buena of guys who’ll warm up your Christmas and heat up the New Year. Check back next week for the bright angels — yes, girls — you’ll want to top your Xmas tree with.
Before you get all chilly with the much-awaited December breeze and the usual Simbang Gabi mornings, we are heating up your holidays with a smorgasbord of six buzzworthy male personalities. We won’t be surprised if they end up on your Christmas list. And whether or not you’ve been naughty or nice this year, you still get this special Yuletide treat from Young Star (Think of this as a tribute to Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s Dick in a Box performance on Saturday Night Live). These six distinct talents are triple threats, without a doubt. Benjamin Tang, also known as that Eurasian hunk on the Bench billboards, has been a citizen of the world. He always finds inspiration from his experiences throughout his travels. PMAP (Professional Models’ Association of the Philippines) member and mixed martial artist Raphael Kiefer, on the other hand, is pumping his business sense by opening his own gym and a modeling agency. Greater Good, Mike Concepcion’s “Aha!” moment was the young entrepreneur’s way of giving back to the community. He intends to pay it forward by collaborating with local artists through statement tees and giving their proceeds to a good cause. As for singer and TV-5 star Chris Cayzer, he promises a record that will knock our Christmas socks off. It’s been getting rave reviews even before its release in 2011. Ian Batherson, GMA-7 star and Survivor: Celebrity Showdown castaway, shows he can make it out of the jungle and into the spotlight as he portrays more important roles on the small screen. And to complete this fantasy Christmas is rising visual artist Frank Magalona, who charms his cult following of colegialas with his depth and mystery. Now, open your gifts, girls (and boys)!
BENJAMIN TANG
Model
How do you celebrate Christmas: With my family.
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: Riding on Santa’s sleigh! (Laughs).
Your holiday food of choice: A big, juicy turkey.
Is it going to be a cold Christmas: Yes, hopefully, it’s going to be a snowy Christmas this year. I’ll celebrate Xmas in Munich.
Gift that will blow your mind: Trip to outer space.
Most special gift you’ve ever given: A private dinner on the rooftop of a high-rise building in Bangkok for my ex-girlfriend, Elise. The best Italian food I have ever had.
What are you celebrating: For a spectacular 2011.
What heats up your Christmas: Celebrations and good food.
Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe: Secret. (Laughs)
RAPHAEL KIEFER
Model and entrepreneur
How do you celebrate Christmas: I go through an incredible amount of parties in December and then log off from the rest of the world to be with my family on the 23rd ‘til January.
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: My fantasy Christmas is actually very simple but hard to attain. I want to have time and a peace of mind.
Your holiday food of choice: Lasagna!!! Vegetarian, of course.
Is it going to be a cold Christmas for you? I’ve been running into a lot of cold people lately but that’s fine. I just have to put on a thicker jacket and move forward...
Gift that will blow your mind: That’s private...
Most special gift you’ve ever given: That’s private too... I’m usually very busy so time and attention for the people closest to me is really the best I can give.
What are you celebrating: I’ll be toasting to a good year, a better year to come; health, love and life.
What heats up your Christmas: I’m winding down with work and then it’s party time! It would be nice to loosen up my collar again, or better yet take off my shirt entirely...
Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe: Patty, my partner for five years now who’s been with me through thick and thin.
MIKE CONCEPCION
Social entrepreneur
How do you celebrate Christmas: Pretty traditionally. We all gather-round and plot our next set up to catch old St. Nick in the act. One day…
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: Nothing sounds better than a real white Christmas to me.
Your holiday food of choice: Ah, you get that turkey and stuffing cooked to perfection and I’m sold!
Is it going to be a cold Christmas for you: I’d hope not! There’s nothing more comforting than knowing you get to spend Christmas with your closest friends and family.
Gift that will blow your mind: I just finished my finals, so honestly, seeing good grades on that thing will have me jumping for joy. It’s nice seeing hard work pay off.
Most special gift you’ve ever given: Last year, my family and I got to spend Christmas at one of the Gawad Kalinga villages. We had gifts and food for the whole community. I’ve never seen people more grateful. It truly is a time for giving.
What are you celebrating: Good health for my family, a better Philippines and how about two more stores for the greater good?
What heats up your Christmas: Holidays in the Philippines mean heading to the beach. Time to hit the gym and prep the beach gear!
Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe: My nonexistent girlfriend. She’s out there!
CHRIS CAYZER
Musician
How do you celebrate Christmas: It’s my first time in five years to spend it with my mom and sister in Australia.
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: I’ve never seen snow. I would like to experience it.
Your holiday food of choice: Ham.
Is it going to be a cold Christmas for you: It’s summer time in Australia, not cold. I miss home too much.
Gift that will blow your mind: A Les Paul Guitar or a Gretsch.
Most special gift you’ve ever given: A huge teddy bear to my little sister. :)
What are you celebrating: New beginnings.
What heats up your Christmas: Going to Australia in summer is hot enough... I’ll be going to the beach in Gold Coast.
Who do you want to kiss under a mistletoe: Never been under one more than three seconds before.
IAN BATHERSON
Actor
How do you celebrate Christmas: I just love to spend it with close friends and family. Simple lang ang gusto ko. It’s not the place that matters most. It’s who you spend time with.
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: To spend Christmas in Alaska again, katulad sa childhood ko.
Your holiday food of choice: Turkey, mashed potatoes and apple pie. Cookies! Lots and lots of cookies!
Is it going to be a cold Christmas for you: Cold as in walang babae. Oo naman. Sana meron akong Christmas love, pero wala akong girl to snuggle up to under the mistletoe. I’m searching for next year though, any applicants? (Laughs) Ok lang ako ngayon. I will still spend it with family. That’s the most important Christmas gift for me.
Gift that will blow your mind: Seeing my father who is working in the States. I haven’t seen him much. Also, 22 chrome mags for my Montero Sport!
Most special gift you’ve ever given: I made my family a candy house when I was a kid. It took hours to make! It’s the effort that counts!
What are you celebrating: I will celebrate success in my career for 2011 and good health.
What heats up your holidays: Nothing much. Looking for a nice girl to get close to, pero sobrang busy ako sa work.
Who do you want to kiss under a mistletoe: Yung crush ko, si Kim Chiu.
FRANK MAGALONA
Artist
How do you celebrate Christmas: I always spend it with my family in Antipolo. We love playing jazz and Sinatra Christmas songs, which really complement the coldness of the environment. We hear Mass on the evening of the 24th then spend time together and talk about random stuff while having the traditional noche buena around midnight. We usually stay up until 2 to 3 a.m. after opening gifts then head on to our tita’s place to meet up with our cousins and other relatives during lunchtime on Christmas Day. It’s sort of a family reunion every Christmas, and we really enjoy each other’s company. I just can’t imagine how I would be without my family on Christmas Day.
Your fantasy Christmas celebration: It’s to celebrate it with my dad. It could be a “simulated reality” in which everyone in the family would have that exact same kind of dream during our sleep on Christmas night, but with our respective points of view wherein we experience time with someone who doesn’t actually exist in reality anymore. That would be cool to talk about in the morning with my mom and siblings.
Your holiday food of choice: Queso de bola!
Is it going to be a cold Christmas for you: It’s always a cold Christmas for us because Antipolo is hundreds of feet above sea level! Ha, ha! But, yeah, if you’re talking about that kind of “cold,” I guess we’re going to be better this time. Christmas for us will never ever be the same without our dad, but what can we do? I guess we just have to cope, just as time heals everything.
What gift will blow your mind: A trip to the moon!
What’s the most special gift you’ve ever given: I guess personally making gifts is one of the most special things you could ever give to somebody. I gave each of my parents a watercolor painting for Christmas two years ago.
What are you celebrating: I’m celebrating my achievements, graduating college very soon, as well as learning and surviving from my personal struggles in 2010, and celebrating positivity towards each of the 365 days in 2011.
What heats up your holidays: I spend time in the kitchen and cook.
Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe: This girl that I really like.
