What’s your favorite thing about Christmas?
Christmas always brings out the best in everyone. Happy thoughts and happy memories start to fill our hearts. It’s the time when we give and receive gifts. It also signals that the end of the year is close by, so we start slowing down from our work as we shift to holiday mood and celebrate the yuletide season by eating, drinking and sharing stories of the year that was to our family and friends as we enjoy the nippy weather.
Beauty Gonzalez, actress
My favorite thing about Christmas is when tha t wa rm fuzzy feeling suddenly and mysteriously arrives. You’re walking down the street or in the mall, feeling a bit grumpy and jaded then it hits you. You start to smile for no apparent reason, happy memories start flooding in, you feel Christmas in your bones. Sometimes it comes in September, sometimes Dec. 23, but always it comes when I least expect it and when I need it most. Best Christmas gift ever.
Marivic Tambunting, interior designer
My favorite thing about Christmas is seeing our children unwrap their presents around the Christmas tree as soon as they wake up, followed by our Christmas breakfast tradition at home.
Andy Vasquez Prada, co-proprietor and creative director, W17
Like Santa always used to say, my Christmas traditions come in “naughty” and “nice.” The nice: being able to make someone less fortunate smile with a gift they wish for. The naughty: making eggnog for family and friends — with a kick.
Tina G. Fernandez, creative director, Artinformal
It is that time of year when people lay aside their differences, open their hearts and feel love all around. I wish it were Christmas all the time.
Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, restaurateur
Christmas is my favorite time of the year because of three important reasons: First, as a mother of three amazing boys, Christmas makes me feel like a child again as I have to play Santa! Second, Christmas reminds me of how blessed I am to have my family and friends, to be able to give love to them and feel their love too. And third, which is the most important of all, Christmas is a reminder of how lucky we all are to be given God’s gift of eternal life through the birth of our Savior Christ. This season is truly a celebration of love and thanksgiving! Cheers!
Mia Dragon Floirendo, managing director, Mindanao Inspires
My favorite thing about Christmas is the excitement of my twins about everything Christmas. Decorating the tree, writing to Santa, eating the chocolates from their advent calendars, celebrating Noche Buena and staying out very late, excitedly waiting for a couple of weeks to open their gifts on Christmas morning (while pretending not to peek when they think no one is looking). I’m still amazed at and highly entertained by their reactions to everything.
Ambassador Evan Garcia, Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom
A moment in the busy year when family and community become most important. A time to draw closer to our loved ones and neighbors.
Glenn Llamas, executive producer, Wilbros Live
There are many things I love about Christmas, like family gatherings and celebration with friends. But, most importantly, it’s a time of thanksgiving — a time to thank the Lord for all the blessings and a time to thank my family and friends for all their support.
Nicole Cordoves, Binibining Pilipinas 2016
My favorite thing about Christmas is going back to my Lol a ’ s hous e and eating at the same dinner table where my family used to always be complete every dinner before everyone decided to get married.
Miriam Quiambao-Roberto, Inspire. Engage. Empower.
My favorite thing about Christmas is giving. The reason we get to enjoy this season of gift-giving is that God gave first. Giving is God’s idea. When God created the Universe, He gave life to man and gave us this beautiful world to enjoy. This is all because God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. Sadly, our sin separates us from God. But God himself provided a solution: He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, to save us and to ransom us from the eternal death that we deserve. Christmas began when Jesus Christ was born. Jesus is the greatest gift we could ever have from God. Through Him we can experience an abundant life. God gave first and all we need to do in order to receive this gift of eternal life, is to believe.