Cover Floyd Tena, JD Tena, Simone Martinez and Shiela Valderrama-Martinez for Come Home To Christmas (Photo: Jaypee Maristaza)
Floyd Tena, JD Tena, Simone Martinez and Shiela Valderrama-Martinez for Come Home To Christmas (Photo: Jaypee Maristaza)
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A holiday special featuring incredible musical talents such as Yanah Laurel and Arman Ferrer highlights the essence of Christmas
We know that Christmas is that time of the year when love is contagious and good food is spread across each household’s table. But apart from the traditions we all grew up knowing and practising, why do we do it? Why do we celebrate? What does Christmas really mean?
On the evening of December 19, less than a week before Christmas, families, friends and loved ones gathered at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Circuit, Makati, to ring in the holiday cheer with a special musical, Come Home To Christmas. If there’s one thing that the audience felt that night, it was definitely nostalgia.
The show began with a song and dance number to the classic Christmas tune, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, which set the stage and the theatre in a mood of celebration, inviting the audience to open their hearts and ears to what was to come for the rest of the show.
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The story was centred on childhood friends Simone and JD, who were looking for the best Christmas gift for their parents. After all, Christmas has always been about giving. The children believed that this was the best time to give back to their parents, who had given them so much more than they could ever imagine. Their realisation reminds us that the holiday season should also be about appreciating our loved ones—our heroes, our parents—for all the love and support they continue to give us.
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In their search for the perfect gift, Simone and JD consulted their parents’ friends and fellow family members for gift ideas. But, the reality of the holiday season is also about the Christmas rush—everyone is busy buying gifts, preparing food and connecting with relatives near and far. Although their titas, titos and even JD’s kuya Arman did not give any specific gift suggestions, they all shared one piece of advice: anything Simone and JD gave their parents would be precious simply because it came from them.
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With this realisation in mind, the children came to understand that family is what matters most at Christmas. They don’t need to buy anything. There’s no “perfect” gift. They, themselves, were a gift to each other. Christmas shouldn’t be about the presents; it should be about the people you choose to celebrate with. It should be about sharing love and creating memories with family, friends and loved ones.
The musical concluded with the entire cast singing a joyful and much livelier version of Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas in Our Hearts, with special participation from the UST Singers who entered the theatre flash mob-style.
Other remarkable holiday hits performed on stage included Holly Jolly Christmas, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Give Love on Christmas Day and Jingle Bells.
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Credits
Images: Jaypee Maristaza
