MANILA, Philippines – Dawn Zulueta and her family will celebrate the holidays in New Jersey.
This will be the third year that they won’t be spending the holidays here in the Philippines.
“The only time lang talaga na we have at least two weeks, na hindi nasasayang yung time na mag-abroad ka is Christmas time,†Dawn explained in a recent interview.
“So this is the only time we can go, after this hindi na naman kami makakaalis because next year I’ll be working na with the teleserye. Naaawa ako sa mga bata kasi sila yung kailangan namin ipasyal and that’s the only time, e Christmas lang talaga,†she added.
But then she won’t deny that Christmas here in the Philippines is “mas masaya tsaka andito lahat ng pamilya namin. However, we have also some family that we’re meeting also sa States and I’ll be taking my mom with me. So magiging masaya pa rin.â€
Of course, it has been a Filipino tradition to cook different dishes during the holidays.
But even if it’s just an ordinary day, Dawn says that her husband, Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Lagdameo, loves to cook for the whole family.
“It is my husband naman talaga kasi he’s really the one who knows how to cook,†she proudly said. “I learned lang because of him, when we got married. I started to enjoy it, but I can say he’s the better cook.â€
She even joked that, “he got me through my stomach!†which followed by a laugh. “The first dish he cooked for me was the Korean beef stew, which is my favorite.â€
Dawn also shared their their planned menu for Christmas.
“Potato salad, favorite ko yun. Sometimes we have turkey with cranberry. Usually Anton makes roast beef, ako dun na lang sa salad, sa mga lettuce, mixed salad,†she said
But then, Dawn said that it is not really what is on the table that matters on the Christmas day, “it is the birthday of Christ that we celebrate.â€