ALAM MO BA 'TO? (Do You Know This?): December 2018

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS MAGAZINE COVERS

I tagged it “Traditional Christmas” because most of us know that December 25 is not really the day of birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It’s the wrong day, month and year of beginning. Christmas around the world, however, have been observed for centuries on this day.

Daily, weekly and monthly publications follow the same tradition, and their covers speak of the annual event.

Here are some Philippine magazines with Christmas as the theme or part of the layout of the covers.

This one, as of this posting, is 71 years old. The Christmas issue of Daigdig (Ang Dating Hiwaga) featuring Tita Duran (Teresita Rigo Durango, 1929-1991), and Jose Perez Vera.

Daigdig (Ang Dating Hiwaga), December 16, 1947.

The post-war magazine The Philippine Screen Glamour feauring on its front cover, Pancho Magalona (Enrique Gayoso Magalona Jr, 1923-1998) and Tita Duran, and on the back cover, the film Ang Pagsilang ng Mesiyas (The Birth of the Messiah, 1952).

The Philippine Screen Glamour, December 1952

The “Christmas Three” issue of Kislap Graphic featuring the top three young stars of the era, Amalia Fuentes, Barbara Perez and Susan Roces.

Kislap Graphic, December 19, 1956

Topstar Pip Movie Entertainment Magazine, featuring Tirso “Pip” Cruz III and the love team of Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos.

Topstar Pip Movie Entertainment Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3, December 28, 1970

This Sixteen issue (Vol. 4 No. 112, December 29, 1972), with the young Vilma Santos on the front cover, says it also in different language on its cover

Sixteen Vol. 4 No. 112, December 29, 1972

After a decade or so, Sixteen became Sixteen MOD, and then MOD Filipina. Here are two succeeding issues for Christmas of 1988 featuring Shelley Huchel and Heidi Rodriguez.

MOD Filipina Vol. 21 Nos. 902 and 903, December 16 and 23, 1988

Two Christmas issues of Celebrity World featuring Sunshine Cruz (1994) and Congressman Joaquin Nereo and his wife Uliran (1995).

Celebrity World Vol. 3 No. 177, December 26, 1994 and Vol. 4 No. 228, December 25, 1995

Mr. & Ms. 1994 Christmas issue featuring Dawn Zulueta.

Mr. & Ms. Vol. 18 No. 35, December 20, 1994

Mr. & Ms. most often featured a family photo on it’s Christmas issue covers such as these: Paco Arespacochaga and Geneva Cruz and their daughter Heaven (1996) and Jomari Yllana and Aiko Melendez and their son Andre (1998). Ironically and unfortunately, however, both relationships ended up in separations.

Mr. & Ms. Vol. 20 No. 34, December 24, 1996 and Vol. 22 No.34, December 22, 1998

Here is Mr. & Ms. unique Christmas-New Year issue featuring Gary Valenciano, his wife, Angeli Pangilinan, and their children, Gabriel, Paolo and Keana.

Mr. & Ms. Vol. 25 No. 36, December 25, 2001 – January 1, 2002

Atlas TV Guide (initially titled TV Star), started circulation on December 1999, with its first cover featuring Titanic’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. As such it may not distinctively had the Christmas theme on its cover except for a few Yuletide symbols.

Atlas TV Guide first issue, December 1999

Atlas TV Guide December issues (2000, 2002 and 2005)

Atlas TV Guide December issues (2006, 2007 and 2008)

Atlas TV Guide December issues (2010, 2011 and 2012)

MOD 1999 Christmas issue with The World is Not Enough lead actress Sophie Marceau on the cover as “Christmas Girl.”

MOD December 1999

More MOD 2004, 2005 and 2006 Christmas issues featuring Rica Peralejo, Iya Villania and Judy Ann Santos.

MOD Vol. 36 No. 1732 (December 24, 2004), Vol. 37 No. 1783 (December 23, 2005)

and Vol. 38 No. 1829 (December 25, 2006)

Apart from its Christmas issues, MOD also releases “Christmas Specials” such as the two below, featuring Charo Ronquillo (2005) and Ann Rhea Macapagal (2006).