Aga's most memorable Christmas gift

By BOY VILLASANTA
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Every day seems like Christmas day in the Muhlachs' household, since love is so clearly in the air minute after minute among Aga, wife Charlene Gonzales and their twins, Andres and Athasia.

As the year wears out, Christmastime for the Muhlachs becomes less about material concerns
and more of spirituality and compassion.

In the case of Aga Muhlach, what else could he ask for at Christmas time, since he seems to already have all the things a man could wish for?

And yet this Christmas season rather poignant for the Muhlach family, who are still in mourning barely a month after Aga's mom, Anita Aquino, passed away.

Aga, his wife and kids, could not celebrate the yuletide season in the usual way. Still, Aga said that while Christmas in their home might be less joyful, the kind of caring shared among them stays the same as always.

This Christmas, Aga gathered all his loved ones and prepared gifts to distribute and a little noche buena for them to share.

He also led a prayer for the repose of his mother's soul.

Aga's dad, Cheng Muhlach, came in with son Andoy. Cheng drove all the way from New York in Cubao to Ayala Alabang where Aga and family reside.

Cheng had a surprise for his son, that really touched the latter's heart: a rare bottle of vintage Drakkar perfume.

“I gave him a bottle of Drakkar perfume. Iba 'yon. Wala nang gano'n. Hindi pa uso 'yong mga spray-spray, meron na ako no'n. Itinago ko 'yon at ang sabi ko sa kanya, kahuli-hulinan 'yon sa mga sinaunang pabango na nakatago sa akin. Sa kanya ko lang ibinigay 'yon kaya masayang-masaya siya," recalled Cheng.

(You can't find that sort of perfume anymore. Even before spray-ons became common, I already had that bottle. I kept that for so long and I told him it was the last among my collection of vintage perfumes. I reserved that bottle exclusively for him, and he was so very happy).

Father and son talk a lot on the phone, but Cheng said that Aga considers his Christmas gift extra special.

“Sabi sa akin ni Aga, kahit na madalas kaming mag-usap kahit sa telepono, iba raw 'yong mabigyan siya ng gift ng isang magulang. Kita ko, e, iba ang ngiti ni Aga nang ibigay ko ang regalo ko," said Cheng.

(Aga told me that it's a very special gift that passes on from a parent to a child.)