For fashion designer Mikee Andrei, Christmas has changed a lot since moving to Manila from Bohol. Aside from attending to clients and taking care of daughter Pauline, Mikee is also one of the people behind pageant camp Aces and Queens, acting as the group’s fashion consultant and stylist.

But this Christmas will be different because this time, she’ll be back in Bohol with family.

“I’m kind of getting emotional because its been ages since I was home for Christmas. Because I was so busy working, I was busy with career, so I was trying to fix the schedule,” Mikee said.

“The family is getting bigger na because I have a lot fo nieces and nephews also so I want to see everyone. That’s what I’m excited more about because my mom is also coming home from Australia.”

Aside from her family, Mikee is also grateful for the blessings she received in 2019.

“I can’t just think of one. For the past years, I had a lot of challenges parang every small blessing na you receive, I consider it parang milestone… parang you thought na sometimes na the situations are hopeless. Maybe it made me realized, it made me appreciate more small tiny blessings…,” she said. 

And the blessings will surely pour in for the designer fondly called Mama Mikee by many.

Christmas before and now

It’s totally different now kasi when I was still in Bohol, of course the siblings were complete and we were young… But kasi of course we have our respective works na and family.  Now, I am the one that keeps on giving but it’s also fulfilling naman parang you make people happy.

Christmas is now, I think it’s happier I can say resources wise, you can buy for people and for myself but now it’s more for the kids. 

Best Christmas memory

Growing up and while I was studying, I help my family with the business which is a small business. We’re very busy during Christmas season. We take orders of pastries, cakes. We don’t usually spend Noche Buena because we’re tired already. We celebrate mga lunch Christmas. So I think that was memorable for me because even if people were spending Noche Buena midnight, kami we opt to rest na lang but during lunch time, that’s how we spend Christmas. 

How has Christmas changed since having a family

It’s not more about me anymore, it’s not more about about us ni partner, everything is about her (daughter Pauline) like what are we giving her for Christmas, what are we preparing. So that’s the different part, na it’s different because there’s a kid already it’s more about her na and not me anymore. I think Christmas is a very busy season for me. So it’s more work, work.

Christmas colors 

This time, I am seeing a lot of yellow, different shades like yolk yellow, mustard, canary yellow. I am also a lot of blue, darker shades of blue. Christmas is a happy season so I also discourage people or clients to make outfits for them that are black or too dark.

Christmas must haves

I love cooking. that’s my stress relieving activity. So I always make sure on the 24th, I always make sure that I‘m the one preparing it. If its Christmas na, I always have of course the kids fried chicken [because] that’s their favorite and spaghetti. Even my partner – he’s a kid at heart. So whatever the kids eat he likes it also because he’s also like a big kid. My family naman is very easy to please with food. And ham, I want the round one. 

– Rappler.com