Christmas smiles, quiet sacrifices: Three women working the holidays for family

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Under twinkling lights and gingerbread-themed decor, Jan Marini Tibayan, 23; Eden Grace de Jesus, 20; and May Ann Escalona, 24, smile brightly as guests snap photos with them—each shot often paired with a 50-peso bill or loose coins dropped into their green tip boxes.

For most Filipinos, December is etched in memories of crowded reunions, noche buena spreads, and the warmth of relatives gathered under one roof. It is the season when distance bends to tradition, when even the farthest journeys are made to be home. But for these three young women, the holidays mean long hours in elaborate gowns at the Magical Christmas event in Orchids Garden, Pampanga, miles away from their families in Laguna—each pose a quiet sacrifice made so their loved ones can have a little more joy this season.

Since September, they have called Mystique Hotel their temporary home, sharing rooms with their manager and traveling to the venue each day for work that stretches from 4 p.m. to midnight. May Ann, who brings Aurora to life, is the longest-tenured among them, with five years of character work under her belt. Eden, known for her doll-like features as Snow White, joined later, while Jan—who steps into Ariel’s turquoise gown—came most recently.

It was Jan’s story that struck deepest during our chat. Her voice softened and tears welled in her eyes as she spoke openly about her father, who was incarcerated after committing theft to help make ends meet. “Hindi ako nahihiya sabihin ‘yon,” she said quietly. “He did what he thought he had to for us.” With her mother now running a small online selling business, Jan took on this work to ease the load and help send her younger siblings to school.

Eden, the fifth of seven siblings, left home to support her family after her father fell ill and needed dialysis. When funds ran short, she stepped back from her own plans to ensure her youngest sibling could finish college. “Ang pasko dapat magkasama-sama,” she shared, “pero kung ako ang mawawala para may makain sila at makapag-aral, handa akong gawin ‘yon.’”

May Ann lost her mother years ago and now cares for her father and six siblings. She speaks of her work with quiet passion, recalling how her first three months in the role brought in enough to help her family through a tough stretch. “Nakakamiss magkasama sa bahay tuwing bagong taon,” she admitted, “pero alam kong kapag nakakauwi ako, may dalang saya ako sa kanila.”

Though they started as strangers, the three have bonded over their shared love for their families and their drive to provide. During breaks, they share meals, update each other on news from home, and create small holiday rituals of their own—exchanging simple gifts and video-calling their families together so no one feels entirely alone.

“Every smile we give, every photo we take—ito ‘yong paraan namin para makasama sila kahit malayo,” Jan said. “Kahit dito kami sa entablado, alam namin na kasama namin sila sa puso.”