Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera’s long-awaited vacation abroad finally took place, along with some family members of the actor. This getaway occurred just a few days after Christmas and right before the New Year.

In a phone conversation with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) on January 3, Dingdong shared that their holiday was well worth it. “Our Christmas vacation was nice. We visited places with some of my family members. It was a much-needed vacation,” he said.

Before the New Year, the couple returned to the Philippines, where they welcomed 2011. “We celebrated New Year’s Eve at my uncle’s house, then we continued the celebration at my place. The next day, we went to Cavite to visit Marian’s family. It was pretty normal, similar to last year’s celebration.”

When asked if there was any proposal during their vacation, Dingdong laughed and responded, “As I said, it was just like the celebrations from years ago—smooth, with no such events happening!”

As for Christmas gifts, Dingdong was reluctant to reveal what he gave Marian, aside from mentioning a “life-changing gift.” He chuckled, noting that people seemed to interpret “life-changing” in various ways. “Well, you might want to ask Marian about that,” he joked. “The life-changing gift I gave her was a sponsorship for a child through the Hydrocephalus Foundation. In return, she’ll be changing a child’s life. That’s the life-changing part,” he explained.

The Hydrocephalus Foundation of the Philippines provides support to patients and families affected by the condition. When asked about the gift he received from Marian for Christmas, Dingdong said, “She gave me a beautiful watch that I really love.”