"Mr. Christmas" ang nakasanayang tawag ng mga Pilipino kay Jose Mari dahil sa kaniyang mga Christmas songs na pinatutugtog sa mga radio station simula September 1. Bagaman natutuwa, sinabi ng batikang mang-aawit na nag-iisa lang ang tunay na Mr. Christmas--si Baby Jesus.
Sa artikulo ni Jojo Gabinete sa PEP.ph nitong Lunes, sinabing isa si Jose Mari sa mga simbolo ng Pasko sa Pilipinas, na may pinakamahabang panahon ng pagdiriwang ng kaarawan ni Hesus Kristo.
Pero kung siya ang tatanungin, ayaw niyang tinatawag na "Mr. Christmas" dahil para sa kanya, nag-iisa lamang ang tunay na Mr. Christmas.
"I’m flattered, but I don’t want them to call me Mr. Christmas because there’s only one king of Christmas—that’s Baby Jesus.
"Let me be called the Little Drummer Boy that heralds the season, Christmas is coming,” pahayag ni Jose Mari sa panayam sa kanya noon ng Cabinet Files.
Ayaw rin ni Jose Mari na itrato siya bilang Christmas icon dahil mas gusto niyang isulong ang Original Pilipino Music.
"It’s a wonderful blessing, but I would like to share that with others. I will not live forever, but I would like OPM to get stronger and live forever, sincerely."
May trivia si Jose Mari tungkol sa mga Christmas song na isinulat at pinasikat niya.
Kung mapapansin natin, wala siyang kanta para sa Pasko na binabanggit si Santa Claus.
"There’s not too many things you can say about Christmas. Kulang na lang, I talk about Santa Claus.
"But in my original Christmas songs, there’s no mention of Santa.
"And even if I was tempted to write about snow in my song Christmas Past, I said cotton snow because that’s the snow I’m familiar with on the Christmas tree."
Wala na rin sa plano ni Jose Mari na maglabas ng bagong Christmas album.
"This is probably the second and my last Christmas album because what else can you say about Christmas? I’ve said it all and so it will just be repetitive, redundant.
"I learned or I discovered that every Christmas, 'Christmas in Our Hearts,' 'A Perfect Christmas,' all the songs come alive again.
"Then I realized that the genre of Christmas music is universal and generic. It doesn’t change.
"Some things don’t change and one of them is Christmas music.”--For more showbiz news, visit PEP.ph
