All Wrapped Up

Right before I left for my birthday trip, I set up our Christmas look at home around October, knowing I wouldn't want to be bothered after a long flight when I return. I had no intentions of doing my Christmas shopping or even attending Christmas parties this year. I wanted to be alone in a small church somewhere in Rome on a dead winter's night, surrounded with candles all around for added warmth.

For some twisted reasons in life, I came home with a lot of energy to share only to find a different reality existing in this side of the world. I felt betrayed and heartbroken with the people I love and care for because somehow I expected growth from them while I was away. People are always seeking for instant happiness and as much as possible; shield themselves from pain and suffering as a result from their actions. Yes, it's winter in Cebu. People are cold and depressed.

Years ago, I started this Christmas tradition with my staff in one of our Christmas parties. People always look forward to exchanging gifts and we've gone through a lot of variations on how to exchange gifts. Would you believe someone even picked his or her own gift? It just shows what goes around comes around.

What can you buy with fifty pesos (except food) and what can you do with old newspapers? I noticed my staff spent more money to have their gifts wrapped than what's inside. I got bored with the meaningless exchange of gifts so I decided to challenge their creativity. We have a lot of old newspapers and all they have to spend is time and effort in presenting their gifts.

I was impressed with what I saw! I never imagined how detailed they can get in creating their pieces. Prizes are awarded to creative pieces and it's sad that the beautiful pieces have to be discarded after the party. Now, who cares what's inside when people are excited about the wrapper instead of the gifts?

This season, I'm fasting from feasting. I live in an abundance of grace and blessings. All I can do is share and be more thankful that I have this power to give, mostly presents that are not traditionally wrapped.

The gifts of Space and Time. The gifts of Presence and Absence. The gifts of Within and Without. The gifts of Love and Fear. The gifts of Giving and Receiving. The gift of Memories.

I would like to thank my friends who gave me baskets of apples. I'm glad they remembered my vegetarian side. You'd think apples are the new "fruitcakes"; as the old joke goes, "There's only one fruitcake and it gets passed around every year from one person to the other."

Apples seem to pile up everyday on my kitchen counter and another fridge was dedicated to storing them. I just had to do something about them. I couldn't possibly juice all of them and unless I want to flush my gall bladder by eating apples the whole day, I might develop Apple-phobia and Steve will lose his job.

Well, I made something from my kitchen and wrote a note to the recipients: "I made a non-dairy, cholesterol-free Apple-Carrot Cake for you this Christmas. Since it's preservative-free, please refrigerate and consume within three days." Let's face it, I had to omit the word "vegan" as it connotes an image of tasteless, "yuck, vegetables?!" cake and chances are, it would get passed around too.

I know it's wicked of me not to taste what I make from my kitchen but I sure hope you guys can have your cake and eat it too. If anyone wants to sample my vegan cake, drop by and we'll have tea with it. Who knows, you might like Apple-Zucchini or even my raw vegan cakes. Amuse me guys while I visit someone asleep in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.

This Christmas, what is your wrapper made of? Are you all wrapped up but have nowhere to go?