A taste of Christmas

MANILA, Philippines - Christmas is all about loving and giving.

Ju.D Lao, the Philippines’ Fruitcake Lady, has spent the month before Christmas (and continues up to now) doing what she can for her country in its rehabilitation efforts for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda.

She has been working in Tacloban with the Tzu Chi Foundation — including its branches in Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia — distributing goods and offering medical treatment. The Tzu Chi Foundation has also held fundraising events because it plans to invest in building 170 Quonset tents to be distributed in the areas affected by the typhoon.

Ju.D was surprised to learn that among the ideal foods for survival is fruitcake. This goes back to Roman times, when soldiers packed fruitcake when they went to war. The raisins, nuts and barley are healthy and fruitcake keeps well for a long time.

Fruitcake is good in times of difficult circumstances such as war and disaster because it needs no preparation. It is easy to ship and provides much-needed energy for soldiers. A cup of walnuts, for example, is 766 calories. A cup of dates is 502 calories. 

While attending to her fundraising events, Ju.D was surprised to see many of her old, familiar clients in attendance. One customer said his family home was flooded by typhoon Ondoy. His mother grieved “forever” because among their losses was Ju.D’s fruitcake, which she had kept in her refrigerator for 20 years. Now, she’s consoled to find Ju.D’s fruitcake again.

Another customer who attended the fundraiser told Ju.D that his father had passed away in 1996. The family came to miss the fruitcake that was given to the father every year by a film studio. However, one day, he came across Ju.D’s website, www.judfruitcakes.com and was delighted to see that he could purchase her products online.

Orders for Ju.D’s fruitcake can also be made by phone at (+632) 633-1188 or by e-mail at [email protected]. You can also go to her store  at 50 Green Meadows Ave., Quezon City.

This year, Ju.D encourages all her customers to work together for the rebuilding of areas affected by Yolanda. “It is time for peace and harmony. It’s time to work together,” she says.