Christmas is yours to enjoy Crosswinds

No Christmas is more beautiful to a Filipino than one amidst the warmth and love of one’s family. Every year it’s the one experience we look forward to, that one golden moment when time seems to stand still as we bask in the merriment, laughter, and pure joy that comes with celebrating a momentous occasion in the company of loved ones.

True, Christmas may not come everyday, but at Crosswinds in scenic Tagaytay City, one may replicate the peace and bliss of time shared intimately with the family – and for 365 days a year at that, if one so chooses.

Consider the setting. Just an hour-and-a-half drive away from Manila, the gated Crosswinds, located just past Tagaytay’s Picnic Grove and before Tagaytay Highlands, is over a hundred hectares of undulating mountain top terrain upon which stand Swiss-themed chalets (single detached units) and upon which will rise quadrilles (quadruplexes). Developed by Brittany Corp., the property is blessed with Tagaytay’s celebrated cool climes as it is with the city’s lush greenery. With its rolling terrain, it offers virtual nooks in which homeowners can be assured of the utmost privacy and serenity during their stay.

"When you’re at Crosswinds, you feel like you’re in a different world," shares Nova Noval, Crosswinds’ head for Corporate Communications. True enough, the residential property is even lovelier when actually seen than it comes across in pictures; however striking they may be, photographs do not sufficiently capture the site’s charm and tranquil ambiance.

At 762 meters above sea level, the air at Crosswinds is remarkably fresh and cool (at Christmas it can get as cold at 15 degrees centigrade). The birds twitter with nary a care in the world, and in the early morning or evening you will likely behold the fog slinking around. A signboard informs you: "You are now entering a noise-free zone."

One quickly discovers, however, that "noise-free" is just one of the many pleasant surprises at Crosswinds. Brittany Corp. is nurturing 8,324 Australian pine trees within the property, and one can imagine how majestically these trees will stand when they reach their full height. All the better to enhance the Swiss theme of this residential area – the only one with such a theme in the country today – which is showcased to good advantage by the Sales Office on the site.

"It was Brittany Corp. president Jing Serrano, who travels a lot to Europe, who conceptualized a Swiss theme for Crosswinds," relates Nova. "The other Brittany properties follow a European theme, too. It’s Italian at Portofino in Alabang, and Neo-Victorian at Brittany Bay. A strong vision is like good coffee – it has a strong impact."

A strong impact is what Crosswinds apparently has made. Less than a year after it was offered in the late 1990s, Phase 1 was sold out. Fifty percent of Phase 2, which offers either lots only or quadrilles, has also been sold out. (Those buying lots must follow the property’s Swiss-themed specifications when building their homes.)

The characteristics of a Swiss home may be appreciated at the Sales Office designed by Atelier Almario’s Ivy and Cynthia Almario – cross gables, wood casings, overhanging eaves, balconies, and roofs that have expanded rafter ends, interrupted wooden patterns and horizontal/vertical/diagonal borders. Natural wood grain is the predominant color in this bungalow which follows the great room concept – there are no divisions between the living and dining areas, thus making it more convenient for families to interact and to entertain.

A fireplace dominates the central part of the bungalow, festooned with bright red and green Christmas decor with matching red drapes and sofas. It is before such fireplaces as this that family members can gather, kick off their shoes, just relax, and relish a good time like Christmas.

"It’s just great when people come here and they don’t want to leave," Nova relates as she shows off each part of the bungalow, pointing out details that reveal the special touches (i.e., piped-in flute and string music, chimes tinkling with the rustling of the wind) that make living at Brittany an unforgettable one. "At Crosswinds we major in the minors," Nova says with visible pride. "Staying here is the closest you can get to being in Switzerland without flying there."

You’ll realize even more what Nova means when you hike to Crosswinds’ highest peak which also has a swimming pool. Standing on a viewing deck with the property stretched out before you, you can close your eyes and savor the beguiling sounds of winds that seem to rush by from so many directions at once. "That’s why we call the place Crosswinds," Nova explains. "It is just so peaceful, so quiet here."

And in the back of your mind you remember – isn’t celebrating Christmas also about celebrating peace? Make that peace on earth and joy to all men – and families.