One of the most talked about and closely followed holiday traditions in Hollywood is the Christmas ritual of Tom Cruise, which basically revolves delivery of a white chocolate coconut Bundt cake to a very few people in the inner circle.
Since the 1990s, Tom Cruise's Christmas tradition has been sending the same unusual cake to various individuals in the film industry every December, thereby making it a seasonal marker for the recipients. This tradition, which was initially a private gesture, has become a widely talked about symbol of Hollywood connection.
It is for sure that the recipient list of Tom Cruise's Christmas ritual is very selective and, interestingly, quite changeable. Among the people who usually receive the cake are those who have been collaborating with him for a long time, including directors, producers, studio executives, agents, and a few co-stars. Public acknowledgements by actors like Kirsten Dunst, Henry Cavill, and Angela Bassett have been an indication of the ritual's existence, and thus, its status, whereas some have only pointed to its absence after professional or personal distancing. In Hollywood, getting the cake is generally taken as a token of continued friendship and support.
Central to Tom Cruise's yearly Christmas celebrations is a specific type of cake from Doan's Bakery in Woodland Hills, California - the white chocolate coconut cake. This cake is known for its heavy texture, toasted coconut topping, and strong flavour. Every year, Cruise has the cake made fresh and sent to him in a special box before Christmas, with a holiday card.
In the Hollywood community, Tom Cruise's Christmas gift has developed into an informal symbol of respect within the industry and a continuing affiliation with Cruise's close network. Each year in December, entertainment reporters ask actors and filmmakers the same repetitive question: "Did you receive your Tom Cruise Christmas cake this year?"
To my knowledge, Tom Cruise hasn't publicly explained the reason why a coconut cake is at the centre of his Christmas ritual, but the fact that it has been consistent has been the main reason for the numerous interpretations by the whole industry. The coconut cake is often referred to as the one that is, most of the time, Tom Cruise's personal favourite, a choice that makes the tradition look as if it were done intentionally rather than randomly. Coconut cake, unlike regular holiday desserts, is a kind of food that people are on different sides of, thus it is the first thing that separates the action from that of the mass of giving.
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