Get-togethers these days, whether held in a residence or a restaurant, as long as a handaan (array of food) is involved, wind down at the mention of “Sharon.” No, it refers neither to the host nor any of the guests. It simply means packing some leftover food to take home.
For the uninitiated, “Sharon” pertains to actress and singer Sharon Cuneta, the voice behind the iconic Willy Cruz composition, “Bituing Walang Ningning,” also the theme song of the movie star’s 1985 blockbuster of the same title. The fist line of the chorus goes, “Balutin mo ako ng hiwaga ng iyong pagmamahal” (Wrap me with your wondrous love).
“Balutin mo” (you wrap) is the magic phrase that means the gathering’s organizer approves the taking home of leftover food. Then, someone, perhaps a Sharonian (a term referring to Cuneta’s fandom) or a random music lover, must have started singing that line from “Bituing Walang Ningning,” to everybody’s amusement.
Apparently, the schtick built on a pop culture reference works every time. So, it eventually became a common practice until the entire routine was shortened to the expression, “Sharon.” It can be used as a noun, meaning the takeout food itself, and as a verb, such as “magsha-Sharon” (to pack food for takeout).
Sharon on ‘Sharon’
Lifestyle food columnist Angelo Comsti says he can’t recall the first time he heard of “Sharon” at gatherings. But, he tells us via text messaging, “I remember it being mentioned as a joke among titas (aunts) during a family reunion.”
That may have happened around 2021, when pandemic rules on social distancing started loosening, and people eventually attended gatherings. In September 2022, a video showing several members of the Philippine Madrigal Singers casually singing the chorus of “Bituing Walang Ningning” went viral on social media. They were supposedly waiting for their takeout at a restaurant when they suddenly showed off their harmonious vocals.
Cuneta herself admitted being fully aware of the “Sharon” term and the memes it has inspired in her February 2023 interview with show-biz vlogger Ogie Diaz. The singer-actress said she’s actually “tuwang-tuwa” (ecstatic) to see social media posts, specifically the one showing a photo of her displayed along with an “X” sign above the buffet table. It means takeout food is not allowed.
She made it clear that she’s not offended by the use of her name, as it is actually her habit to tell guests at her parties to take home some leftovers. She shared, “Sabi ko nga, ako lang ang may karapatang magsabing, ‘Magbalot na kayo.’ Kasi ‘yun naman ang ugali ko (I tell them I’m the only one who can say, “Pack your food.” Because that’s how I really am).”
When Cuneta attended a family gathering in March, she was caught on video shot by her cousin Ciara Sotto packing some Japanese food in a large container purportedly for takeout. She also gamely sang the pivotal line from her signature song before greeting and thanking the occasion’s honoree, Gian Sotto, who was celebrating his birthday that day.
Different tactics
“Sharon” has been the buzzword for the last few years, yet the pop culture reference is still lost on many people. At a recent gathering, the guests were preparing to pack leftovers when one of them broke into a song with this first line: “Ikaw, ang bigay ng Maykapal.” (You are the gift from God.) Everybody else stopped in their tracks. Sorry, try another Sharon Cuneta song!
The veterans know exactly what to do. A Zumba instructor makes it a point to have a pack of plastic labo (single-use plastic bags) in her gym bag, in case she has to go to a handaan after a class. This way, she can readily get leftovers and conveniently bring them home. To her credit, she gives out a piece or two of the food container to other party guests for their own takeout.
Bringing of food containers comes in handy, so does the Pinoy ingenuity in problem solving. Want to bring home some revel bars that everybody’s raving about at a potluck but nobody thought to bring doggie bags? Get a plastic cup and put pieces of the sweet stuff in it. Cover it with a napkin, so the contents won’t spill on your way home. This can also work for pancit or pasta dishes.
Packaging of store-bought food items can be reused for leftovers. Some guests will then go home with doughnut boxes filled with leftover fried chicken, barbecue, lumpia (fried spring roll), kakanin, and other foodstuff.
Being cunning can backfire, though. At a wedding reception, the bride’s relatives took home the biggest layer of the wedding cake and left the smaller ones to the groom’s side of the family. The biggest layer turned out to be a dummy made of styrofoam that the baker intentionally created as the base for the multitiered cake.
Insensitivity and unruliness can ruin an entire party. A friend of the host narrates how one guest’s outburst of “Uwian na!” (Time to go home!) led the others to think that the party’s over. So they started packing their takeout until the buffet was cleared of food. The host hadn’t even eaten her own handa (food prepared for the party).
Golden rule
Decorum should be observed by party guests when it comes to the topic of “Sharon.” Comsti explains to us, “I believe the host or the one who brought the dish should drop a hint or blatantly offer before anyone even considers bringing leftovers home.”
He adds, “Otherwise, one shouldn’t even think about it. When not sure, lean more toward ‘Don’t even bother.’ Making the mistake might not get you another invitation in the future.”
Myrza Sison, a confidence and certified executive coach, shares her take on the matter via online messaging: “For me, never, unless the host insists! It’s awkward and inconsiderate unless the host offers it explicitly. If they do, then it’s fine—it’s their way of sharing the abundance.”
She stresses, “Being invited and enjoying the food while you’re at the party should be enough to be grateful for. The same goes for flower arrangements at wedding receptions!”
Here’s her win-win solution: “As a host, as the party winds down, I already start packing the leftovers I wish to share into containers and paper bags and set them aside. By the time guests start saying goodbye, I hand them out like goody bags to those who want to take them home.”
For the caterer’s part, Simply Delicious owner Diana Uy says she only allows guests to do a Sharon when “everyone is done eating and the client gives a go-signal.” She tells us her staff brings takeout containers in their catering jobs, but they are instructed to bring those out only on the client’s order. INQ