AS Christmas draws closer, Weekend Magazine takes you on a tour of Armenia and Georgia, two of the earliest countries to embrace Christianity and which feature stunning landscapes filled with churches and monasteries perched on cliffs and mountains. Armenia, for one, was the first to officially accept Christianity as its religion in 301 AD after centuries of paganism.

Together with Georgia, the two former Soviet colonies have also shaken off the oppression of their past to become thriving economies and now, the must-visit destinations on any travellers list. Especially, Georgia, once the thorn in Russia's side for its indefatigable optimism, and known as the "California of the Caucasus" because the people always found ways to be happy and optimistic, which totally annoyed the Russians. They also live healthily, with vegetables as their mainstay and their love for a good party.

Speaking of a healthy diet, we speak to Eugene Wong, a Singaporean venture capitalist with an environmental bent. Deeply concerned about food sustainability in a country with barely any agriculture, he has invested in numerous Israeli food technology startups that farm grasshoppers, turn gourmet cuisine into freeze-dried pods and may eventually create lab-grown meat. We talk to him about how his "bizarre" diet can solve Singapore's food supply issues, if not our live-to-eat desires.

For the latter, it's time to sort out the Christmas gift list for all your food-loving friends and family, so we solicited help from local F&B personalities for advice. From the latest infrared meat thermometer that everyone seems to want, to locally designed ceramics, we've got all your friends covered. And to wrap it up, get some last minute home-decorating tips while we recommend some festive entertainment options to get you into the mood.