Category: 12 Days of Christmas

On this Christmas eve day, join me in my kitchen for one of my favorite Christmas traditions–Christmas morning breakfast!  This delicious spread has been a part of my Christmas celebration for years.  You can prep it the night before, sleep in (if your Santa-crazed footie pajamaed kiddos will let you), and pop it in the oven while you see what the Man in Red left in your sock.

Here’s the menu:
Crispy Potato Quiche
Ribbons of Black Forest ham, swiss, and pepper jack cheeses sit atop a crispy potato crust.
Cream Cheese Danish
Creamy filling is wrapped in buttery pastry for an easy twist on this bakery classic.
Festive Fruit
A medley of pear, pomegranate, blackberries, and kiwi makes for a colorful fruit salad.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11.

You’ve decorated, you’ve shopped, you’ve wrapped present after present–you’re tired.  Muster up your Christmas spirit–at least enough for our last two posts.  This year, plan a really wonderful Christmas breakfast and expect the whole family!  If you’re going to go to the trouble of cooking, make your table something your guests will find just as memorable.

How about putting a couple of these ideas to good use:

Bundle up the family and take Christmas dinner to your patio table.  Add cozy touches, like a lumberjack inspired blanket as a tablecloth and flickering pillar candles.  Juxtapose this with burlap and pine.  Make sure you stock up on cider and hot cocoa–it’s sure to be a chilly, memorable morning!

Keep it classy and mix your metalics and glass with pine.  This clever chalkboard tells your guests what to expect and keeps their tummies from guessing while opening stockings.

Keep it simple and tie a wide ribbon on your chairs for a festive splash of color.  Add an ornament, sprig of pine, or a pine cone.

Don’t fear thinking outside of the box when it comes to Christmas color.  Use what you have and add splashes of color your house may not see during the rest of the year to give your table (and your home) a festive, fresh look.  Use some of those fallen tree branches from our last snow and add an ornament or two!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10.

From a former barista’s heart to yours, here are some favorite holiday espresso drinks:

Eggnog Latte
12 oz drink: 2 shots espresso // 2 oz milk + 6 oz eggnog, steamed // whipped cream + nutmeg garnish

CandyCane Mocha
12 oz drink: 2 shots espresso // 8 oz whole milk, steamed // 1 tbs crushed candycane, stirred into the hot espresso // stick of candycane garnish

Take the edge off those awkward family reunions and gift some homemade infusions this season.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9.

For as much as I love color, this post may surprise you.  But, with the absence of much snow so far this year, I find myself dreaming of a white Christmas–indoors and out!  Why not?!

Doesn’t this look like a great place to enjoy a white Christmas?!  A perfect view to a (hopefully) snowy exterior while curled up in an oatmeal colored knit throw, sinking your toes into that soft, simple rug.  Enjoy the texture of the wicker sofas, the pine boughs, and the glistening lanterns alongside the white!

What could be more wonderful than white on white on white?  Create a stunning, snow white interior with a myriad of shades of this light and bright hue.

A colorful tree is beautifully accented by a white brick fireplace (love that shape!!), creamy upholstery, and soft ivory walls.  Even the firewood is white!

If you’re still pining for color (pun fully intended), how about this over the top breakfast room.  Maybe you’re not ready for a semi-permanent red wall, but you can add splashes of color with festive dishware, throw pillows, and paper lanterns!  Listen, with paint as cheap as it is, you’re only $40 and an afternoon from a room as dramatic as this one to wow your guests.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8.

Whatever your taste, a colorful accent piece is sure to spice up your decor this holiday season!

Whether you enjoy the playful colors of the traditional red and green…

…can hear the familiar jingle of the silver bells with classic metallic accents…

…or are dreaming of a white Christmas, with soft neutrals you can change up year ’round!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7.