The countdown is on to Christmas. I AM NOT READY! I've got to have a marathon online shopping session tonight. Yes, online is my preferred method of shopping. All of the decorating has been completed so we really are enjoying the season. Both of the kids are home from college so that's a gift in itself.
I'm excited about today's post because it is special. It gives me the opportunity to share a few family traditions with you.
A huge thank you to my dear friend, Laura from Duke Manor Farm, for the idea and organizing the small tour. Laura is one of the first friends I made in the blogging world. I'm looking forward to learning about her traditions as well as the other talented gals! Be sure to follow along to the end of the post to visit the other girls!
We have several holiday traditions. I'm sure they may even be similar to yours! I'll share them along the way as we tour our Christmas kitchen. It was a hot mess when it was time to photograph my Christmas Tour that went live last week. You can tour it HERE! So it didn't make the cut!
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Many great times have been had around this kitchen table. When this space will accommodate, we usually eat here with family and friends opposed to the more formal dining room.
It has become a family tradition that we host a Christmas morning breakfast…late morning that is. It small with just the 4 of us and my 2 step-daughters. We really have a great time catching up over a hearty breakfast and opening gifts with each other. We've been doing this for a long time now.
I always have the table set with place cards that I made several years ago. I can't believe they are still intact and that I can actually locate them year after year.
We all look forward to this breakfast! Kind of funny, but we have the same breakfast each year. If it ain't broke I guess don't fix it. I like the breakfast because we can make it the night before which makes Christmas morning enjoyable and carefree.
Some of our traditions actually start on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is my birthday, and with the kids I've always tried to make it about Christmas Eve and not by birthday. So we compromise a bit. Years ago, we started celebrating my birthday with my family sometime before the day. It was just too much trying to do my birthday on the day before Christmas. Besides, I wanted to make Christmas Eve about Christmas Eve. I love how we've been spending this day for many years now!
Every Christmas Eve, the kids and hubby take me to a nice lunch then we go to a movie. I get to choose, but I try to pick something we all will enjoy or a Christmas movie if one is out. My son keeps letting me know that a new Star Wars movie will be out then. UGH….not a fan, but we will see.
After to movie, we come home and all contribute to get breakfast prepared for the next day.
Our Breakfast Menu is:
- Breakfast Casserole
- Cheese Grits Soufflé
- Fresh Fruit
- Coffee and Juice
You can find the Reindeer Placecards HERE. They are an easy at home print! All you need is a little ribbon and a hole punch.
The Breakfast Casserole is a great make-ahead dish and quite the crowd-pleaser. Last year we also made the Cheese Grits Soufflé the night before and it was great!
We tell ALEXA
to play a Christmas jam, and we make it fun in the kitchen. With everyone pitching in, we finish in no time!
The kids absolutely love the next tradition! When we were little, mom gave us new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I guess girls enjoy it more than boys. They don't get too excited when they get to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve and it's PJs! I sure love it!
We all get comfy in the family room. Hubby starts a real fire for us, and we watch a Christmas movie or 2.
No cooking dinner on Christmas Eve. I usually have a cheese plate we can throw together quickly, and we pop popcorn of course.
And since it is my birthday, after all, mom gets to pick at least one of the movies with no groans or smart looks! HE-HE!
Here is the first look at our Christmas tree finally decorated. We don't do a fancy decorated tree in here. I do have one in the foyer. Would you believe that we just got the ornaments on it Tuesday night! That was the first chance with the kids in college that we could do another tradition….decorating the tree as a family. I had the tree in our home tour that you can find HERE with just the lights on it. I refused to go ahead and decorate it. It is such fun doing this together. The kids wouldn't admit it I am sure. It's a joy going down memory lane as we pull out the ornaments. We laugh at the photo ornaments of the kids when they were little. We purchase ornaments on our travels so it's fun to reminisce about those trips.
My mom made the Wizard of Oz ornaments when we were kids! They are made with felt, beading, sequins, and embroidery floss. They are so intricate and gorgeous. She gave them to me a few years back. I cherish them and DO NOT put them in the attic. I wrap them in tissue and place them in a drawer safely with the cross-stitched stockings that my mother-in-law made us.
I surprised the kids this year with the tree. I haven't done this in many years, but I strung 2 strands of colored lights deep in the tree. Then there are large and small clear bulbs. They love the hint of colored lights. Of course, they'd love for me to go full-on color. Who knows??? I might just really surprise them for one year.
These are simple traditions, but they are ritually performed with love and care each and every year. I hope to see one day the kids carry on some or all of these traditions with their own families and add a few new ones of their own.
Here is our yummy Breakfast Casserole that we have every Christmas morning. You make it the night before to make the big morning carefree. I'm going to do my best to share the Cheese Grits Soufflé with you first part of next week.
I made it in a 9×12 dish by mistake, but it was just as good just a little thinner. I typically make it in a an 7x11.5 (2 quart) Pyrex. It's thicker with fluffier eggs in this dish.
- 5 slices of Pepperidge Farm White Hearty Bread Slices cubed crust and all
- 1 Pound of your choice of ground sausage (tube kind) cooked, crumbled and drained
- 12 ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 teaspoon of dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon on Tabasco
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray 2 quart dish with cooking spray
- Place the cubed bread in the bottom
- Distribute the cooked sausage on top
- Sprinkle with all the cheese
- Combine eggs, milk and the rest of the ingredients and pour on the top
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
- In the morning, place on the counter for about 15-30 minutes to get to room temp
- Bake uncovered for about an hour or until lightly browned, bubbly and set in the center
- I have baked this in a 9x12 (3 quart Pyrex) for a a thinner slice. I do prefer it a bit thicker in a 8 X 11.5 inch (2 quart Pyrex or similar sized 2 quart)
Check out all of the Christmas traditions from the ladies below!
It All Started with Paint
Our Southern Home
Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer
In My Own Style
Kelly Elko
Town and Country Living
Artsy Chicks Rule
Duke Manor Farm
Cassie Bustamante
Savvy Southern Style
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Julie Bridgeman says
Hello! Love your tour! Beautiful!!! Can you tell me where your chandelier is from that is in room with Groceries and Provisions sign? Thank you.
Christy says
Thanks so much!!! All of our interior lighting is from Circa Lighting. They are online. We built in 2004 so I’m not sure if all are still available. That is my favorite light in the entire house!
Diane says
Hi Christy – My younger sister was born the last week of December. My mom made sure that her birthday was extra special and even as adults my mom would make sure my siblings and I wrapped her birthday gifts with birthday wrap and not holiday wrapping paper. 🙂 Your home is beautiful, I love the taller cup rack you have. Is that an antique? Happy Birthday, and Merry Christmas.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Diane! Happy birthday to your younger sister. My hubby gave it to me several years ago for my birthday. I love it. It came from eBay and it is not an antique, but looks like one. I’m seeing taller ones on Amazon as well.
Jennifer aka beaufort Belle says
Oh I love all of your Christmas traditions that you shared. Would you mind sharing your cheese grits souffle? I love the idea of incorporating the preparation of the food for Christmas morning as a family on Christmas eve.
Christy says
Thanks so much! I actually made it this morning and just finished photographing. Hoping to share tomorrow on the blog or Thursday at the latest. They are so good and easy!
Christy says
Your home looks so beautiful as always! I know you are so happy to have the kids home. I love that you waited for them to come home before you decorated the tree and I’m sure they liked that too! Thanks for the recipe… I printed it out and just might make it this year! Merry Christmas!! XOXO
Christy says
Thanks so much, Christy! I so enjoyed this tour. Yes, it’s wonderful having everyone home under one roof! Merry Christmas!
lISA l. says
Hi Christy! We both share a Christmas Eve birthday. As a kid, my folks always made my birthday special, so I never felt like I missed out. As I’ve gotten older, we do a birthday breakfast or lunch on Christmas Eve, like you do. Folks say don’t you hate having a Christmas Eve birthday, but I always respond, no, everyone is always in a good mood and happy! So that makes for a wonderful birthday for me 🙂 Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday!!
Christy says
Thanks so much! So true…I’ve never been bothered by a Christmas Eve birthday. We watched Christmas Vacation last night and the family was joking about how my birthday is the biggest deal in the family….it lasts all week! LOL! Happy Birthday to you!!!!
laura janning says
what a fun post. now I will feel like I am there with you on Christmas Eve…in my jammies….while you cook me up some breakfast! happy birthday to such a sweet friend. Merry christmas. see you soon.
Christy says
Merry Christmas, Laura! This tour has been such a joy. I have enjoyed reading each and every one!
cassie bustamante says
gonna have to save this recipe for my husband or maybe just send him to your house christmas morning! he loves a big hearty christmas breakfast…. late morning as well! 😉
Christy says
Thanks, Cassie! I’ll be sharing the cheese grits tomorrow hopefully. It makes it easier when you can prepare it all the day before an pop in the over. Send him on over! LOL!
Kim says
Christy, I always love seeing your breakfast room and I host Christmas breakfast, too for my kids according to who is in town. Will be less this year since my son and his family just moved to Florida. Have a wonderful birthday on Christmas eve and a Merry Christmas!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Kim! I hate that you won’t see your son and his family for Christmas. Merry Christmas friend!
Kelly Elko says
Christy – what a wonderful tradition! My girls LOVE grits so I think I should start making that one of our traditions as well. Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my friend.
Kelly
Christy says
Merry Christmas to you my friend! I hope to share the grits the first of the week. Thanks, girl!!! XO
Linda Braden says
I love that your Christmas tradition (like mine) involves food!!! And I absolutely recommend the Star Wars movie. They are so well done now. I didn’t think I would like the first one, but I went with my daughter (at her urging) and we enjoyed it so much!
Oh, and happy birthday early!
🙂 Linda
Christy says
Yes, all good things involve food!!! I think we will end up seeing Start Wars! As long as we are together is what is important. Merry Christmas!! XO
Nancy says
Loved reading about all of your Christmas traditions Christy! And always love seeing photos of your lovely home! I love the PJ idea!! Merry Christmas friend!! xoxo
Christy says
Thanks, Nancy! Merry Christmas to you!! XO
Jennifer says
Christy, your kitchen is beautiful! My college boyfriend’s birthday was on Christmas Eve, too. He hated that his birthday got lost in the spirit of Christmas, so I always made sure I wrapped his birthday present in birthday wrapping paper. I love your Christmas dinner ware!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Jennifer!!! I’ve never really minded the Christmas birthday. Sweet of you to make it special for him! XO
Marty Oravetz says
Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate Christmas. It is so nice to add your birthday into the mix with your choice of movies too.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Marty! Merry Christmas! XO