MIDMORNING ME RRIMEN T F OR HO LI DAY GATHERINGS
EVENINGS full of turkey
or ham, mashed potatoes,
asparagus, stuffing and cranberry
sauce will always be considered
the classically Christmas meal.
However, holiday mornings can offer
an even more quintessentially nostalgic meal. Biscuits, cinna-mon
rolls and pastries, sausage, hash brown or grits, casseroles,
eggs Benedict or bagels and lox — whatever the spread includes, a well-appointed holiday brunch can create
the merriest of days.
Brunch, the en vogue, millennial favorite and pastime of fashionable, well-to-do urbanites, is not always
easy to plan or pull off. Unless you get up early enough on a weekend morning to get in line at one of the few
brunch spots around the beach, the opportunity to slow down and enjoy a midmorning meal together as a
family can be hard to come by.
The idea of brunch evokes a scene of relaxed conversations over hot coffee, savoring delicious food, and the
leisurely pace that comes with it — and, of course, the company. And isn’t that the point of having a holiday
gathering with loved ones?
Instead of focusing on a big dinner this year, take a page out of the brunch playbook and host a morning
holiday meal. With many folks having to split time visiting multiple family members and friends to cele-brate,
focusing on the first meal affords holiday house hoppers the opportunity to get started earlier.
Hosts shouldn’t hold back on decorating the table either. Pulling out the nice crystal and sterling, lighting
some candles, and calling on their inner Martha Stewart or Pinterest to dress the table with some
holiday flair goes a long way. By setting the table and creating the right lighting, a
precedence is laid out for a warm and celebratory mood.
Making sure ample beverage options are supplied with
nice stemware and garnishes also creates an illustrious
feel for the gathering. Preparations should begin a day or
two before the meal to not create undue pressure on the
host, as that would be missing the entire point.
Apart from the following recipes, hosts should throw
together a few additional options such as a fruit salad, toast
with sliced avocado, yogurt and granola parfaits, and a
simple arugula or panzanella salad.
It’s a wonderful time of year to go all out for your family
and create a holiday brunch to remember.
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