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Christmas Brunch Setup I Finally Nailed After Years of Holiday Chaos
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items Every December 25th used to be the same mess. Presents torn open, everyone starving, me scrambling in the kitchen while the family sat around waiting. Last year I finally figured out a full Christmas brunch spread that looks impressive but takes almo...
Sections
7
Eggs That Cook Themselves While You Watch Presents
Bacon and Sausage Without the Grease Splatter Drama
Fresh Fruit That Actually Looks Like You Tried
Juice and Drinks That Make the Table Feel Special
Table Setting Pieces That Do the Decorating for You
Baked Goods and Sides That Bake While You Relax
Eggs That Cook Themselves While You Watch Presents
I used to stand at the stove flipping eggs while everyone else opened gifts in the other room. Now I prep everything the night before and just pop things in the oven Christmas morning.
Grab two cartons the week before Christmas. I learned the hard way that stores sell out by December 23rd, and you do not want to be that person hunting for eggs on Christmas Eve.
Customer reviews for Great Value Large White Eggs 18
Toss this on the counter and walk away. My sister-in-law gave me one as a joke gift and now I use it every single holiday morning. Perfect eggs, zero babysitting.
Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Egg Cooker
Keep a bag specifically for folding into scrambled eggs. My kids went from picking at plain eggs to asking for seconds once I started adding this. Works for omelets and casseroles too.
Great Value Sharp Cheddar Finely Shredded Cheese
Use fresh cracks right before serving, not during cooking. Tiny detail but my father-in-law noticed the difference and he never compliments food. That says something.
McCormick Worcestershire Ground Black Pepper Blend
Pair this with literally everything on the brunch table. I melt a tablespoon in the skillet before eggs hit the pan and the flavor shift is ridiculous. Stock up, butter disappears fast in December.
Land O Lakes® Salted Whipped Butter, 8 oz Tub
Snag a box for the people who wander into the kitchen before everything else is ready. Pop four in the microwave and they stop asking when brunch will be done.
Great Value Frozen Broccoli Florets Steamable Bag, 12 oz
Bacon and Sausage Without the Grease Splatter Drama
Standing over a popping skillet in my pajamas on Christmas morning was never the vibe. These let me get crispy, perfect breakfast meats without a single burn on my forearm.
Switch to thick cut and you will never go back. Regular bacon shrivels into nothing. This holds up on a platter and people actually grab full slices instead of sad little strips.
Wright Brand Hickory Real Wood Smoked Thick Cut Sliced
Bring this out for oven bacon and skip the skillet entirely. I lay out 12 slices, set a timer, and go sit with my family. Crispiest bacon I have ever made, no flipping required.
NORDIC WARE 60110Z Compact Bacon Rack
Try slicing this into patties the night before and stacking them with parchment paper between layers. Christmas morning you just pull them out and cook. Saves a solid 15 minutes of prep.
Jimmy Dean Fresh Premium Pork Regular Sausage Roll
Line your baking sheet before laying out bacon. Cleanup goes from 20 minutes of scrubbing to balling up foil and tossing it. Wish someone had told me this five Christmases ago.
Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, 12 Inch Wide
Keep these for the kids who refuse patties because apparently shape matters when you are seven. They cook fast and every single one gets eaten. Zero leftovers every year.
Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausage, 14 Links
Toss this on the platter next to the regular bacon for variety. My brother only eats maple bacon and will literally sulk if it is not there. For about three dollars, family peace is worth it.
Great Value Maple Flavoured Bacon
Fresh Fruit That Actually Looks Like You Tried
A sad bowl of grapes does not count as a fruit spread. I spent years throwing random fruit on a plate until I figured out how to make it look like a magazine cover with zero skill.
Grab this if you are short on time and do not want to chop anything. I bought one last year as a backup and it ended up being the first thing gone from the table.
Marketside Seasonal Fruit Blend, 16 oz, Pre-Cut (Fresh)
Use these as the anchor of your fruit platter. Cut them in half, fan them around the edge. My neighbor thought I hired a caterer. It took four minutes.
Driscoll's Fresh Strawberries Organic and Hydroponic
Pile these in a bowl next to the main spread. Kids peel them without help, which means fewer interruptions while you are trying to get everything else on the table.
Fresh Mandarin Oranges, 3 lb Bag
Swap out canned pineapple for these pre-cut spears. The texture difference is night and day. I stopped buying canned two years ago and nobody has asked for it back.
Dole
Scatter these around the fruit platter to fill gaps. They make everything look polished and they are basically nature's candy. My toddler eats them by the fistful so buy two containers.
Fresh Blueberries, 1 Pint Container
Pull these apart into small clusters instead of leaving the whole bunch on the plate. Looks way more intentional and people actually eat more when they can grab a little cluster easily.
Green Seedless Grapes From California
Juice and Drinks That Make the Table Feel Special
Nobody remembers plain orange juice from a carton. Adding one or two unexpected drinks to the table makes the whole morning feel like an event, not just a regular Saturday breakfast.
Pour this into a glass pitcher instead of putting the carton on the table. That one move alone makes brunch look 10x more polished. Took me embarrassingly long to figure that out.
Simply Orange Pulp-Free Orange Juice Bottle, 46 fl oz
Get a bottle for the kids so they feel included when adults are clinking glasses. My daughter still talks about her fancy Christmas juice from last year. It costs about four bucks.
Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider, 4pk, 25.4 fl oz Glass Bottle
Keep this on the table for color and variety. The deep red next to orange juice looks festive without you doing anything extra. Plus someone always wants something that is not OJ.
Ocean Spray, Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 64 fl oz Bottle
Bring this out for the family members who refuse orange juice. Every family has at least one. Mine has three. Just having it available prevents the annual juice complaint.
Simply Apple Juice Bottle, 52 fl oz
Set a few of these out on the table in their glass bottles. They look fancy, they settle stomachs after too many cookies the night before, and the bottles photograph really well.
Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water Glass Bottles, 12 fl oz
Stash these in the fridge the night before. Between the sugar from presents candy and rich brunch food, people get thirsty. Having cold water ready keeps everyone from raiding your sparkling cider.
Pure Life, Purified Water, 16.9 fl oz, 35-pack Plastic Bottles
Table Setting Pieces That Do the Decorating for You
I am not crafty. I will never be the person who makes centerpieces from pine branches. But I found a few pieces that make my dining table look like Christmas without any DIY skills whatsoever.
Place two of these in the center of your table and you are done. Candlelight makes everything look warm and expensive. I paid less than ten dollars and guests thought I redecorated the whole room.
Mainstays Gold Taper Candle Holder Set, 3-piece
Throw this down the center of your table before setting anything else. It instantly says Christmas without being over the top. I fold it up and reuse it every year, still looks great.
AQOTHES Red Green Plaid Christmas Table Runner 72
Use these under a nice napkin ring and nobody knows they are paper. Saves you from doing four loads of cloth napkin laundry on Christmas Day. I learned to pick my battles.
Great Value Disposable Paper Napkins, 12x12
Pour your juice into this instead of setting cartons on the table. One small change that makes the entire spread look intentional. My mom complimented my hosting for the first time in years.
(2 pack) Mainstays 2 Quart Round Pitcher
Swap out your everyday plates for these on Christmas morning. White plates make food look brighter and more appetizing. They are cheap enough that I do not panic if one breaks.
Better Homes & Gardens Vivian 12 Piece Porcelain
Get a matching set so your table does not look like a college dorm. Mixed forks from different sets was my reality for years. Upgrading this one thing made the biggest visual difference.
Mainstays Camfield 20-Piece Stainless Steel Flatware Set
Baked Goods and Sides That Bake While You Relax
The trick to a stress-free Christmas brunch is putting things in the oven and forgetting about them. Everything here basically cooks itself while you drink coffee in your pajamas.
Pop the can, place on a sheet, set a timer. My seven year old helps with this one. Hot biscuits on the table make people think you worked way harder than you actually did.
Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuit Dough
Mix this up the night before and refrigerate the batter. Christmas morning you just pour and flip. Cuts out the measuring and mess when your kitchen is already full of brunch chaos.
How To Make Waffles From Pancake Mix
Pair this with the biscuits and watch it disappear. I set it out in a small bowl with a tiny spoon and suddenly it looks like a bed and breakfast instead of my regular kitchen.
Smucker's Strawberry Preserves, 18 oz Jar
Ditch the fake stuff for Christmas morning. Real maple syrup on pancakes is a completely different experience. My husband said it tasted like a restaurant and that is the highest praise he gives.
Great Value Pure Maple Syrup, 12.5 fl oz, US Grade
Toss these on a cake stand and they look like you went to a bakery. For the family members who skip the eggs and just want something sweet, these are the safety net that saves brunch.
Entenmann's Rich Frosted Donuts, 8 count, 15 oz
Soften this overnight and set it next to the biscuits and bagels. People spread it on everything. I buy two bricks now because one is never enough once everyone discovers it on the table.
Great Value Cream Cheese Brick, 8 oz Block, 2 Pack
Coffee and Hot Drinks That Keep the Morning Going
Presents at 7am means everyone is running on excitement and not much sleep. A solid coffee and hot drink setup keeps adults functional and gives kids something warm to hold.
Brew a full pot before anyone wakes up. The smell of coffee on Christmas morning is half the experience. I set the auto-brew the night before so it is ready when feet hit the floor.
Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee
Keep these stacked by the kettle for kids and chocolate lovers. My niece drinks three cups every Christmas. It keeps the little ones busy and happy while you finish setting up the table.
Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix with Marshmallows
Put this out next to the coffee pot so people can help themselves. Stops the parade of family members asking if you have creamer. Self-serve is the only way to survive hosting.
Coffee mate, Coffee Creamer, 32 fl oz, French Vanilla Liquid
Bring these out for the non-coffee drinkers. My mom switched from coffee to chai a few years ago and acts personally offended if I forget. Keep a box on hand and avoid the guilt trip.
Tazo, Chai Classic Black Tea, Tea Bags, 20 Count Box
Set a small bowl of this next to the coffee station. Sounds obvious but I forgot it two years ago and heard about it from my father-in-law for the entire day. Never again.
Great Value Pure Granulated Sugar, 4 lbs
Pile these in a bowl next to the hot cocoa station. Kids go wild adding their own marshmallows and it buys you an easy ten minutes of peace to plate the rest of brunch. Worth every penny.
Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows, 10 oz Bag