A Berry Christmas Morning Gathering

Christmas morning has always been a time of pure joy in my household. It’s a peaceful yet exciting moment where we invite our family over for a casual breakfast and gather to watch the kids open their presents from Santa.  
 
This year will be especially meaningful, as it will be the last time we partake in this tradition in our current home before we move to our new home in early 2023. So, we’ll plan to soak up and capture every cozy moment we can! 

 

 

The Gathering  

 

The festivities will take place at my home on Christmas morning, of course. I’m planning on gathering my in-laws and inviting them to arrive at the house early so they can witness the excitement of the big wake-up! 

Once the kids make it downstairs, and to keep everyone comfortable, we’ll cozy up in the living room for the eagerly anticipated opening of presents, then enjoy a picnic-style breakfast around the coffee table to graze from between playing with new presents, of course! 

 

 

The Mood 

 

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Christmas morning is pure joy. To me, there is nothing sweeter than watching my children eagerly rush out of bed to experience the magic of Christmas and discover the treasures that Santa has brought them.  

My goal for my cozy Christmas Morning gathering is for the family to simply relax and enjoy the holiday together. The hustle of the holiday season can often make us feel exhausted by the time Christmas arrives, especially in our line of work! This year I’m planning on soaking up every minute of the days leading up to Christmas and enjoying a calm and casual setting for the Christmas morning festivities. I’m thinking - warm cinnamon rolls baking in the oven, coffee in festive mugs, a casual menu made for grazing, and staying put in our pajamas as long as possible. 

A few descriptors of my gathering: 

• Cozy 

• Comfortable 

• Joyful 

 

 

The Colors 

 

A classic Christmas morning calls for cheerful hues of reds and greens. I’m planning on building from the palette of our Balsam and Berry Collection as the main foundation for the overall look.

Featured Hues:  

• Pine  

• Emerald  

• Pucker Red 

• Ecru 

 

The Inspiration  

 

The inspiration behind my A Berry Christmas Morning gathering begins with highlighting the classic Christmas colors and festive feel behind our Balsam and Berry Collection. The bundles of winter greenery and plump red berries add a cheerful and classic feel to the look, which is perfect for this traditional gathering. 

 

The Menu 

 

In order to keep with the calming theme, I plan to prepare as much as I can the night before... always a good idea when you have little ones running around on Christmas morning and don’t want to miss a thing. My mother-in-law will bring the cinnamon rolls with her when she arrives, since they’ll just need to be popped in the oven to bake while we get started. Most breakfast casseroles are actually better if you prep them the night before, so I'll plan to do that and cut the fruit in advance as well as pre-set the coffee maker in the living room. 

Our Christmas Morning Menu will consist of: 

• My Mother-In-Law's cinnamon rolls 

• Breakfast Casserole 

• Fruit 

• Coffee {lots, and lots of coffee!} 

 

 

The Serving Spread  

 

Once the cinnamon rolls are done baking, I’ll place a few of our Balsam and Berry Holly Ruffle Salad Plates on the coffee table for us all to graze on between opening gifts and playing with new presents. 

After cinnamon rolls and coffee, I’ll pop the breakfast casserole in the oven and we’ll resume gift opening festivities. Depending on the mood, I may set the table in the dining room for our casual family breakfast {or, around the coffee table we may stay!} and we’ll relax as the kids play with their new toys. 

 

 

The Refreshments  

 

To begin the early morning festivities, I’ll arrange a coffee station on a cabinet in my living room with all the essentials to keep the caffeine within arm’s reach – a must-have for sleepy parents.  
 
I’ll add pitchers of water, orange juice, and maybe a few bottles of festive libations like Bailey’s or Champagne to give guests a few choices to add to their drinks. 

 

 

The Décor  

 

As it’s our last Christmas in our current home, we decided on a simpler approach to our holiday décor this year, and we are letting our Christmas tree take center stage. 
 
We'll add a festive feel with a few decorative fir trees, but our seasonal serveware will help kick the festivity up a notch! 

We have planned to pack up our holiday serving pieces and some key pieces of décor last to enjoy them for one last season in our current home, so I've pre-pulled my go-to seasonal serveware to use leading up to and on the big day. 

 

The Music  

 

We’ll turn on our Tidings of Good Tunes playlist to add a festive and upbeat atmosphere for the occasion. You can listen, too! Follow us on Spotify for access to all our carefully curated playlists.  

I hope you feel inspired to gather and celebrate the peak of the Christmas season with a cozy Christmas morning celebration full of savoring the excitement and making memories that are sure to last a lifetime. The countdown is officially on!