christmas morning brunch

Does anyone else feel like Christmas seems to come and go more quickly with each year that passes?

Like, much more quickly?

I felt like I was so prepared - shopping done, gifts wrapped, menus planned - but still, as the day would get closer, things would come up. I'd remember a gift I still needed to wrap that I couldn't remember where I hid for the life of me, Ryan would remember a secret Santa gift he'd need, or a potluck item he'd have to bring to work.

We really made an effort this year to be intentional about what we were going to commit to, and what we would spend time doing over the holidays. We had a busier start to the month, but the actual week of Christmas was slower and more relaxing. It was lovely.

It also helped us not get so caught up in the activities of Christmas, and spend more time focusing on the true meaning of the season - the birth of our Saviour.

On Christmas morning, we host my family for brunch. I love hosting it, but one of the main reasons we do it, is so that we don't have to go anywhere on Christmas morning. It just works out perfectly for us. We have lots of time as a family to open gifts, and then as everyone is busy trying out their new toys, I put an apron on, and get breakfast started.

I also love setting the table and love that we have a space large enough for us to all sit down together.

I really lucked out this year with grocery store flowers. Usually I would order flowers from our flower truck, but I wasn't able to, and was left hoping the grocery store in town had something that would work. Dark Red Hypercum and a dozen White Roses worked perfectly, especially when I added some bits of evergreen.

I also used some of my red transferware.

And while we all fit around the dining room table, the kids have their own special table.

But they still expect it to be special!

Something I did differently this year was add a large wreath to the stone wall. I love the greens against the stone, and it didn't get any easier than hanging a wreath.

This was our Christmas buffet.

- Sausages and Bacon

- Potato and Onion Frittata

- Breakfast Tarts with Bacon, Scallions and Cheddar or Goat's Cheese

- French Toast Bake

- Fresh Fruit

- Ina's Easy Sticky Buns (which I made bit size)

- Olliebolen (which are like Dutch donuts, and were still warming in the oven)

Here the boys are, playing at my grandparents' farm on Christmas Eve. As a girl, I came every Christmas Eve, and we ate and visited with our cousins way past bed time. Now, we're all married with children of our own and we don't do this any more, but the invitation to come is always there. We decided last minute to go and visit, and I'm so glad we did. My aunt, who lives there with my Papa, had the entire house (literally every possible surface) decorated for Christmas. She had set the table with my Nana's antique Christmas china and special Cornflower glasses. She had trays of treats and homemade Eggnog and so much food it was crazy. I just loved seeing the boys doing what I loved doing when I was their age - Christmas Eve, celebrating with family, beyond excited for the next morning.

Us opening gifts on Christmas morning - Jude is just getting old enough that he is starting to understand the excitement!

All the cousins!

Opa and Nonna, and their six crazy grandsons.

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours was.

Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.

A Merriest of Christmases

These past two days have been unusually relaxing and quite peaceful.

Ryan and I spent the day wrapping up the last of our gifts, setting the table for brunch on Christmas morning, and tidying the house before we headed off to church for the evening.

I didn't have much time to share with you the rest of the house, and that's okay.

I did however enjoy playing with the boys and snugging on the couch as we read the Christmas story. I enjoyed chatting late into the night with my handsome husband as we laughed and stuffed stockings.

And I enjoyed a few too many delicious Christmas cookies.

I love Christmas day.

I love hosting Christmas for my family. For the past number of years, we've hosted a late breakfast on Christmas morning. My sisters and parents all come over after we've each had some time to do our own gifts with our families. We enjoy a big brunch, and exchange gifts with each other.

It's especially nice because it means that we never have conflicting Christmases. Breakfast is always with my family, and dinner is always with Ryan's.

As you can see, the table wasn't quite finished. Some of the napkins we in the wash still, and again, that's okay.

Everything was laid out the day before and prepped in the fridge so I could spend as little time in the kitchen as possible and as much time as I could soaking in each moment and watching the boys joyfully open their gifts.

I love watching them on Christmas morning.

Breakfast has become the same each year. When you find a good thing, why change?

We enjoyed cinnamon buns from the store, citrus salad, bacon and sausages, french toast with maple syrup and our favourite, eggs Benedict.

After gathering the piles of paper, and relaxing for a while, we headed to Ryan's parents for our traditional Christmas turkey dinner - and it was amazing, as always.

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And now the boys are fast asleep, and presents have all been opened. The house is quiet and peaceful and it's hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone.

But really, that's the best part about Christmas - it's never really over. The greatest gift is always patiently waiting to be received. Our Saviour is always waiting, longing for us to come and sit and rest and be loved and welcomed as we are. The lights come down, but His light is always shining brightest, even in the darkest of times. And the gifts are opened and the tree is bare once more, but the greatest gift, the gift of life eternal is always found at the foot of the cross - the tree on which the perfect baby we celebrate at Christmas time hung for our sins. So that we, we who are broken and lost and hopeless, can be made perfect, and welcomed in and given the only sure hope - eternal life.

It's the most perfectly beautiful gift. And it's ours if we want it. And who doesn't want to be loved unconditional and welcomed as we are, and given life and joy and purpose and washed beautifully clean and made holy by his perfect blood, shed for us?

He gives us the gift of Himself, and the gift of finding Him in everything we do each day. We simply have to choose to open it or not.

Wishing you the most wonderful of Christmases today.

With love, 

the Heikoops

A Very Merry Christmas

Christmas morning; dawn was just breaking and there was a lovely pile of pretty packages, patiently waiting under our tree.


This Christmas was lovely. These past few weekends have been filled with so much love and joy, I've honestly felt overwhelmed with a sense of blessing.


The next few days will be filled with things to do before the new year arrives so blogging will be few and far between. I'm greatly anticipating the freshness that comes with the new year and I can't wait to share so many wonderful new things with you.


Until then, I hope you all had the loveliest of Christmases and are just as eager for the new year to begin.


Maria
xo


Ps. I'm so grateful for the encouragement from each of you and I just wanted to thank you for all the lovely comments and bits of inspiration you've all shared with me. To next year!