I know I’ve mentioned Breakfast Club in the past…a morning every other week where moms (who no longer have little ones at home all day any more) meet for some coffee, nibbles, and always good company! Right after school drop-off the host opens her doors for all to stop by for a quick cup of joe or to linger into the late morning! It’s really a lot of fun and a great way to catch up with old friends AND meet some new ones! I decided to volunteer to host the last gathering before Christmas break…and lucky for me it just happened to be the annual White Elephant Gift Exchange! And even better–one of my friends offered to co-host it with me! Needless to say, I had SO much fun preparing for this final Breakfast Club of the year! And when the morning arrived it was filled with plenty of laughter and joy–a fabulous way to start the festivities of the holiday!
jolly, holiday fun!
the best part of breakfast club is getting to see so many friends and join in on great conversation…but this holiday breakfast we also got to partake in some Christmas merriment! after my friend and i planned what we would serve, i was up before the sun that morning making sure everything was ready! egg casseroles in the oven…
making a yummy cinnamon roll “casserole” i saw online…
2 rolls of purchased dough cut up, 6 eggs, 1/2 milk, 2t. cinnamon & 2t. vanilla
toss the dough pieces in a casserole dish brushed with melted butter. pour the liquid over the cinnamon rolls and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes! top with the prepared icing and serve with maple syrup…easy and–YUM!
plenty of mugs…’cause the girls head straight for the coffee!
my dear friend was kind enough to bring some extra containers of Starbucks along with fresh fruit and a Honey Baked Ham! but in true fashion, i got caught up in all the fun and forgot to take pics of her wonderful contributions! i promise to try and be better about that this new year! before she arrived with her goodies i did find time to snap a couple more photos while i was getting ready for the fun to follow! i used simple tins and vases to hold silverware and napkins…so easy and they keep everything tidy & compact in a kitchen without much counter space!
had to make room for the gift-giving fun!
…and i couldn’t resist a whimsical centerpiece for the gift table!
and boy, did the table fill up quickly! if you’re not familiar with a white elephant exchange, the MAIN rule is that you can’t go out and buy something-it has to be an item you already own and just want to get rid of! so i’m sure you can imagine the fun we had! one other rule…you can steal the gifts from others who’ve already opened their treasure rather than pick a new one!
we all chose numbers and the gifts and giggles began…
and great stories were told of white elephant fun in the past…
and one of the most interesting gifts was this bottle of pretzel raspberry & chocolate ale! (?)
so of course we HAD to break out the glasses and try it! it is the holiday after all!
however, after cracking open the bottle (and looking to see what the expiration date was!)…the aroma was reminiscent of a frat house party! (not that i would know from experience or anything!) even though those memories are WAY in my past…that’s a smell that sticks with you! i’m not sure anyone liked the interesting ale…but the bottle was fun looking!
full of festivity, laughter, and joy…
