Christmas morning often means gathering kin—young and old—to open a bounty of gifts. If the boxes under the tree have become your family’s holiday highlight consider refocusing Christmas Day to honor the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Treat your family to a festive brunch centered around reading the Christmas story. Lift spirits and draw family members to the table with a beautiful setting and enticing aromas that promise a delicious meal. This is a celebration to honor the King—make it special!

Holiday Happy

Dress the table. Transform everyday white dishes with cheery red napkins. Splurge on fresh flowers in sparkling containers. Make small- to medium-size arrangements and later in the day deliver them to shut-ins. Choose meaningful flowers. White and red roses represent Christ’s beauty, purity and blood. Arrange them with clippings from your tree or purchased hypericum berries.

Download, print and cut out the Merry Christmas Label for the pancake stack.

Festive Food

Select delicious menu items that allow for some advance preparation. Consider easy dishes such as those above, Egg Casserole with Sausage and Sun-dried Tomatoes, Winter Fruit Salad and Cherry-Walnut Mini Muffins. Multigrain Pancakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting can be made the Christmas morning in graduated-size cakes to stack into a tree shape. Allow for extra frosting between the layers. Make this just before serving. Or, make single pancakes served with a small dollop of the frosting on top.

Planning Peace

Set the table and do much of the food prep ahead of time. Chop all salad fruit, except apples, the day before (chop and add apples just before serving). Mix dry pancake ingredients ahead and store; add eggs, milk and oil just before cooking. Make and freeze muffins; thaw and warm in a microwave just before serving. Make the casserole the night before and refrigerate. Bake in the morning.