"christmas morning" news and stories

I realize that it's the day after Christmas and probably not the best time to talk about what your holiday breakfast traditions are, but it's on my mind and so I'm writing about it. You see, in my family, it isn't Christmas morning without bacon. In our house it's turkey bacon because my mom Jewish, didn't grow up eating pork and still can't bring herself to do so to this day. But still, we must have that bacon, along with sunny side up eggs (whites cooked, yolks runny). Along with that there is typically a bread product (this year it was toasted panettone, last year we made these scones).

Last week there was an article in the Oregonian food section about another family's tradition of having aebleskivers on Christmas morning (I have never had the opportunity to try those little round pancakes and am hoping to get my hands on a pan in which to make them in the near future).

What are your holiday breakfast traditions? Did you stay true to those traditions yesterday, or did you branch out and try something new?

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We always associate gingerbread with either Gingerbread houses or Gingerbread men. But how about a cake or cookies or a cobbler or pancakes?

Our friends over at AOL Food have some recipes for gingerbread you might not have thought of doing. Like the Gingerbread and Pear Dessert, Lemon Iced Gingerbread and some Gingerbread Pancakes. The Apple-Gingerbread Cobbler looks like the perfect thing to eat on a cold winter's night in front of the fire (OK, the television).

There are also recipes for Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies that would look great on your Christmas table or on the tree.

Want even more gingery ideas? Check out:

• Gingerbread House Cupcakes
• Gingerbread Family Cookie Cutters
• Guinness gingerbread records
• Gingerbread man pan
  

Everyone has their Christmas morning traditions. When I was a kid, we couldn't open any of our gifts (OK, maybe our stockings) until mom had had her first cup of coffee. I don't really have any traditions or rules like that anymore, because I have my own place now and I go over to my sister's house later in the day and exchange gifts and she usually cooks, but a lot of people have certain things they always eat or drink on Christmas morning, even beyond the coffee you have in the morning or the turkey you have for dinner.

In the December issue of Bon Appetit, Ted Allen gives his menu for a Christmas brunch that could become a new tradition in your home. He starts with a Citrus Fruit Salad. Actually, maybe he starts with the Gazpacho Bloody Marys! Then you can go on to the Potato Latkes with Smoked Salmon, Caviar, and Tarragon Creme Fraiche, and maybe some Sticky Bun Bread Pudding.

Growing up, my mom's Christmas Eve revolved around kneading, brushing on butter, cinnamon, sugar, and rolling dough for our traditional Christmas morning cinnamon rolls. We'd have to wait until after breakfast to open our presents (our stockings were a pre-breakfast ritual, natch) but it was worth it. The scent of cinnamon, cloves and caramelizing brown sugar would fill the house as we unwrapped tiny bars of fancy soap and pretty pencil erasers. I'd shove a Hershey's kiss into my mouth as I longed for the hot, buttery circles of dough.

Now, any family celebration of the mundane or spectacular variety centers around bacon, biscuits and good coffee (this year's pick is Thundermuck from Columbia River Roasters). In the morning, I'll be mixing flour and baking powder and cutting in butter while my husband keeps letting our oldest son sneak slices of bacon as they come off the pan. What do you make for Christmas breakfast? Do you make it the night before, or is it a family cooking ritual? Or do you just skip breakfast and go straight to the chocolate (which I've done many a Christmas morning)?

[Photo Sarah Gilbert]