Breakfast with Santa
by Leigh Anne on December 15, 2009
in Christmas, Holiday Parties
For many years one of our family’s favorite traditions was having Breakfast with Santa in the beautiful Georgian Room of Meier & Frank in downtown Portland. We would get dressed up in our holiday finery, Beaverton High School would put on a wonderful musical show, Santa would visit each table and we drank lots of yummy hot chocolate!
Several years ago Meier & Frank became Macy’s and the Georgian Room and Breakfast with Santa was no more. A sad day. Since our kids had gotten too old for this event any way I decided that it was time to reinvent Breakfast with Santa!
So we decided to host our own Breakfast with Santa. We invited 3 of our neighbor families, two of which had young children. We usually hold it the Saturday before Christmas so that my college kids are home and can join us. Everyone is invited to attend in their pajamas!
The menu is the same as we enjoyed in the Georgian Room – pancakes, little sausages, fruit, juice and hot chocolate. This year we are throwing an egg dish in for the adults!
Jim is always in charge of cooking the pancakes. Yummy, fluffy, sour cream pancakes.
The kids line up for them!
There is plenty of hot chocolate and whip cream – the rule is you can have as much whip cream as you want, no limits!
This year we will be having a hot chocolate bar with lots of fun toppings and mix ins!
After breakfast all of the kids work together to create gingerbread house masterpieces.
Usually, just as they ae finishing up their decorating there’s a knock at the door. Guess who it is? Santa of course!
Santa brings a gift for each of the kids – big and small and they all get a turn on his lap!
Last year we were in the middle of Arctic Blast 2008 and Santa had to make his way through the snow, good thing he has those reindeer to help him!!
Our Breakfast with Santa usually lasts most of the morning as we enjoy lingering, spending time together and just hanging out. It is our Christmas gift to our neighbors and we get as much enjoyment out of it as they do!
Some of the neighborhood girls.
Merry Christmas!
What a FUN IDEA. Thanks for sharing!
Leigh Anne~ Everything looks so good and festive! The guests all look really happy too. You even got the REAL Santa to visit your home. What a woman!
I saw the polka dot cup in Home Goods yesterday that you used for your Cookies
and Cream Bark recipe post. Also, I went and tried Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss bar the other day. Oh, to die for so I will certainly make the copy cat recipe for it that you posted.
You asked what we decorate with. Besides the usual tree and wreaths. I love putting pine branches around (ones that are real or look real). I put some decorations in through the branches. I have an old sled I bought in Germany some years ago. I use that and hang an old fashioned brass horn on it with a ribbon. I also love to force bulbs for Christmas time. I have Paper Whites sprouting right now. I love some fresh blooms even when it’s cold out.
Thanks once again for sharing!
[...] always serve pancakes at our annual Breakfast with Santa. Usually we have the choice of homemade jam, maple syrup or homemade cinnamon syrup. This year I [...]