On this Christmas eve day, join me in my kitchen for one of my favorite Christmas traditions–Christmas morning breakfast!  This delicious spread has been a part of my Christmas celebration for years.  You can prep it the night before, sleep in (if your Santa-crazed footie pajamaed kiddos will let you), and pop it in the oven while you see what the Man in Red left in your sock.

Here’s the menu:
Crispy Potato Quiche
Ribbons of Black Forest ham, swiss, and pepper jack cheeses sit atop a crispy potato crust.
Cream Cheese Danish
Creamy filling is wrapped in buttery pastry for an easy twist on this bakery classic.
Festive Fruit
A medley of pear, pomegranate, blackberries, and kiwi makes for a colorful fruit salad.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11.

You’ve decorated, you’ve shopped, you’ve wrapped present after present–you’re tired.  Muster up your Christmas spirit–at least enough for our last two posts.  This year, plan a really wonderful Christmas breakfast and expect the whole family!  If you’re going to go to the trouble of cooking, make your table something your guests will find just as memorable.

How about putting a couple of these ideas to good use:

Bundle up the family and take Christmas dinner to your patio table.  Add cozy touches, like a lumberjack inspired blanket as a tablecloth and flickering pillar candles.  Juxtapose this with burlap and pine.  Make sure you stock up on cider and hot cocoa–it’s sure to be a chilly, memorable morning!

Keep it classy and mix your metalics and glass with pine.  This clever chalkboard tells your guests what to expect and keeps their tummies from guessing while opening stockings.

Keep it simple and tie a wide ribbon on your chairs for a festive splash of color.  Add an ornament, sprig of pine, or a pine cone.

Don’t fear thinking outside of the box when it comes to Christmas color.  Use what you have and add splashes of color your house may not see during the rest of the year to give your table (and your home) a festive, fresh look.  Use some of those fallen tree branches from our last snow and add an ornament or two!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10.

From a former barista’s heart to yours, here are some favorite holiday espresso drinks:

Eggnog Latte
12 oz drink: 2 shots espresso // 2 oz milk + 6 oz eggnog, steamed // whipped cream + nutmeg garnish

CandyCane Mocha
12 oz drink: 2 shots espresso // 8 oz whole milk, steamed // 1 tbs crushed candycane, stirred into the hot espresso // stick of candycane garnish

Take the edge off those awkward family reunions and gift some homemade infusions this season.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8, Day 9.

For as much as I love color, this post may surprise you.  But, with the absence of much snow so far this year, I find myself dreaming of a white Christmas–indoors and out!  Why not?!

Doesn’t this look like a great place to enjoy a white Christmas?!  A perfect view to a (hopefully) snowy exterior while curled up in an oatmeal colored knit throw, sinking your toes into that soft, simple rug.  Enjoy the texture of the wicker sofas, the pine boughs, and the glistening lanterns alongside the white!

What could be more wonderful than white on white on white?  Create a stunning, snow white interior with a myriad of shades of this light and bright hue.

A colorful tree is beautifully accented by a white brick fireplace (love that shape!!), creamy upholstery, and soft ivory walls.  Even the firewood is white!

If you’re still pining for color (pun fully intended), how about this over the top breakfast room.  Maybe you’re not ready for a semi-permanent red wall, but you can add splashes of color with festive dishware, throw pillows, and paper lanterns!  Listen, with paint as cheap as it is, you’re only $40 and an afternoon from a room as dramatic as this one to wow your guests.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6,Day 7, Day 8.

Whatever your taste, a colorful accent piece is sure to spice up your decor this holiday season!

Whether you enjoy the playful colors of the traditional red and green…

…can hear the familiar jingle of the silver bells with classic metallic accents…

…or are dreaming of a white Christmas, with soft neutrals you can change up year ’round!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7.

I don’t know how many of you actually roast chestnuts on an open fire, but what’s a cozy holiday night without some fireside ambiance?

Consider all the sleek options available to you if your gas line is inaccessible or installation is cost-prohibitive. Wall mounted electric fireplaces offer you the flexibility to add warmth and a sleek design feature to any space. Any electrical work required will be minimal, depending on the proximity of your existing devices. And don’t worry about overheating; the temperature of the electric flame is completely adjustable. Even the brightness of the flames can be controlled.

There is something inarguably wonderful (albeit messy) about an old wood burning fireplace. But if you’re hunting for a beautiful, easy-to-mount anywhere fireplace that is yours to customize and control, why not choose electric this holiday season?

Happy holidays, and stay warm!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6.

Make your home smell as good as mine does by putting a couple of my favorite ideas to good use:

-After roasting marshmallows by my fireplace, I toss a spring of fresh rosemary into the flame.  The aromatic scent of winter quickly fills the air.

-If I’m expecting a crowd, I bring water, cinnamon sticks, and orange rind to a low boil for an hour before they come over.

-A real tree is always an irresistable scent this time of year, but, if you’re like me and your job/life/commute prevents it, add a few drops of pine essential oil in a small dish near your Christmas tree.  You’ll fool your guests everytime.

-If all else fails, light a few scented candles and enjoy their soft glow and seasonal scent.

-Josh

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5.

Warm and Cozy Area Rugs – One more element to get you in the Christmas Spirit! Put one on top of those great Palo Duro Hardwood floors from Day 3! Really putting the final touch on your space and making it perfect to cozy up by the fire to enjoy a cup of hot cider.

Snuggle Up and be Warm & Cozy this Christmas Season!

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.

Thinking you would like to spruce up your home before family comes for the Holidays? Maybe, your looking to bring a little more warmth to your home – think hardwood. Milled in Cortez Colorado, hand-scrapped, distressed and stained in Denver, Colorado, it doesn’t get much closer to home. And well, when people think of home and winters in Colorado, they think of that perfect warm lodge with the aroma of a wood burning fireplace, while the snow falls, blankets, movies and hot chocolate (hot butter rum for the adults)!

To finish off that perfect cozy space; take a look at the Palo Duro Collection Hardwood Floors. With spieces ranging from Hickory, Oak, Walnut and Pine, any stain you can imagine and the chance to customize the level of distressing, it is easy to make it yours.

This is one of my favorites! While soft creams are the dominate color on the walls and upholstery, these hickory floors instantly bring the warm cozy feel that we are looking for.

If you have missed any of the other days of Christmas, check them out here: Day 1, Day 2.