Have a Maya Christmas Breakfast

_{It’s the holiday season and we know you’re all looking forward to Noche Buena with your loved ones. But have you ever considered celebrating with a Christmas breakfast? You may be wondering what it takes to give your morning meal a holiday twist. Here’s a guide from The Maya Kitchen to help you serve up a merry meal.}

1. _{Draw up Your Guest List for a Christmas-themed Breakfast}

_{If you’re planning a Christmas-themed breakfast, a good idea is to have it on December 25. Invite your loved ones over to open presents after a satisfying meal. If you had Noche Buena the night before, make it a Christmas brunch as some may not have room for a large meal early in the morning. Get those invites out way ahead of time so your guests know to leave some room in their tummies for a fabulous morning or mid-morning meal.}

2. _{Plan Your Christmas-themed Breakfast Menu}

_{One aspect of any Christmas meal is serving up your very best. This could mean a family recipe handed down from one generation to the next. Or a dish that you’re known for—except this time, think breakfast! Add flourish to every dish you set out—from your beverages to your main course. Plan to serve these along with your typical breakfast faire.} 

3. _{Decorate your table for Christmas}

_{Get everyone in a celebratory mood and use holiday-themed tableware. Some ideas are place cards, covering your table with a festive tablecloth, laying out your best flatware, or even hanging mini parols in your dining room. How you choose to decorate is entirely up to you. Just make sure to let the season of giving inspire your Christmas-themed breakfast. Do this before cooking up your Christmas-themed breakfast.}

_{Porridge for a Hearty Christmas Breakfast}

_{In many cultures, porridge is considered a breakfast staple in one form or the other. Make sure to include this comfort dish in your menu. Here are some variations to consider:}

• _{Asian Inspired Congee – This hearty porridge is sure to please lovers of Chinese and Filipino cuisine. For a more East Asian flavor, use century egg instead of salted egg.}
• _{Champorado of Champions – Our recipe uses Maya Champorado Mix for an easy but authentic chocolate porridge. Aside from dilis, corned beef flakes and bacon bits go well with our version.}     

_{Hotcakes for Your Christmas-themed Breakfast}

_{No Christmas breakfast table should be without hotcakes. You can take two approaches: fancy ingredients or decorate them with a holiday theme in mind. Here are a few ideas to try:}

• _{Christmas Hotcake Art – All you need is Maya Fluffy n’ Tasty Hotcake Mix, sugar icing, candy sprinkles, and creativity to cook up a festive batch of hotcakes.} 
• _{Breakfast Hotcake Board – Now this is what we call a Christmas breakfast spread. Food boards are a fun way to kick off your morning meal. This features fresh fruit, deli meats, scrambled eggs, sausages, waffles, and of course, hotcakes.}
• _{Coffee Hotcakes – Using brewed coffee, this hotcake dish is a special way to kickstart Christmas day.}   

_{Christmas-themed Breakfast Breads}

_{Another way to add holiday cheer to your breakfast is by serving loaves with distinct Christmas flavors. Make sure to put out an assortment of your favorite fruit jams and French butter to slather on your bread slices. Here are some recipes to try:}

• _{Cinnamon Pancake Bread with Nuts Streusel – Cinnamon and nuts are a well-loved Christmas combination. Putting time and effort in a home-baked loaf is a gift.}
• _{Floral Focaccia Bread – Delight guests with this delicious Italian loaf. The floral design makes it a festive and welcome addition to your breakfast table.}     
• _{Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce – Still not over Noche Buena? Then let this bread pudding add a hint of the season’s sweetness to your spread.} 

_{Christmas-themed Breakfast Egg Dishes}

_{What’s breakfast without eggs? They’re a staple for the morning meal whether fried, poached, boiled, or scrambled. For that holiday twist, serve up something extra decadent. Check out these delicious recipes, using eggs, from our archives:}

• _{Cheesy Bacon Egg Bread – A combination of various breakfast staples, including the all-time favorite: bacon. Filling enough to be the main course.}
• _{Salted Egg Chicken Nuggets – This dish has a distinctly Asian flavor with a nod to traditional Filipino food in the form of itlog na maalat. The kids will love this one}  
• _{Smoked Salmon Omelet with Aioli – Now this is truly a holiday omelet combining the freshness of smoked salmon with a rich garlic dip.}

_{Christmas-themed Breakfast Beverages}

_{Coffee is an essential part of breakfast and so is juice. Think. What would make these everyday drinks special in a holiday kind of way? Consider spices and flavors that are associated with this special time of the year. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg are some examples. Popular coffee brands serve up special holiday drinks that contain these flavors. So, why not try making your own with flavored syrups or powdered spices.}

_{You can add a festive touch to your breakfast juice by prepping a mulled version. Choose your favorite or serve up a combination. Apple, orange, grape, or cranberry juice are good choices. Combine your choice of juices and place the mixture in a saucepan. Add a cinnamon stick and a few cloves then simmer the ingredients for about 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the liquid to remove leftover spices and serve hot.}

_{Breakfast Dishes Using Leftover Christmas Ham}

_{Waste not, want not. Noche Buena is done, but you have some delicious Christmas ham leftover. Instead of letting it sit around in the freezer, use it to create one-of-a-kind Christmas-themed breakfast dishes. Some ideas are to dice it up and add it to your Sinangag (garlic fried rice) or use it as an ingredient in your omelets.} 

_{We hope this helps you create a memorable and festive morning meal this Christmas. If it does, share this article with friends and family. Got any special breakfast dishes you want to share with other readers? If so, leave a comment below.}