Recipe for a Last-Minute Holiday Happening

Go with a simple and familiar concept (for my crowd, that's brunch).   Set a whimsical table - found this snowman when I cleaned Connor's room the other day.  He is snow globe-ish - shake him, and glitter sloshes around - but he also has a fiber-optic thing going for him.  Anyway, he spoke to me, particularly given my choice of (retro) tablecloth.  It isn't vintage, but it's a very good copy.  I don't think my mother likes it.  She's not a big fan of 1950's kitsch - probably since she was surrounded by it during the actual 1950's.  It has a novelty for me; her, not so much.

But my friends like my vintage and retro stuff just fine.  I think.  So I pull it out when they come over.

Napkins and way cool napkin rings were a Christmas gift from my friend Janna.  She gave them to me on a Friday, I used them on Sunday.  Perfect timing, Janna!  And perfect napkins for a mostly Mexican brunch.  (I served a tamale casserole, and a ham and cheese thing with green chiles, and homemade cranberry salsa.)

Close-up of funky Frosty.

It occured to me the other day that I have a lot of Mary Engelbreit stuff, so I created a little tableau for the kitchen table (from where food was served, buffet-style).  Continuing the retro theme, I guess.  The stack of books on the dining table which served as a pedestal for my centerpiece were similarly themed - ME Christmas books and a "best of Dick and Jane" tome that belongs to the kids.   That's the cranberry salsa peeking around the corner at the bottom left.  Good stuff.  I will share the recipe in a post to follow.

The beverage station made me happy for several reasons.  Reason #1:  my Christmas tree bottle opener and ice scoop, purchased at Swoozie's, when there was such a store in Dallas (RIP, Swoozie's).  Reason #2:  I floated cranberries in the tea carafe.  Reason #3:  Friend Robyn brought the whimsy when she added the chalk label to the tea carafe.  (Hey, it's a "tea tree"!)  Reason #4:  Friend Ashley mixed mimosas, and I threw together a pitcherful of my version of a drink that I had at The Olive Garden not too long ago (you have to call it The Olive Garden - like The Wal-Mart):  pureed sweetened frozen strawberries, lemonade, citrus vodka, and just a splash each of triple sec and Sprite.

Like any good hostess, I arranged for entertainment.  A little ambient music - live, particularly - is a must for a successful Christmas get-together.  Greenleigh treated us to MULTIPLE renditions of "Smoke on the Water," "Born to be Wild" and "Mississippi Queen" - you know, your holiday classics. 

As you can see, footwear is optional at our house.

Another relaxed and fun frimily brunch to end our (first?) year of themed brunching . . . .