When Christmas Planning Meets Real Life
This year, we tried something new.
The day after my kiddos went on winter break, we packed up the dogs, the kids, the suitcases — and headed to Philadelphia to spend time with their grandparents. The plan was simple enough on paper: travel, enjoy family time, and still be ready for Christmas when we pulled back into the driveway late on Christmas Eve.
Ambitious? Yes.
Possible? Only with planning.
Before we left, everything needed to be done — gifts wrapped, the house decorated and cleaned, pajamas laid out, bags packed. And most importantly (because my family loves to eat), Christmas brunch and dinner had to be figured out in advance.
I knew one thing for sure: I did not want to come home and cook.
What I wanted was to go to Midnight Mass, come home, sleep, and wake up fully present for Christmas morning — rested, joyful, and unhurried.
That’s when casseroles saved the day.
The Magic of Make-Ahead Casseroles
Casseroles are the unsung heroes of family life — especially for moms. When made well, they are comforting, generous, and deeply satisfying. When made ahead, they become an act of mercy.
I decided to do two casseroles:
One sweet One savory
Both needed to be:
Prepared in advance Freezer-friendly Easy to pop in the oven while gifts were being opened
No stress. No last-minute scrambling.
The Sweet: Blueberry Orange-Vanilla Bread Pudding
For the sweet option, I made a Blueberry Bread Pudding using challah, brown sugar for a caramel warmth, plenty of vanilla extract, and fresh orange peel.
I wanted it:
Eggy enough to stay custardy Rich without feeling heavy Sweet, but not cloying
I had frozen blueberries on hand, which worked beautifully. (If you’ve never tossed frozen fruit lightly with sugar before baking, it’s a simple step that makes a big difference.)
The result was exactly what I hoped for — soft, spoonable, fragrant, and perfect with coffee on Christmas morning.
The Savory: A Vegetable Cheddar Strata
For the savory side, I tried something new: a strata.
If you’ve never made one, think of it as a beautifully forgiving brunch casserole. You layer bread, eggs, vegetables, and cheese — and somehow it turns into something that tastes far more special than the effort involved.
I went with:
Country bread Eggs Roasted tomatoes Caramelized onions Sharp cheddar
It felt like one of those “dump it in and trust the process” dishes — and the payoff was incredible.
When everything was baked and served, my family said the end result tasted restaurant-quality. That was deeply satisfying. Even better? The leftovers were somehow even better the next day.
A New Christmas Morning Rhythm
When Christmas morning arrived, everything felt lighter.
The oven did the work.
The food was ready.
The house was calm.
We opened gifts slowly. We lingered. We ate well. We rested.
And in the quiet joy of it all, I realized something:
This wasn’t just meal planning. It was intentional living.
Preparing ahead gave us margin — and margin makes room for gratitude.
This make-ahead Christmas brunch has officially become a new tradition in our family.
God bless. ✝️
If you’re looking for a stress-free Christmas morning, here’s the exact recipe I made — prepared ahead, frozen, and baked fresh on Christmas morning.
Blueberry orange vanilla bread pudding in a 9×13 dish
Blueberry Bread Pudding
SERVES: 8–10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freeze Time: 10 minutes (plus freeze time)
Cook Time: 85–95 minutes
Serves: 8–10
INGREDIENTS
Bread:
- 8–9 cups day-old challah, cubed
Custard:
- 8 large eggs
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Add-ins:
- 1½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, do not thaw)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp flour or cornstarch
TOPPING:
- 3–4 Tbsp butter, diced
INSTRUCTIONS
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add half the bread to the dish.
- Toss blueberries with sugar and flour.
- Sprinkle half the blueberries over the bread.
- Add remaining bread and blueberries.
- Whisk all custard ingredients until smooth.
- Pour custard evenly over bread.
- Press gently and let sit 10 minutes.
- Dot with butter.
TO FREEZE:
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil.
- Freeze up to 1 month.
TO BAKE (FROM FROZEN OR VERY COLD):
- Bake covered at 350°F for 65–70 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 20–25 minutes.
- Rest 12–15 minutes before serving.
This recipe gave us a calm, joyful Christmas morning — and I hope it blesses your family the same way.
