I have been making strata for Christmas morning for years. It is very similar to the french toast above, but savory rather than sweet. I figure we have cookies and other sweet things around at Christmas, so it's good to get a more filling meal in. The way to do the Christmas morning unwrapping without tears is pretty simple. I would get up before the little kids (we would keep them up a bit the night before, decorating the tree -- we always save the decorating for Christmas Eve and leave the tree up until Epiphany. Before the gang wakes up, I would steal into the kitchen and take the strata (bread soaking in egg custard with onion, green peppers, sausage and cheese) out of the fridge. Put it in an already greased pan. While the oven warms, I would decorate the top. A Christmas tree is very easy with slices of green pepper and some diced red pepper ornaments. Santa puts a tangerine, or clementine in the bottom of each stocking. In the morning I get the strata in the oven before anyone starts on their stocking. The strata bakes as everyone is emptying the stocking and playing with the games, etc.. that are in there. When everyone has gotten to the the fruit at the bottom the strata is usually done. Everyone takes their fruit to the table, and we have breakfast before opening the presents under the tree! Christmas morning with no tears, no low blood sugar problems. Moira: it sounds like your Christmas was just like the ones at our house! We were allowed to go through our stockings while Mom got things going in the kitchen, and we always had an orange or a clementine at the bottom of ours, too. I had to explain the tradition of the citrus as a Christmas treat to one of my nieces; the idea of not having fresh fruit available in the winter except on very special occasions had never occurred to her! Thanks for sharing your memories and invoking a few of my own. Susan Reid

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