There are many reasons why a family would plan a Christmas brunch instead of dinner. Perhaps they celebrate with several families at different locations and don't want to sit down for two big meals. Maybe brunch fits in perfectly with plans for church, or they will be traveling home and need to leave early during the day.

When the family budget is tight, you may want to reconsider a big dinner. Sit-down dinners will normally cost quite a bit more than even the loveliest brunch. The reasons are numerous. First of all, you will most likely have a large main course, like turkey, duck, or prime rib. Then you'll want to have all the sides that go along with your traditional fancy meal. And what about the desserts! Then there are the beverages. Typically, an evening meal will have wine or other expensive drinks. It's hard to trim the expense from a traditional fancy dinner.

For families who are struggling trying to enjoy Christmas while sticking to a budget, a brunch may be just what they need. If travel plans and sharing meals at more than one household are a problem, a brunch may solve that problem, too. Take a look at some simple, yet delicious, ways that you can plan a meal that would suit such a festive occasion.

Brunch Casserole - Probably one of the most familiar and popular dishes for brunch, there are countless recipes from which to choose. Most begin with some sort of potato like hash browns, or bread. To that you add your layers of anything like sausage, ham, green pepper, cheese, and egg. This assemblage is refrigerated overnight, then baked in the morning and served hot. You can make this as simple or as complicated as you choose.

Skillet Dish - A skillet meal is very easy to prepare quickly and with relatively little fuss. There are many recipes to choose from, like this familiar favorite, a Frittata. This is typically a skillet of fried rice or potatoes with a variety of meats and vegetables added. Then eggs are poured over and the Frittata is cooked without stirring until the eggs firm up. Cut into wedges right in the skillet and serve just as it sits. Use a nice cast iron pan for a pretty and homey appeal.

Muffin Tin Meal - Little individual pot pies is what we're thinking here. Use any refrigerator biscuit to form the crust. You may want to give them a little pre-baking time, then cool and fill with a variety of breakfast food, which could include some sausage, bacon, egg and cheese. Bake them until the egg sets up and the biscuit is golden brown. You can even make actual muffins and stir the ingredients right in the muffin mix.

Omelets - I hesitate to mention omelets only because they require a lot of work while your guests are there. You can't make omelets ahead of time. You can, however, prepare all the filling ingredients, you know, the mushrooms, green pepper, ham, onions, or anything else that you like inside your omelet. The deciding factor should be whether or not you want to be cooking while you have guests. If you have a kitchen dining room combination where you can visit with your guests while you're in the kitchen, that may work out for you. However, if you are going to be isolated from everyone while you're whipping up omelets, you may want to consider a different menu.

When you start planning your menu, be sure to include a variety of foods. A brunch usually involves a lot of little nibbling and lots of mingling, so some 'walking around' type food is in order. Don't forget a nice tray of fruit and even some cheese would be nice. Have plenty of coffee and tea ready and waiting. Pitchers of milk, water, and juice should be readily available. Don't bother with pie or cake, and definitely not fudge or other candy. You may have guests who are headed to "round two" and they don't want to stuff themselves. But, a plate of pretty Christmas cookies will always be appreciated.

With just a few ideas for a simple brunch menu, you can put together a nice meal for Christmas. It's all about spending time with the people you love and not spending your hard earned money on a big fancy dinner. Enjoy your brunch!

Planning for your holiday season may start with easy Christmas meals, and you've come to the right place! For simple but delicious meal ideas, visit us at FreeQuickRecipes.com and start your holiday meal planning today.

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