white elephant breakfast

Last week I had the fun task of hosting Breakfast Club!  This is a group of neighborhood moms who get together every other Thursday for coffee and conversation.  It is very casual…some stop by for a quick coffee on their way to work, some join in later in the morning after they’ve worked out for the day and some just linger for the entire morning.  The only rule is NO kids (although I did break that “rule” as Claire was home sick that day…but she stayed in her bedroom and no one even knew she was there until almost the very end).  Oh well, life happens!

The final Breakfast Club before our kids begin winter break is a white elephant gift exchange.  Most of you have participated in one of those, so you know how fun they can be!

Today I thought I’d share the food, drinks and table decor of that morning.  And let’s just say I went with the theme of “white elephant.”  You know how I love theme parties!

White Elephant Breakfast Club

I kept the decor somewhat simple with a burlap tablecloth and these elephants that I found at Hobby Lobby.  Some of them were not white, so I painted them with some white spray paint.  I placed them on some of my small pedestals with cedar sprigs and cranberries.

I found the “white elephant” napkins HERE, and I also ordered the stickers to put on the coffee cups.  The utensils were placed in vintage atlas jars and decorated with more elephants…I tied these miniature elephant figurines to the jars with red and white twine.

The menu included an egg and sausage casserole, a cinnamon roll casserole, donut holes and a yogurt bar with toppings of fruit and slivered almonds.  The casseroles were perfect because I could prepare them the night before, refrigerate them and bake in the morning.

But let’s be real!  Everyone heads to the coffee before the food, right?  I added a few white elephants to the coffee area, also.  They were actually mini plant holders, but I used them to hold the wooden spoons and mini candy canes for stirring the coffee.  I didn’t have great lighting…sorry for the poor picture quality.

I also offered some water infused with rosemary, lemon and raspberries.

But my very favorite part of the morning had to be the mimosa bar that I created…orange juice, some bubbly and fruit to top it off.  And yes, a few of us skipped the coffee and indulged in a festive drink!

And so after everyone sipped, nibbled and visited, the white elephant gift exchange began…