I always get excited for HGTV's Holiday episodes to start airing. But this season, we have a very special series to look forward to.
The Property Brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott are going back to their country roots to bring us a brand new holiday series,
Property Brothers at Home on the Ranch! Although I could watch it just for the scenery, the truth is I can't wait to hear them reminisce about their lives growing up on the ranch. #BrothersatHome
Thinking about the boys heading home to the country for the holidays strikes a personal chord with me. The anticipation of this series has taken me on a trip down memory lane, back home to my holiday roots. This look back at my childhood has made me realize how much of my parents' traditions are still going strong in my suburban home. I grew up in the country in a small town called Davisburg, Michigan. We lived down a dirt road on a large piece of land in a charming salt box reproduction built by my Dad and passionately decorated by my Mom.
(My Childhood Home in Davisburg, Michigan)
The holidays were a very special time of year for our family. Every year, my mom went all out with country-inspired Christmas decor, hand-made gifts, heavenly baked goods and hearty holiday meals. My three siblings and I looked forward to our holiday traditions when we were younger, even though there were times (our teenage years) when we pretended not to. Now that we are older, our holidays in the country are reflected in our suburban lives and in our traditions.
For instance, my favorite holiday tradition growing up was hands-down our holiday meals. Christmas breakfast was a very big deal. I've carried on that tradition with my own family and each Christmas we start the day with a very special, very big breakfast. Just as my mom did, I set the table using our best dishes and linens.
My mom always had a fantastic centerpiece. Her table was adorned with fresh evergreen clippings from around the house or dried flowers from her gardens. Her centerpieces are not something I could ever replicate, so I do the best I can with pretty plants from our local nursery, or sometimes even floral arrangements from the supermarket, tweaked and embellished, of course, to make them special.
Even though a lot of our suburban Christmas morning breakfasts are inspired by my childhood country Christmases, there are differences. For instance, when I was a kid, my dad would prepare French toast in a cast iron skillet. The recipe I use is this
Overnight French Toast.
My daughter and I have made it a tradition to prepare this dish after we return from Christmas Eve church service. We also set the table the night before and make sure everything is ready to go so in the morning, all we need to do is pop the casserole in the oven and start making childhood memories of Christmas breakfast for my kids.
I can't wait to watch the Brothers at home and get a glimpse at their life growing up in the country. In the new episodes, Jonathan and Drew Scott, The Property Brothers, go back to their roots as ranch kids in Alberta, Canada in a new HGTV Holiday series Property Brothers at Home on the Ranch. Jonathan and Drew help close friends of the family transform a run-down horse ranch into a dream property. Their family joins them as they reminisce about growing up on the ranch and how the "Cowboy-Code" of hard work and keeping true to your word helped them become international home renovation celebrities.
Cowboys, take me away!
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