Some holiday traditions are cherished rituals deliberately repeated to invoke childhood memories, and others are made out of necessity or develop over time.

As a young child, our gifts were opened on Christmas morning and there was always an orange in each stocking. As we got older, our family Christmas celebrations changed to accommodate teen sleeping schedules, so we opened gifts on Christmas Eve and slept in Christmas day. Later, our house became a gathering place for friends home from college, and my mother started a tradition of late night homemade Chinese food (she’d taken a class and discovered nearby specialty markets.)

I like to put a big orange in the toe of the stockings, just as my parents did. For the past few years in an effort to juggle multiple family obligations, we have celebrated Christmas with some of our extended family on Christmas Eve and our tradition has become brunch.

Our family’s Holiday Morning French Toast has become a fixture of brunch. Last year, I found myself short of apples but with plenty of bananas on hand - and lo a new tradition was born.

This simple dish pleases adults and children, and it can be prepared the day before.

Holiday Morning French Toast

1 Cup brown sugar

½ Cup butter, melted

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (divided)

3 tart apples (such as Granny Smith) peeled, cored and thinly sliced or 3 bananas, peeled and sliced

½ Cup dried cranberries or raisins

1 loaf Italian, French or cinnamon-raisin bread, cut into 1-inch slices

6 large eggs

1 ½ Cups milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine brown sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Add fruit to cover bottom of dish. Arrange bread slices on top.

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Pour mixture over bread, soaking break completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Bake, covered with foil, in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 12