“Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe, help to make the season bright…” – Well, you know what else makes the season bright, in MY house? Delicious coffee, freshly baked cinnamon rolls, and good conversation with awesome people. Because, really, the best thing about Christmas is the people you love sharing it with you, right?

“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” – Peg Bracken

This week, I decided to put together a little surprise brunch for my mom. She is absolutely amazing, and has been my very best friend in the world since I was a little girl. And since I became a mother myself two years ago, I now have even more appreciation for how awesome she is – now that I know how hard motherhood can sometimes be. So, since she was coming over this morning to take Abby and I to a great Christmas Party for kids that I help volunteer with, I wanted to pick up some surprises for her while we were out shopping at Walmart yesterday. {See the whole trip here, on Google+, to get some ideas of your own.} As I shopped the bakery, I noticed this big Starbucks sign, talking about #DeliciousPairings, which I’d been hearing a lot of buzz about…

Picking the Perfect Starbucks Blend to Pair with Christmas Treats

Ok – where has this been my whole life? The Delicious Pairings display is amazingly helpful! It shows you how to pair your favorite Starbucks coffee with the perfect pairing of sweet treat. Since each coffee has different notes and undertones, they’ll each pair differently with specific flavors. Just like when you go to a wine tasting, and the same wine can taste totally different when paired with certain cheeses, or dark chocolate – coffee works the same way! Since I was picking up some super duper crazy-delicous looking cinnamon rolls to share with mom for a little surprise brunch, I headed to the coffee aisle to pick up the Starbucks Holiday Blend.

“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” – W. T. Ellis

As I wandered the aisles towards the coffee section, I couldn’t help but pick up these absolutely gorgeous flowers for my mom too. I was amazed at what a beautiful selection they had, and how affordable they were – this pretty bunch was only $7.99! And it’s so festive for the holidays – I knew it would make her day feel a little more special. My mom is an amazingly talented gardner, and really enjoys flowers and greenery. Perfect.

Trying out our Perfect Pairing – Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls & Starbucks Holiday Blend

Ok, so I told you that to make the morning a little brighter and sweeter for my wonderful ol’ momma, I was surprising her with a pretty little brunch – just her, and I, and Abby. A “girls morning in”, if you will. {Quite different from my “girls night out” adventures of my pre-motherhood years…} Well, this is as deliciously sweet as you can get – a freshly baked cinnamon roll from the Walmart Bakery, smothered in a delicious cream cheese frosting. Mmmm…. We both took a bite, and seriously – it’s hard to believe these weren’t homemade. Sooooo good, even on their own. But – then it was time to try them with the coffee too, and see how the flavors combine together…

“At Christmas, all roads lead home.” – Marjorie Holmes

The complimentary notes for the Starbucks Holiday Blend coffee are: ginger, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, and cloves. Sounds good already, right? Well, lemme tell ya ladies – paired with the cream cheese, flaky & buttery pastry of the rolls, and the flavors in the cream cheese – this was sooooo good. It does seriously remind me of choosing the right wine – swirl a bit of that coffee around in your mouth to really enjoy that mix of scents, and savor the flavors. {Yes, I said “savor the flavors” – this is serious holiday magic here.} Then when you take another bite of your pastry, you’ll love it even more than that first bite on it’s own. My mom thought I was just so smart and classy – giving her this fancy pairing, at a beautifully festive holiday table – including her gift of that perfect Christmas bouquet. Definitely was a hit – and it made me feel amazing to do something nice for my mom, to tell her thank you for all that she does for us….

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Now that we’ve wrapped up our lovely ladies brunch, we’re headed out to the Christmas party. I love helping to host these great annual events, and can’t wait to see how happy all of the kiddos are. We’ve had a challenging year as a family – with Abby’s seizures and treatment, daddy being out of work, and the rest of the usual stress. But after the tragic events of yesterday, I’m all the more joyful and grateful for what I have, and will be hugging all of the kids today a little tighter than usual. Happy holidays to all!

Let’s Chat: Do you plan to check out this Delicious Pairings display at your own local Walmart too? {Follow the #DeliciousPairings tag on Twtter to see more!} Who would you surprise with a special gift like this? Share some comments!

{Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric}