Here’s a fun way to get as much wear as possible out of those darling annual Santa Photo outfits: get the kids gussied up and head to one of the many Christmas-themed breakfasts, brunches, and teas held around the Sound.
Holiday Tea at Salish Lodge, Snoqualmie, Wash.
Lift those cups and raise those pinkies: this traditional tea service within view of majestic Snoqualmie Falls features a menu that includes roast beef sandwiches with honey from the lodge’s own hives and treats such as macarons; scones with jam, marmalade, and Devonshire cream; PB&J on banana bread; hot chocolate; mini cupcakes; and chocolate opera cake. Another highlight: 10 percent of proceeds go to Camp Korey, a nonprofit organization in Carnation that offers free camps to children battling serious illnesses. Enjoy tea 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Dec. 6-21, and daily Dec. 26-30. $39 per adult, $18 per person (ages 6 to 12) and free for children 5 and younger; reservations required. Tip: linger after tea Dec. 6 for the lodge’s annual tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. (800) 2-SALISH; 6501 Railroad Ave. SE, Snoqualmie, WA 98065; salishlodge.com/holidays
The 68th Annual West Seattle Community Pancake Breakfast
Pack your holly jolly appetite and make haste to the Alki Masonic Building (4726 40th Ave. SW) for this long-running holiday tradition, 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
Tickets are $8 per person in advance, $10 at the door. Kids younger than 10 eat free AND get a free photo with Santa! Tip: Make an extra good impression with Santa by bringing a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Score! Proceeds from the breakfast benefit Kiwanis-sponsored youth programs, including Boy Scout Troop 284, high school Key Clubs, and the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program (to fund cancer research at Children’s Hospital). To purchase tickets, visit kiwaniswestseattle.org or contact Stephanie Halcomb at halcomb.kiwanis@gmail.com.
Seattle’s Traditional Santa Breakfast, Sheraton Hotel
Meet Santa, cheer for a clown and juggler, take in a mini Nutcracker ballet and go home with a keepsake ornament to remember the day: the 61st annual Seattle’s Traditional Santa Breakfast hosted by the Tim and Dan Watts Guild of the Arthritis Foundation has got it all. Savory items on the menu include a mushroom frittata, smoked bacon, and seasoned breakfast potatoes. Kids get a waffle house with a French toast roof and a bacon chimney with a bowl of M&Ms, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream for decorating, plus fruit and hot chocolate. Tip: gluten-free waffles are available by request. The breakfast runs from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 20 and 21 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, 1400 6th Ave., Seattle, WA 98101. Tickets are $55 for adults and $30 for children 3 to 12; proceeds benefit local children with juvenile arthritis. Call (206) 547-1290 or visit santabreakfasts.kintera.org
Salty’s on Alki Beach Santa Brunches, West Seattle
This waterfront restaurant with its jaw-dropping view of downtown Seattle is legendary for its epic brunch, replete with chocolate and caramel fountains, waffles, a dessert bar, crab legs, oysters on the half shell, smoked salmon, custom omelets, a bloody Mary bar — just about anything your heart (and stomach) could desire. In 2008, inspired by a recent Christmastime trip to New York City to visit their daughter, Salty’s owners Gerry and Kathy Kingen took their mega-brunch a step farther and added Santa, storybook ballerinas, giant nutcrackers, and even more merriment. Photo ops abound. Tip: Never underestimate the magnetic allure of a chocolate fountain and your child’s sleeves. Santa Brunches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dec. 6-7, 13-14, and 20-21. Reservations recommended. (206) 937-1600; 1936 Harbor Ave. SW, 98126. saltys.com/christmas
