What’s your Christmas breakfast style and tradition? Do you prefer the combo of fresh French croissants and café au lait, Italian panettone and Prosecco, American-style pancakes with blueberries and lashings of maple syrup, or a stylish Irish brunch of smoked salmon and organic eggs?

To ensure glossy cooks don’t spend all Christmas morning in the kitchen, it’s best to stock up at M&S where you’ll find a range of new editions for quick and easy breakfasts. These allow plenty of time to unwrap presents and enjoy all the rest of your family’s festive traditions before you get to work on dinner of course…

For us, breakfast wouldn’t be the same without some freshly squeezed orange juice or elevated to a mimosa with the addition of some Conte Priuli Oro Prosecco Christmas edition. It’s beautifully crisp and pairs well with M&S’s Best Ever Smoked Salmon – this is dry cured with sea salt and twice smoked over oak and chestnut for a delicious rounded flavour. The salmon is sliced against the grain for a truly unique texture. We like to serve ours with some wheaten bread and a squeeze of lemon, or some eggs and hollandaise sauce depending on how hungry we are – opening presents does work up an appetite!

Another staple on our breakfast buffet and in our freezers is M&S’ Ready to Bake All Butter Croissants, which not only fill the house with a delicious scent but are also complemented with frozen pain aux raisins and pain au chocolat too. Once you discover these miniature marvels there is no turning back as they never fail to impress house guests or family. Little ones and kidults alike will also like the new Christmas Tree Crumpets or a Mince Pie Cookie.

For those who prefer to channel la dolce vita, the Triple Chocolate Panettone is both authentic and highly recommended and is baked at an Italian family bakery. This sweet fluffy confection is filled with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips, topped with dark chocolate and white chocolate chips (it also makes for a lovely foodie gift). A slice with Prosecco is a must or with a rich coffee – like M&S’ special FairtradeTM Christmas blend coffee.

Whether you decide to eat before or after diving into the present pile, it’s important to start off the holiday right with the best breakfast, which is why we shop at M&S. @marksandspencerireland

Customers can now also book their shop in advance with the new Book & Shop system from M&S. Simply visit www.marksandspencer.ie/bookandshop, choose an available slot, then visit the store at the specified time and show your email confirmation to the friendly M&S colleague at the door, who will let you into the store.