Old Country Store hosts 32nd annual Christmas Eve Breakfast

JACKSON, Tenn. — What’s the holiday weekend without the Old Country Store’s annual Christmas Eve Breakfast?

For the 32nd year, the Old Country Store opened its doors on Christmas Eve morning.

“As you can see behind me, we’ve got a lot of people waiting in line,” general manager Brooks Shaw said. “There’s about 300 or so already sat in the dining room, so it’s a great day so far.”

Shaw said they expected to serve around 2,000 people, and among the crowd were generations and generations of families who make the breakfast a part of their Christmas celebration.

“Just being around family people you don’t see that much, at least once a year, and that one time out of the year you get a chance to congregate with them and enjoy their time,” breakfast attendee Chris Beard said.

“Christmas tradition in the Steward family every year,” Shirley Steward said of the breakfast. “And as usual the Old Country Store did a fantastic job, and the servers were wonderful and the food was delicious.”

Shaw said about three-fourths of the staff was needed to make the breakfast a success. “It’s really when most of the staff is all together in the course of the whole year, so it’s a really special time for all of us.”

One family said they’ve been coming out for the Christmas Eve Breakfast for 31 years and have no plans of stopping the tradition.

“I don’t think it would feel like Christmas if we didn’t come to the Old Country Store for breakfast,” Melody Cain said.

Melody and her family had four generations sitting at their table, and she said the breakfast reminded her of the ultimate reason for the season.

“The opportunity to spend time with family, to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to enjoy the good food here.” Cain said.

Santa also made an appearance to meet with kids and get their last-minute requests before heading to the North Pole.