A Joyful Cup of Tea
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Have a Cup of Christmas Cheer
I love to have special mugs and cups for the Christmas holidays, perhaps because of that special Santa cup my mother used to leave out with a dish of cookies for Santa's (AKA "Dad") arrival on Christmas Eve. I also used Christmas mugs to hold special Christmas morning treats for my children... including their own packets of flavored cocoa. Along with the traditional Christmas clementine and candy, it helped make their Christmas morning a delight.
Or maybe it is my own pleasure in pouring a cup of Christmas blend coffee into its own celebratory cup to unwind from a busy day of holiday preparations. Whatever the reason, this little tradition is one I wanted to share, and perhaps entice you to start your own collection of Christmas cups and mugs for holiday cheer.
That 60's style Santa mug for my Dad looked a lot like this one.
Spode Christmas Tree Grove Teacup and Saucer, Set of 4
Amazon Price: $70.49 (as of 05/30/2012)
Traditional Christmas Memories in Spode Teacups.
This isn't just about the cups
It's about what is inside the cup
How cute the cup is, decorated in holly with peppermint trimming and a pretty Christmas tree emblazoning the front. How festive and Christmassy!
It just says "Christmas", sitting on the counter. but there is something important, comforting and satisfying that is missing from the empty cup, as beautiful as it is. The beverage that fills my mouth and tummy with soothing warmth and delicious taste of my favorite drink, that what this special cup calls for! That is what completes its whole reason for being. Today it may be a spiced tea, tomorrow a milk softened coffee, or the next day a warm eggnog or cream dolloped cocoa. All are presented ceremoniously in my special Christmas cup, but without the purpose it was made for, the cup by itself is just another decoration. Something quite cold and empty, however well decorated it may be.
Christmas celebration is something like that. You can have all the presents, baubles, and doo-dads. You can have the air filled with music and scents of the season, but without the soul satisfying inner sanctum of the Christmas story it is quite cold and empty.
So today, as you fill your Christmas cup with something that comforts your stomach, take some time to meditate on the things that comfort the soul. Read a special Christmas story, think about an Advent devotional reading, do something that keeps the Spirit of Christmas.
It will leave you with warm memories and more.
Twelve Days of Christmas
and a Christmas mug for each one
Lenox Holiday 12 Days of Christmas Mugs, Set of 12
Amazon Price: $179.99 (as of 05/30/2012)
Lenox fine porcelain is microwave- and dishwasher-safe, comes with storage boxes.
Starbucks
Starbucks Christmas Blend
a special season treat
Starbucks VIA® Christmas Blend Coffee
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 05/30/2012)
Vintage Starbucks Mugs
Season's Greetings!
Coffee Lovers
Be A Home Barista
Jura ENA 9 One Touch
Amazon Price: $1,345.00 (as of 05/30/2012)
* Programmable amount of water
* Adjustable coffee strength
* Adjustable, conical burr grinder
* Thermoblock heating system with high performance 15-bar pump
* Integrated rinsing, cleaning and descaling program
What Fills Your Cup?
Christmas Cheer Quotes and Meditations
A Unique Bird Feeder
Of Christmas:
God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is love;
the radiance of Christmas, which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
the belief in Christmas, which is truth;
the all of Christmas, which is Christ.
~Wilda English
Take Christ out of Christmas, and December becomes the bleakest and most colorless month of the year.
~A. F. Wells
It comes every year and will go on forever. And along with Christmas belong the keepsakes and the customs. Those humble, everyday things a mother clings to, and ponders, like Mary in the secret spaces of her heart.
~Marjorie Holmes
Of Tea:
Come and share a pot of tea, my home is warm and my friendship's free.
~ Emilie Barnes, If Teacups Could Talk: Sharing a Cup of Kindness with Treasured Friends
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one's ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender, of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries."
The Wind in the Willows
, by Kenneth Grahame~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas Joy
"Somehow not only for Christmas but all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad, The more of your heart's possessing
Returns to you glad."
Grasslands Road Deck the Halls 4-Inch by 5-1/2-Inch Holly Leaf Mug, Sister You Bring Peace and Joy to My Heart
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Homespun and sending warm thoughts.
Teacups on the Tree
We love them as ornaments,too
Christmas Teacups
Set of 4 Joy to the World Teacups and Saucers Christmas
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Waechtersbach Christmas Tree Mug, Set of 4
Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 05/30/2012)
My Grandmother had these- it ALWAYS said Christmas in the most wonderful way. I think red was my Grandmother's favorite color :) It is a design the generations have loved.
More Cheerful Christmas Mugs
Latte Style
A Holy Season
Have you thought of what fills your cup this season?
Thankfulness, maybe.
Peace.
Joy.
One of the paradoxes of life is that for the things that really matter, the more you pour them out for others.... the more they multiply for you. Christmas is the ideal time to experience the truth of that. Try pouring out generosity of Spirit, kindness, smiles, and hilarity. You may be surprised how full your own cup becomes.
It is the season to think about what is in this for others around you. Take a little time to mull over that thought while sipping your Christmas cup of tea. Center yourself this season, with good thoughts , peaceful meditations, loving acts. I bet it will be remembered as the best Christmas ever, if you do.
So Many Ways to Say "Merry Christmas"
It is a joyous time of year
Teacups
Cup of Joe and a Sweet Treat
Coffee Break
Let Love Rule
affirm this Christmas online effort...
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G. Debrekht Winter Village Teacup with Lid, 5-1/2-Inch Tall
Amazon Price: $20.76 (as of 05/30/2012)
Inside your cup
-
1Try a little cardamom spice in your cup of coffee.
Recipe for Gulf Coffee.
Quick and Easy:
In the coffee pot,add one cracked open cardamon seed/cup or adjust to your taste.Let it sit a bit. -
2Spiced tea, known by many as "chai" is the perfect holiday drink.
Try this recipe, or purchase ready made "Chai" teabags. - 3Mango and cardamom lassi is a lovely smoothie drink.
-
4Christmas Cocoa
Recipe
Christmas Treat: Russian Chai
to warm your winter nights
- Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Generous dash or two ground cloves
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger- grated or finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1-1/2 Tbs. sugar
- 2 heaping tsp. black tea or 2 tea bags
Instructions
Lightly crush the cardamom pods in a mortar, to release their fragrance. Alternately, you can crush them with a rolling pin-but do it on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, so it's easy to collect. Do not completely powder the cardamom, however, as this can discolor the tea.
In a saucepan, combine the spices, milk, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat (watch the pot carefully -boiling milk boils over more quickly than just about anything else you can cook), then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and tea and continue to simmer for about 1 minute longer, or until the tea has clearly released its color into the liquid.
Strain into cups and serve at once. Alternatively, you can let the strained tea cool to room temperature, then pour it over ice.
For More Tea
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Collecting Teacups
Collectible Cups & Saucers (Collectible Cups & Saucers Book)
Amazon Price: $9.94 (as of 05/30/2012)
Green Tea Shortbread
to eat with your Christmas cup of tea
Use tea motif cutters instead of simple rounds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter -room temperature
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar- sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons finely ground (1/4 ounce) plus 1 teaspoon green tea
Instructions
Heat oven to 275 degrees. Place two racks in the oven. Beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in sugar and vanilla on medium. Sift together flour, salt, and green tea. Gradually beat into butter mixture on low. Transfer dough onto a piece of plastic. Pat into 8-inch disk. Wrap with plastic; chill 1 hour. May be made a day in advance.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick; cut into 1-to- 2 1/2-inch rounds. Reroll until all dough is used. Press each round with tines of fork or bowl of spoon to create decoration. Transfer to two unlined baking sheets. Chill 15 minutes before baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until firm but not brown; let cool. Cookies can be made 2 to 3 days ahead, and stored in an airtight container.
Cordial Greetings!
Royal Albert 100 Years of Royal Albert Teacups and Saucers, Set of 5, 1900-1940
Amazon Price: $140.00 (as of 05/30/2012)
Holiday Tea
Merry Christmas to All!
Best Christmas Wishes from Ilona1
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Versace by Rosenthal Arabesque Gold After-Dinner Cup & Saucer
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
The perfect Christmas cup for special occasions. A keepsake.
Red and White Classic
Set Of 2 Red And White Polka Dot Teacup and Saucer Sets In Gift Box
Amazon Price: $18.95 (as of 05/30/2012)
Spacesaver Christmas Mugs
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