2025 Tea-Themed Tree

 Putting up my tea-themed tree is a time-consuming labour of love.

 

 

But charming ornaments bring me so much holiday joy!

 

These elegant teapot ornaments were gifted to me by a tea friend last Christmas.

 

This stacked teacups ornament was also a 2023 Christmas gift.

 

 

I ordered this Taylor Swift teacup ornament last year, but it arrived after Christmas.

 

 

My favourite new ornament combines my love of tea and Taylor Swift!

 

 

I found these cute mug ornaments at Wal-Mart this year.

 

 

I can always count on Michaels for pretty tea-related glass ornaments!

 

 

Also new to my tree this year: These pretty holly teapots.

 

 

A friend gifted me this beautiful vintage demitasse cup.

 

 

Tea Advent Calendars: Days 1-8

 The countdown to Christmas is on!

Day 1
DIY: Steve's Teas Vanilla Honeybush
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 2
DIY: DavidsTea's Dark Chocolate Orange black tea
Charbrew: Chamomile

Day 3
DIY: Dessert by Deb's Salted Maple Sugar Croquembouche oolong
Charbrew: Earl Grey black tea

Day 4
DIY: Blue Mountain Tea Co.'s Poached Pear Brule black tea
Charbrew: Afternoon Tea black tea

Day 5
DIY: Kusmi Tea's Tropical White
Charbrew: English Breakfast black tea

Day 6
DIY: Murchie's Tea's Roasted Chestnut black tea
Charbrew: Rose Blush black tea

Day 7
DIY: DavidsTea's Gingerbread matcha
Charbrew: Chai black tea

Day 8
DIY: Harney & Sons' Celebration black tea
Charbrew: Peppermint herbal tea

Due to the ongoing Canada Post, I haven't mailed any Christmas cards yet. I hope that the postal workers reach a fair deal soon.

2024 Tea Advent Calendars

This year, I have two Tea Advent calendars.

 

I bought Charbrew's Winnie-the-Pooh "25 Days of Tea" because it featured Eeyore, my favourite character!

 

In 2022, I had Charbrew's Alice in Wonderland Tea Advent, so I already know that the Tea Advent contains standard blends such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, chai, etc. I just wish that the teabags were labelled.

 

This is the tenth year that I create my own  "Drink What I Own" Tea Advent calendar from teas in my collection.

 

 

November tea empties

 

 What I have already restocked:
1) Dessert by Deb's Peach Crumble Cake black tea

What I may repurchase in the future:
1) Dessert by Deb's Almond Meyer Lemon Shaker Pie rooibos
2) DavidsTea Pumpkin Chai black tea

3) Murchie's Carrot Cake rooibos

Swiftea Mugs

Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour stopped by "Tayronto" (Toronto) for 6 shows this month.

 

Photo Credit: City of Toronto

 

Sadly, I wasn't able to get tickets for any of the 6 local  hometown shows, so I watched the grainy livestreams while sipping tea from my Swiftea mugs.

 

This gorgeous Taylor Swift mug was handmade by Potter by the Sea.

 

 

Taylor in her different eras showed up when you add hot water to this heat-changing mug.

Taylor played one of my favourite Lover songs (a deep cut!) as a surprise song.

 

Night 1: False God

Speak Now is my favourite era, so I was thrilled that Taylor played four Speak Now surprise songs in Toronto.

Night 2: Mine

Night 5: Better Than Revenge

Night 6: Ours

Night 7: Sparks Fly

Taylor also played surprise songs from Midnights.

Night 3: You're On Your Own Kid

Night 6: You're Losing Me

 

 

Since I couldn't attend the Eras show, I did the next best thing and went to the Taylor Swift Style book signing at the Kitchener Central Library. The conversation with the author, Sarah Chapelle (a Canadian Swiftie!) explored Taylor's fashion over the years. 

 

I appreciated how Sara's handwritten note referenced, Style, one of my favourite 1989 tunes!

Autumn Teas: Chais

 November flush, and your chai cures.

 

Chai #1: Pumpkin Chai black tea by DavidsTea

 

 

Chai #2: Fortune Cookie Chai pu-erh by DavidsTea

 

 

Chai #3: Horchata Chai by DavidsTea

 

 

Chai #4: Famous Lion Chai by T by Daniel

 

 

Chai #5: Monarch Chai by Monarch Tea Co

 

 

Chai #6: Caribbean Chai fruit infusion by T Kettle

Remembrance Day

On November 11th, we observe Remembrance Day in Canada. We pay tribute to the Veterans who made sacrifices for our freedoms.

 

The poppy is a symbol of remembrance.

 

Autumn Teas: Pumpkin Blends

It's Pumpkin Spice Season!

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #1: Pumpkin  Chai black tea (DavidsTea)

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #2: Pumpkin Spice black tea (Charbrew)

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #3: Decaf Pumpkin Spice black tea (Stash)

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #4: Pumpkin Earl Grey black tea (DavidsTea)

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #5: Hojicha Pumpkin Scone roasted green tea (Dessert by Deb)

 

 

Pumpkin Tea #6: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Pie honeybush herbal tea (Dessert by Deb)

October tea empties

 

What I have already restocked:
1) Blyss' Lavender Vanilla matcha
2) Stash's Decaf Pumpkin Spice black tea
3) Monarch Tea Co.'s Monarch Chai

What I may repurchase in the future:
1) DavidsTea's Pumpkin Earl Grey black tea

Haunted mugs

It's spooky week!

 

 

You know I didn’t want to have to haunt you, but what a ghostly scene.

 

New addition this year: This Tim Hortons ghost mug changes colour when you fill it with a hot drink!

 

 

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

 

 

So, they filled my cell with snakes...

 

Happy Halloween!

A pink truck and pink teacup

In October, the Mississauga Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund sell Pink Truck Tour gear (t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, quarter-zip sweaters, hoodies, and baseball caps) to raise funds for the Trillium Health Partners’ Cancer Program. The Pink Truck Tour has raised more than $1,000,000 since 2014!

 

 

I was more than happy to buy a hoodie and contribute to their 10-year anniversary goal of raising $100,000 this year!

 

 

A pink teacup in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

 

This Royal Albert Lady Carlyle teacup belongs to my mom who was influenced to get it by her teacup-loving daughter!

October is National Apple Month

 Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

I'm also celebrating National Apple Month by trying different apple teas.

 

Apple Tea #1: Apple Vanilla Cardamom Tarte Tatin black tea by Dessert by Deb

 

Apple Tea #2: Apple Cider black tea by Steve's Teas

 

 

Apple Tea #3: Ringo (Apple) Sencha green tea by Momo Tea

 

 

Apple Tea #4: Apple Crumble honeybush by Three 6 Tea

 

How do you like them apples?

Anne of Green Gables Mug

It seems only fitting that I share my handmade Anne of Green Gables mug this month.

 

This beautiful mug was crafted by Milushka, a talented potter in Croatia who specializes in storytelling ceramics.

 

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”

 

 "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."