Tea Street's Favourite Things for Christmas

 (like Oprah does but without the car give-aways!)

Christmas time is nearly upon us and this is a great excuse for me to round up some key items i've posted about this year that could inspire some lovely tea gifts!  So get your cup of tea and mince pies and happy reading...

JING bamboo tea tray:

(See pic below) If you saw my blog post on JING tea you may have noticed my bamboo tea tray.  Well i love it, it's as smooth as a baby's bottom and looks very well made.  I keep mine out on my 'coffee table', bring out my tea gear and if i want to tip some water away i just pour it through the lid.  I can then empty it when i've finished, rather than getting up and down.  It really is very convenient.  Sometimes i'd have a pot that i've steeped too long by accident (oops!)  and then pour the rest away and start again - so good for beginners too!  It also looks great! 

Glass teaware and Flowering Tea: 

My glass teapot is from Exotic Teapot and it's great because tea is so attractive you want to actually see it!  If you're looking for stocking fillers then Flowering tea is a great choice as it's so different and pretty!  This one is from My Cup of Tea in Montreal but you can also shop at Exotic Teapot, Choi Time (which offers pretty tea caddies) and JING tea to name a few.  What i love about these flowering bulbs is that you can re-steep them a few times and it doesn't go bitter!

Tea Tray as above

Tea Party favours:

I bought these fabric party favour bags (hiding in the bowls under the crackers!) and put in loose tea for a Christmas dinner surprise!  This is a nice little touch as receiving a gift when people sit down starts things off on the right foot and it's a good conversation starter!

For the favour bags,  Twinings Christmas tea would be perfect, it's an Assam tea with lots of spices - so is the tea version of mulled wine really! The other good thing about Christmas tea is if you're feeling a bit cheeky or like Uncle Albert, you can add some whisky for some extra Christmas spirit!  It's surprisingly nice (over 18 or 21 only)! 

Pewter Spoons: 

These are from Glover and Smith and are a lovely personal gift as you can choose a teaspoon in the theme that suits the person you are giving them to.  

Cool Camping book:

You can see from my blog post Road Trip to Wales, that camping and Tea is like peas and carrots!  If you, or someone you know loves camping then a Cool Camping book is a great idea!  Cool Camping do a well laid out list of  'pros and cons' and 'nearest pub' and also locations grouped into 'allow camp fires' or 'by the beach'.  They also feature Glamping, which is glam and camping together! 

Cast Iron Teapot:

If you like camp fires while you're camping or you have a wood burner at home, a chimnea or an Aga - ok anything heaty - then a Cast Iron Teapot would be another great idea for your list to Santa!  You can use these as a kettle as they go directly on the heat and keep water warm for longer, great for winter nights.

Tea Stocking Fillers: 

Tea can be reasonably priced and can come in small attractive boxes and packages which means they make good stocking fillers!  You may have found a tea you like and think someone would like to try it without spending a lot on the experiment!  One Christmas i walked through the snow down to the post office and picked up a large box of teapigs tea.  On the box was 'real tea in transit' and the shopkeeper asked me about it.  I said it's lovely tea and they should definitely try it!  I then gave friends and family a box of Chocolate flake tea for Christmas! 

teapigs stocking fillers

Tea Gifts for Men:

Chateau Rouge Tea is a luxury tea brand and stylish enough for men too!  I was so impressed with their rooibos tea and think they'd make great gifts or stocking fillers!

Gift cards:
A gift card towards an Afternoon Tea experience like at Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa would make a lovely Christmas present!

The Vintage Tea Party Book:
I received this last Christmas and it's such a beautiful book with vintage photos, teaware and loads of recipes for vintage inspired breakfasts, lunches, afternoon tea and entertaining.  It also has ideas for vintage style make-up and clothes!  I even strayed from the tea recipes and made a gorgous white chocolate mocha! Angel Adoree has bought out a new one this year called The Vintage Tea Party Year with more ideas.  Although i haven't read it yet, it looks like another brilliant book that's as much party planner as recipe book!  

Thanks for reading!