Taking Time for Tea

With all that is going on in life, it is helpful to create daily rituals that are infused with small, healthy, pleasures. Every morning I start my day with a cup of Tazo Awake English Breakfast black tea. At 3:00 I turn the kettle on again and pour myself a cup of flavored herbal tea to enjoy in the late afternoon. Until recently, I used to just grab a tea bag out of the original box that was piled inside my little upper cabinet next to the stove. Then I had an epiphany one morning that I need to make this moment special. That it was these little moments that should be savored and elevated in your home since it was something you do everyday. I’m all about making spaces in the home function for how they are used daily but also making them beautiful. I ran out and purchased white ceramic canisters to hold my tea bags and sugar packets. I tend to not like sugar bowls as much since I feel they (my husband) can be messy in the scooping and the packets allow me to stay within a small amount of sugar and not over scoop. I love honey in my herbal teas so I bought a clear class honey pot (similar one here) and love how the natural color of the honey shows through and warms up the space next to the white canisters. I picked up a candle at Home Goods and placed in next to this area as well and light it at the 3:00 tea time to add a bit more peace and comfort to the ritual.

My kettle recently broke so I’ve been using a small sauce pan to boil my water and figured it was time to purchase a pretty teapot to complete this space. I found this gorgeous white enamel one and loved the vintage painted print on the front and the way the modern handle balanced the look for me. The only thing about this kettle which I didn’t realize when I was buying it was it doesn’t whistle. That doesn’t bother me but it may to others so there are ways to make a spout cover to help with that like I saw here.

If there is one thing I highly recommend it is Anchor Hocking clear glass mugs (not a sponsor just my opinion). We have had various mug styles over the years and have found these to be best. For one they are made in the U.S.A. for over 100 years and are non toxic. They have a lipped edge which allows no dripping on the outside of the cup and the clear glass is non toxic. We have had painted/glazed mugs in the past and have seen how the bottoms get scrapped from stirring and always wondered if anything leaches into our hot tea, so these glass mugs eliminate that issue. The handles on the Anchor Hocking clear glass mugs are oversized and the mug itself has a nice weight to it.

As far as my favorite teas, I love soo many it’s hard to pick but have linked a few below. Tazo’s Awake English Breakfast is my favorite to get me going in the morning. And at 3:00 when I’m looking for something sweet but has no added sugar I choose an herbal tea like Celestial Cinnamon Apple Spice or Vermont Maple Ginger. Ginger is great to settle the stomach but can have a strong pepper taste so I often add in a Yogi Ginger tea to my Cinnamon Apple Spice. I also love how the Yogi teas come with inspiration quotes on each tea bag tags. That’s an added bonus to the tea time ritual.

For those that are on the go but still want to elevate this tea time ritual, I would suggest investing in a pretty crochet cozy to slip over a to-go cup. It’s the little details that make these small moments special (these make great gifts too).

Below I have linked a few suggestions for teapots, electric teapots, teas, and tea station accessories. Electric teapots are having a moment right now. They are a pretty way to heat up water and keep it warm when there is no stove (or microwave) available.

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1. Disposable Coffee Cups
2. Vintage White Ceramic Honey Pot
3. Green Candle
4. Crochet Christmas Tree Cup Sleeve
5. White Ceramic Basketweave Canisters
6. Clear Glass Honey Pot
7. Beehive Honey Pot
8. Single Wooden Tea Holder
9. Anchor Hocking Clear Glass Mugs
10. Double Wooden Tea Holder

1. Stainless Steel Hammered Tea Kettle
2. White Cast Iron Japanese Tea Pot
3. Old Dutch Copper Hammered Tea Kettle with Ceramic Handles
4. Hammered Copper Tea Kettle
5. Ivory and Blue Enamel Florence Tea Kettle
6. Whistling White Tea Kettle
7. Whistling Black Tea Kettle

1. Haden Blue Vintage Cordless Electric Tea Pot Kettle
2. Haden Dorset Putty Beige Electric Tea Kettle
3. Smeg Cream Electric Tea Kettle
4. White Electric Gooseneck Kettle
5. Green Electric Tea Kettle

1. Celestial Cinnamon Apple Spice
2. Celestial Vermont Maple Ginger
3. Yogi Ginger
4. Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset
5. Celestial Vanilla Chamomile
6. Tazo Awake English Breakfast