Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday 1 December 2014

First Christmas Tea in December


Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, 
We're happy tonight,
Walking in a winter wonderland. ~ Dick Smith, Felix Bernard 1934

Hello my dear bloggy friends and welcome to my 1st Christmas Tea in December here at Rose Chintz Cottage!



The weather outside is turning frightful but inside it's warm and delightful. I have the fireplace lit and my tea table is set in the glow of Christmas lights. I was hoping to replace my coloured lights with all white this year but it's hard to get Hubby away from the coloured lights. Maybe next year! Do you use white or coloured lights? 




There's more, much more, to Christmas
Than candlelight and cheer;
It's the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all year.
It's thoughtfulness and kindness,
It's hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding,
And for goodwill to men!" ~ Author unknown


I have decided on a Winter White Tea today. Out came my Skye McGhie Cream Lace teapot ....



...as well as my Skye McGhie teacups with their lacy saucers, all sitting out on a red toile tablecloth.



The most trying hours in life are between four o'clock and the evening meal. A cup of tea at this time adds a lot of comfort and happiness. ~ Royal S. Copeland




I have also set out my granddaughter's tea set which is an adorable miniature of my own. 



This sweet little lady has a birthday this week and very soon this wee set will be hers to play with. I hope it brings her many hours of joy.

Speaking of gifts, I received a wonderful gift in the mail last week from bloggy friend Kitty at Kitty's Kozy Kitchen. She embroidered this just for me. Isn't it sweet? Love the gold thread and tassels too!




This will have a special place in my home and whenever I look at it, I will think of you, Kitty, and your kindness to me. I so appreciate your friendship and all you bring to blog land and our tea parties.


Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. ~ Melody Beattie


Today we are having Trader Joe's Vanilla and Cinnamon tea with some gingerbread cake and mince meat tarts. I make these tarts often this time of year. And oh my, is the tea ever good! It was another little something Kitty sent me and it tastes like Christmas.



The gingerbread is served on a Queen's Christmas plate called Season's Greetings made by the Myott Factory. Sauteed apple slices and vanilla ice cream all drizzled with warm caramel sauce accompany the warm gingerbread. It's delish!




On December 15th, I will host an Old-fashioned Christmas Tea. Let's bring out our reds, greens, golds, and silver. Maybe you are decorating in a totally new colour this year, feel free to share that with us. Perhaps you have a favourite sweet you like to make for the holidays. Cookies, cake, pudding, a special punch in a pretty bowl, or a savory treat; all are welcome. 



The holidays are such a busy time of year. Please be sure to put your feet up and take time to enjoy a nice cup of tea at least once a day. Thank you for joining me today and I hope you have a joyful week ahead.


I am joining the following parties as well~ 


 A Return to Loveliness
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home



Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

32 comments :

  1. Hi Sandi! Your decorating looks wonderful already! I am just starting today. Love the quotes and your red toile table cloth. Isn't Kitty sweet to send those perfect gifts to you! Lovely! Have a wonderful week and thanks for hosting!
    Ruth

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  2. How very charming---all those memories wrapped up into one tiny tea set. And Toile brings a light of celebration to any season.

    Our own Christmas Tea will be on the 14th---an annual gathering of six of us friends for a little supper-with-tea and refreshments varying from year to year, always with Paminna Cheese, devilled eggs, and chicken salad in croissants, and everything else at a whim, or because it's pretty (the Christmas-Tree ravioli last year, in red, green, and yellow, marinated with wee bocconcini and grape tomatoes, was simply lovely).

    My own childhood tea set is blue willow, lost for forty years and found when we cleaned out the Family Home after Mother passed away. It's upstairs on the clothes press in the guest room, and I give it a good wipe with Windex all over the outside to shine it now and then, but still cannot bear to wash away the stains of Doll Tes in the cups.

    Those memories linger, linger.

    rachel

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  3. Your Christmas decor is lovely. We don't do as much as we used to so I enjoy seeing others.
    That young lady is lucky that she will receive that lovely little tea set.

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  4. I love all the beautiful dishes you share.

    How sweet to have the perfect dishes for each special event.

    Happy December

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  5. Sandi, Your post is very special today. I adore the miniature tea set for Jenna, and the tea towel is adorable! Your table looks pretty and the gingerbread and mince tarts, along with your vanilla cinnamon tea, sound delightful!
    Hugs and blessings and Merry Christmas!
    Beth

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  6. Your mantle, your tree and your tea table look beautiful, Sandi. I love your tea set and your darling granddaughter's, too. What wonderful quotes you've shared again today, that touch my heart, along with your kind words. Thank you for hosting your first Christmas tea.

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  7. So pretty! Love the delicate edges of the china. It looks lovely against the beautiful red toile. Happy birthday to your darling grand.

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  8. If a person weren't in the mood for Christmas, all they'd have to do is drop in for tea with you Sandi. The towel that Kitty embroidered is sweet and the kind of gift that is heart felt.
    My table top tree has white lights but over the years I've had all blue, coloured and white on big trees.
    You are going to have so much fun with your granddaughter having tea parties!
    Thanks for hosting your tea gathering every week.

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  9. I am lagging a little behind in Christmas prep, but hope to have something Christmas-y next week! Your tree looks so pretty, and that dessert looks wonderful. Kitty sure is a sweetheart, what a great tea towel!
    I am hoping to make your little mince tarts myself this week!
    Thanks for hosting, Sandi, and have a lovely week.

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  10. What a beautiful scene your tree and fireplace make Sandi! I love the mini tea set too. Such a sweet gift for such a sweet grandchild! Thank you for hosting and I put the Old-Fashioned tea on the calendar!
    Sherry

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  11. Dear Sandi .. . How exciting to see your Christmas cheer up and ready to go ..I love your dishes and the lacy like appeal of the saucers...Your sweet granddaughter will cherish her darling little teaset...OMG you do make Christmas tea inviting with those delicious gingerbread and mince tarts..DIVINE !!! Kitty's tea towel fits in with your tables cape and the season so beautifully.. ENJOY ..Hugs

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  12. Colors, white, colors, white?! OMGoodness, such decisions. If finally split the house in to different areas on the inside. After all of that trouble and consideration I do not do ANY lights any more. Only the soft glow of candlelight, and my ceramic tree. Christmas tea, you have inspired me to go make some!

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  13. Beautiful tea sets ! I prefer white lights, but like yours my husband likes colored, so we may do color this year!

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  14. Hi Sandi,
    I do have white lights on my tree. With my pinkish decor the coloured lights clash. Awwwww! What a sweet tea set you have found for your darling grand daughter. I love the white of your tea set too! Kitty is such a gem! The embroidered Rose Chintz Cottage Tea towel is fabulous! She is very talented! Your gingerbread dessert with the caramel sauce looks so tasty on the beautiful Myott plate. I am looking forward to your Old Fashioned Tea. Thank you for hosting today too! Happy December! Karen

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  15. Beautiful inspiring images Sandi. Your granddaughter is gorgeous.

    Janet

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  16. Beautiful inspiring images Sandi. Your granddaughter is gorgeous.

    Janet

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  17. Hi Sandi! Your decorations are gorgeous. I would love to sit down with some of your goodies and just gaze at your tree and beautiful mantle. I'm sure your granddaughter will love her tea set, especially since it is a miniature of grandma's set! I use colored and white lights, although most of my trees have white right now.

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  18. Hi Sandi: Your grand daughter is stunning. I am sure she is going to love her tea set. I love the gift Kitty sent you. Lucky lady. Have a wonderful week. Blessings, Martha

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  19. If that is what your Christmas tree looks like, colors are the way to go - how beautiful it is! We did multi-coloured last year for the first time in years. I didn't miss the whites at all. This year we're doing all red with white decorations on a black tree. It's really fun.

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  20. Everything always looks so lovely on your table. How very cute to have a matching tea set for your granddaughter! The embroidered towel is such a sweet gift. Happy Tea Day, Michelle

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  21. Sandi: Love your decorating! I had to smile as I want white lights too, but Alan is not budging on his colored lights. He also doesn't like lights that twinkle so ours or steady. I miss the twinkle ones. Your tea set is so pretty! Love that you have a matching one for the little one!! Have a fabulous day!

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  22. Dear Sandy,
    this is so nice of Kitty to make you this wonderful tea towel. Well deseved as The Rose Chintz Cottage is a wonderful blog. I love the Skye McGhie tea set. And the little one is so so sweet. Your granddaughter will be happy with it. I am sure you will have tea often with her from this tiny set. All your Christmas decoration is charming. With all the silver and white the colored lights looks nice. Thak you for sharing this winterly tea time and for hosting this sweet event.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  23. Thank you for telling us where the new tea towel came from, as I was wondering where you found this. Kitty must know you well! And the teatime treats today sound quite delicious ... wish I were your next-door neighbor! :)

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  24. Lovely post Sandi, such a lucky little lady to be getting her own tea set. I'm on the road yet with limited access and that means all pictures don't load. I did see the pudding however, yummy, enjoy tea,

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  25. Your home is looking stunning this Christmas! I love all your sweet and pretty details - and especially love the "lacy" trim on your teaset.

    Just lovely, Sandi! And thanks for hosting! Hugs!

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  26. Your home will be cozy with the tree lights and candle lights too.
    Your little granddaughter looks so cute and I am sure she will love her new teaset.
    Thank you for hosting!

    Carolyn

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  27. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Love the details in the white tea pot and love the candles on the mantle. Its always fun coming here.

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  28. I love your white tea time! Very pretty everything as usual.
    Kisses
    Alessandra

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  29. Sandi:
    I do so love that tablecloth. Actually I just found one too while out antiquing and a piece of fabric I hope to make pillows with. Red toile is wonderful and your dishes look striking on yours. Also, your grandaughter is realllllly cute! Oh boy! I love your posting today!

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  30. Even more beautiful than the tea sets is that little darling! What a wonderful picture. She's breathtaking. I always enjoy your posts. They calm me, educate me and inspire me!!!

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  31. Sandi, what a wonderful way to start off Christmas! Beautiful white tea. The gift from Kitty is so sweet and I need to go to Trader Joes and get some of that tea. Your little granddaughter is just precious and she will love her gift! I am marking the calendar to join your tea on the 15th. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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