Rose Chintz Cottage: 12/06/10

Faithful friends who are dear to us, Gather near to us once more.

Hello friends and welcome to another Tea Time Tuesday. Today I am joining Kathy's Christmas with Victoria party.

But before I serve the tea, I have an important announcement to make! As some of you have already heard, my Christmas present came a little early this year! A little pink bundle by the name of 'Jenna-Lynn' Carina arrived Saturday, December 4th, at 4:00 in the afternoon, weighing 5 pounds 9 ounces. She wasn't due until Christmas Eve but as we all know, babies have their own schedules. Anyway, I am one happy Nanny! My first granddaughter after four adorable grandsons. This was taken about three hours after she was born. She's not a Victorian lady but I know she's going to love tea parties someday!

I love Christmas and I enjoy perusing Christmas magazines for inspiration. Victoria is especially inspiring so please join me and all of Kathy's guests as we celebrate Christmas with Victoria.

The magazine pictured below is the Victoria Bliss January 2011 issue. It is a lovely issue filled with beautiful photography, recipes, and ideas for making your Christmas holiday very special. I hope you were able to get yourself a copy.

From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.~ Emily Matthews

This time of year we are met with the beautiful melody of Christmas music playing and wonderful smells coming from the kitchen as we bake up our secret family recipes. The air is often permeated with the spicy scent of cinnamon and cloves and fragrant evergreens decorate the mantel. Of course there is the glory of the Christmas tree itself adorned with all our treasured ornaments and heirlooms passed down from one generation to another. Surprise is wrapped up in every beautiful package and there are lots of secrets being kept until Christmas morning! The giggles and laughter of children can be heard as they play the part of little angels while waiting for the big day to arrive.

Time spent together at Christmastime is somehow even more meaningful when it's done around the table, savoring good food and pleasant conversation.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~ Washington Irving

Therefore, I have set out my tea by the Christmas tree and fireplace today. I thought the soft glow from the lights would lend a festive and romantic ambiance to our tea.

A gracious gathering for family and friends~

I am using my mother's Royal Albert Lavender Rose china as it was first produced in the Victorian era. The story of Royal Albert stretches back over one hundred years to a small pottery business established by Thomas Wild in 1896, in Longton - one of the six towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent, "The Potteries." This household name began as a family business. For it was the ability of Thomas and his sons- Fred and Tom {Thomas Clark or TC} - that made the company famous for bone china tea and breakfast sets. Royal Albert always lends a touch of class to any setting.

Did you know that there is a proper way to set your tea tray? The tray holds a lace doilie on which all the tea things rest. Look closely at the photo and you will notice the teacups are in the right hand corner. Next to the teacups are the napkins with the tea spoons on top pointing out toward the guest. In the left hand corner is the cream and sugar. The teapot is always in the upper right hand corner behind the teacups and the handle should be turned toward the hostess for easy serving. Next to that is the utensil holding hot water which I do not have in the photo. Finally, a vase of flowers decorates the left corner of the tray above the sugar and creamer. I have taken the liberty of using a tiny Christmas tree in a teacup in lieu of the flowers.

This tiny tree has been decorating china teacups the past few Christmases. It is adorned with pink beads, crystals, and a crystal snowflake at the top.

I love this little china tray which holds the cream and sugar... Pink sugar anyone?

To own a piece of Royal Albert is to have a piece of history in your hands. The English fondness for cottage gardens and shady woods naturally inspired thousands of designs, one being Lavender Rose. Royal Albert consistently updates its romantic, fashionable image featuring bone china tableware with floral hues and flowing curves that can be savoured in many patterns.

A pretty presentation is this wonderful dessert which I found in the 2002 issue of Victoria. Raspberry Fool pictured on page 60, looks pretty served in a red-rimmed sherbet dish. It is as simple as combining pureed raspberries with whipped cream.

You might like to try a spicy mincemeat tart as well. These are so easy to make. Just take some of your favourite mincemeat and fill unbaked tart shells. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and serve warm plain or with ice cream. Whipped cream is also a nice embellishment. They're fast, they're easy, and they're delicious!

The surest way to enhance the charm and magic of the holidays, is to deck your halls with sentimental decorations and traditional touches that will bring joy all season long. ~ Excerpt from Victoria Bliss magazine

Though this is not nearly as elaborate as the photo I found in the Victoria 2002 issue, this is my take on it. Gifts stacked upon a stool in front of the fireplace. I was planning a much grander embellishment of the mantel but I sprained my wrist a week ago and so the mantel will have to do as is.

Christmastime is a time for tradition; a time for making wonderful memories, eating good food, and celebrating the love of family and friends.

It is also a time of celebration when we give thanks to the One who came as a Babe long ago to free us from the slavery of sin. If not for His coming, we would not be celebrating Christmas at all!

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory." ~ John 1: 1, 14

"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." ~ Luke 2:14

Thank you for joining me for tea today. I am delighted you have stopped by! I hope you will also visit Kathy and all her guests by clicking the link - http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Her button is also on my sidebar which will take you to her party.

If you would like to participate in Tea Time Tuesday, please email me ahead of time or you may let me know in your comment and I will gladly add your link to my tea post. Simply share a teacup, teapot, or china used in a tea. You may also do coffee, hot chocolate, or iced tea. This being the Christmas season you may like to do egg nog or hot apple cider. A scripture verse, tea quote, or poem would be most welcome. The Tea Time button on my sidebar is available for you to use in your post if you wish. Please link back to me so your visitors may find their way here and visit with all my lovely participants.

The list of participants below are in the order in which they first began participating.

PARTICIPANTS

Judith~ http://lavendercottagegardening.blogspot.com/