Christmas Roses for Tea Time

Each Christmas I remember
The ones of long ago;
I see our mantelpiece adorned
With stockings in a row.
Each Christmas finds me dreaming
Of days that used to be,
When we hid presents here and there,
For all the family.
Each Christmas I remember
The fragrance in the air,
Of roasting turkey and mince pies
And cookies everywhere.
Each Christmas finds me longing
For Christmases now past,
And I am back in childhood
As long as memories last. ~ from Christmas Past by Carice Williams

Welcome sweet friends to my last tea time before Christmas! Can you believe it is almost here?

This is my tree this year. It is much the same as last year only with all white lights instead of a mixture of white and coloured. As you can see, I have a lot of pink and teal/aqua in my decor; two of my favourite colours.

What is the Christmas spirit? It is the spirit which brings a smile to the lips and tenderness to the heart; It is the spirit which warms one into friendship with all the world, which impels one to hold out the hand of fellowship to every man and woman. ~ Anonymous

Every December I bring out my Royal Albert Old Country Roses.

This pattern boasts a rich array of red, golden yellow, and deep pink roses; perfect for December. It reminds me of days gone by; a time when good manners were still in vogue.

It also reminds me of my daddy who always admired this pattern. When I see OCR, I always think of him, because he brought my mother roses every week and he really loved Christmas. 

The teapot, you remember, was a birthday gift from my family a few years ago.

God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December. ~ JM Barrie

I found another teacup and a dessert plate at Home Sense a few months ago and am happy to add them to my collection. 

Tykes on sleds and shouts of glee, icy-window filigree, sugarplums and candle glow, part of Christmas long ago. ~ Jo Geis


My decorating is finished and now I just have to finish up the baking. There will be lots of company this year as we will have family joining us. 

The holidays are a time of family traditions and gatherings with friends - simple moments to savour like a cup of tea. 

Do you remember the little twelve inch trees I found for next to nothing after last Christmas? I glued one into a Santa boot which had been a part of a floral arrangement and then I decorated it with little ornaments and Timothy the teddy bear.

The other one I decorated to match the OCR china. This is the little angel on the top of the tree.

She was put together by hand and the ornaments are all the colours in the china.

Notice the wee roses. This little tree will be part of my tea table today.

May I pour you some tea? I am having Celestial Seasonings Sugar Plum Spice which has hibiscus, roasted chicory, chamomile, rosehips, roasted carob, ginger, and cardamon in it.

Doesn't it sound delicious? I think it will go well with my Sugar Plums, gingerbread cookies, and pumpkin nut bread.

I love to capture the lights and have them reflecting in the tea!

Love and friendship are the best sweeteners of tea. ~ Unknown

In the light of that star, Lie the ages impearled;
And that song from afar Has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
In the homes of the nations That Jesus is King! ~ From the Christmas Song, "There's a Song in the Air"- Josiah G. Holland {1819-1881} Karl P. Harrington {1861-1953}

I am so happy you could stop by for a visit and I hope you can join me on Monday for my last No Place Like Home before the holidays. Enjoy your weekend dear friends and bask in the loveliness we call Christmas!

 I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Blog Party
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

No Place Like Home # 7

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

Hello my lovely friends and welcome to No Place Like Home! I hope you all had a delightful weekend. I know I did!


Over the weekend I shared with you a special tea featuring The Little Drummer Boy. The doll holds some precious memories for me and if you would like to check it out you can click here.

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder


I enjoyed a cup of tea in my December Christmas Rose teacup made by Royal Albert.

 

I also shared my recipe for Fruit Scones with almond icing. A nice treat with a cup of tea! You can find the recipe here.

Last week, you all shared such wonderful posts and it was difficult choosing just a few to feature. There were a couple I would like to have featured but there was no link back to the party. Remember, out of courtesy, and if you would like to be featured, you must include a link back to the party. 

My friend Bernideen @ Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden  had the most clicks on her post. She shared a tour of the Rue de Noel Paris Street Market in Denver and the 55th Annual Georgetown Street Market in Georgetown, Colorado. That beautiful car you see in the photo was the car that picked up John Denver in the movie, "The Christmas Gift" in 1986. What fun! Doesn't Bernideen look snazzy in her red scarf and jaunty hat?

Here are a few more posts that caught my eye:

Carrie @ Teatime Journeys shared with us her wonderful Christmas brunch. Wouldn't you love to partake of those goodies? Love her tiered plate stand with the teacup on top!

Terri @ Artful Affirmations shared her delightful Jane Austen themed tree. She created each and every ornament by hand. Beautiful!

I don't know about you, but I love traditions carried on by the family. This one originated in Germany and Thelma @ Thelma's Days shared it with us in her post. It caught my eye because my son and his family always hid the pickle on their tree and the children look for it. Whoever finds the pickle wins a prize. Lots of fun!

And for your sweet tooth, Mrs. T @ Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen shared her recipe for five of her favourite cookies. Don't these look wonderful?

Thank you everyone for participating last week. You really bless me when you share your talents and ideas with us here at No Place Like Home. 

Now let's see what you are creating in your home to make it a cozy place to come home to for your family, your friends, and yourself. 


Lord, this humble house we'd keep 
Sweet with play and calm with sleep. 
Help us so that we may give 
Beauty to the lives we live. 
Let Thy love and let Thy grace 
Shine upon our dwelling place. - Edgar A. Guest 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi