The Twelve Teas of Christmas
(affiliate link to Amazon.com)
by Emilie Barnes
Paintings by Sandy Lynam Clough
Harvest House Publishers
If you want a lovely gift book that inspires you to serve tea during the holidays and beyond, you’ll enjoy The Twelve Teas of Christmas. It brims with imaginative ideas and delicate paintings of teacups, teapots, and Christmas decorations.
The book includes twelve tea celebrations with menus, recipes, entertaining, and decorating ideas for each. Tea themes include: friendship, family, joy, warmth, sharing, merriment, peace, dreams, tradition, giving, creation, and stillness. The emphasis for each celebration is on hospitality and sharing, rather than on tea and how to serve it.
With a dozen original celebrations, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste. Begin in early December with a friendship tea that salutes companionship and Christmas. Or celebrate family with a teatime that develops traditions and builds rich memories. If a Victorian theme suits you, try a celebration of joy that pampers guests. Or combine a tea party and sleepover with a drive to see neighborhood Christmas lights. Consider a caroling tea party or mother-daughter tea with an angel theme. To minimize the after-Christmas letdown, plan a teatime in January that focuses on stillness and reflection. With more ideas than you can use in one year, enjoy the celebrations for seasons to come.
Recipes include sandwiches, sweets, breads, fruit, spreads, and beverages. They range from familiar tea fare, such as scones, to new tastes, like antipasto squares. Tea lovers will delight in this book that is sure to inspire hospitali-TEA
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About Lydia Harris
Lydia E. Harris is happily married to Milt, her sweetheart for 48 years. She has two married children, five grandkids, and is the author of a Bible study, "Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting" (AMG Publishers, 2010 release). She's also a tea enthusiast and writes the column "A Cup of Tea with Lydia."
