Cozy & Warm Holiday Entertaining
One of my favorite things to do is welcome friends and neighbors into my home over the holidays. This holiday season I transformed my great room into a sparkling tea house. It is a cozy and casual space that beckons my guests to relax and unwind with their favorite beverage ~ tea.
This year I am starting a new tradition, a St. Nicholas Tea in honor of Father Christmas. A tea must be an unusual gathering for the holidays because I could not find any mention of one…even on Pinterest!!! So, I guess I am the first…I love being an innovator!
Heirlooms, old and new, on the sideboard. Delicious smells wafting through the house. A well collected table set for guests. Food for a high tea worthy of the Ritz. See the festivities in this lovely magazine I am creating for the occasion. It is full of sparkly decorating ideas and yummy recipes so you can recreate your own. It is my gift to my guests and to you. Enjoy!
Magazine coming soon please check back
The St. Nicholas Tea
Tea is the perfect beverage for the holidays. It is a warm, comforting and soothing hot or cold beverage. It is great as a drink, but it is also an awesome ingredient in many of my holiday goodies. I choose to serve Bigelow Tea { #AmericasTea } because they make two of my favorite teas and they offer a wide variety of flavors…something for everyone. It stays fresh inside the individual foil pouches that look so lovely on my sparkling table.
Most of all, I love Bigelow Tea because of their story and the deep family history of the brand.
Bigelow Tea is a family company that has tried to do the right thing for both the planet, the community, and our employees since my grandmother founded the company back in 1945. Learn about our initiatives to benefit the environment, community, and encourage employees to contribute.
Taking tea is a soothing personal ritual for me each day. I use the time to gather my thoughts, daydream or leaf through the pages of a fave French magazine. I have a tall, cool glass of Bigelow Plantation Mint in the morning after my walk. In the afternoon, I usually have a warm cup of Bigelow Constant Comment with a macaroon or scone. So I am excited to share one of my favorite indulgences with friends this year. I have written previously about my love of #AmericasTea here and here.
Creating a Cozy, Collective Charm
I call the tiny Villa Rebecca my Well Collected Home for a reason. I am a consummate collector of previously loved objects. I surround myself with them. Most of my home is furnished with these well used pieces. They make me smile and celebrate the history of each as I use them. Although HIMself would tell it differently, I prefer to think of myself as a curator. Here are some of my favorite vignettes created with heirlooms old and new, family and found.
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Setting the Tea Table
Sparkle and shine is what I am trying to achieve with this table. Silvers and aquas speak of the nearby ocean. Shining silver and reflective mercury glass are the stars. White poinsettias and paper whites along with plenty of white roses and magnolia leaves bring add a feeling of freshness to the tables. A sea shell, starfish or sand dollar peek out here and there. Candles create warmth and shine.
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Preparing the Tea Fare
Of course, well-prepared tea is the star of the day. See the magazine for how to make a good pot of tea. Steamy hot in beautiful antique cups, the tea is tasty and beautiful. Bigelow makes it possible for everyone to have their favorite.
I offer both savory and sweet delights to accompany the tea. Scones, ham biscuits, cucumber sandwiches, beef wellington bites, crab cakes, macaroons, cookies and petit fours are served with Lemon Curd and Mock Devonshire Cream. Many of the recipes have tea added as an ingredient which brings the flavors to life. A shining red tea punch served in martini glasses adds flair. Most of the food was prepared in the days before the party so I could relax and enjoy my guests. See all of the recipes in the magazine.
Recipe for St. Nicholas Tea Punch
Ingredients
10 Raspberry Tea Bags brewed in 4 Cups water
1 litre Ginger Ale
1 bottle Sparkling Grape Juice
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Top with fresh or frozen whole raspberries.
The Party
Guests gathered and mingled throughout the late afternoon. Each enjoyed their favorite tea as they chatted and ate. I invited some new neighbors and some old friends to the tea. I love to bring people together who don’t know each other very well. By the end of the afternoon everyone knew each other better, the new neighbors felt welcomed and the food was almost gone.
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I surprised each of my guests with a beautifully wrapped box of Bigelow tea as a take-home gift. Hopefully, they will enjoy the moments we shared as they sip their tea at home.
The Party ended quietly. Everyone said it was an amazing and relaxing experience amidst the hustle of the season.
HIMself relaxes after the party while Sir Chancelot steals a nibble from a plate!!! Naughty boy!!!
I shopped at Walmart for the Bigelow tea products seen above. See my shopping trip here.
Wishing you a Happy Christmas and hoping that you might create a new tradition with a St. Nicholas Tea.
Find Bigelow Tea #AmericasTea Everywhere…
Bigelow Tea website: https://www.bigelowtea.com/
Bigelow Tea Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigelowtea
Bigelow Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigelowtea
Bigelow Tea Community: http://community.bigelowtea.com
Bigelow Blog: http://www.bigelowteablog.com/
Everything is just beautiful, what a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays. I am going to try the St. Nicholas Tea Punch, I think my family would love it!
Oh, Rebecca…I would have so loved to have attended your St. Nicolas Tea Party! Everything looks so beautiful and I am not surprised about you being the first to start this new tradition! Giving each guest a box of Bigelow tea was such a great touch.
What an elegant tea party!