I love tea!  It is a part of my daily routine, year round – and you can usually find me with a mug in my hand or at least nearby.  I drink several cups a day, waking up with tea and then winding down with it too.  Here are some of my favorite tea “things”, whether you are looking for something for yourself or a gift idea for the tea lover in your life.

My Favorite Tea Things

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Tea Mugs

Tea mugs are a lot of fun especially if you find yourself with mug-in-hand for much of the day!  Although mugs can easily take over a cabinet, I know that when I have a favorite mug, I gravitate towards it, so it is great to grab one up if you find something really special for yourself or someone else.

Let’s talk about my favorite tea accessory!  My all-time favorite mug is a Starbucks 20 oz Venti Mug.  My husband got it for me as a gift, and I even take it with me when I travel.  20 oz is such a great big mug, and I love it!

Another one of my favorites was a housewarming gift that a good friend got me – a beautiful Japanese tea set.  Although I only use it only occasionally, it is a beautiful set that I keep in my china cabinet and take out on special occasions and is a memento from when we bought our first home.

And there’s this mug that my husband got me as a gift.  Mugs can be a popular gift, but meaningful too.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Tea!

I love so many kinds of tea, but my favorites are green tea and herbal teas.  Green tea helps power me through my day with a little bit of caffeine and lots of health benefits like antioxidants.  Harney & Sons is one of my favorite teas, especially their Green Tea with Coconut.

For evenings, I like a nice calming tea before bedtime.  (Especially as we are winding down and the kids are finally in bed!)

I love chamomile, which has a nice soothing flavor, but I also like it mixed with lavender or vanilla flavors.  Celestial Seasonings is usually easy to find at the grocery store (and inexpensive), and I find Traditional Medicinals in the health food section of the grocery store.

My daughter, who is 8, has started wanting to try some tea, so I make up some Celestial Seasonings “Goodnight Grape” chamomile tea!  (I haven’t been able to find it in stores, but it is a good Amazon Prime add-on – not to mention the benefits of having your child have some calming tea before bedtime!)

I also love teas with health benefits, like chaga, which is becoming more popular.  I also like Yerba Mate (great source of natural energy), and other herbal teas.  I always get some immune-boosting teas for when I am sick, from elderberry to echinacea.

Tea Infusers

I find that loose tea can be a hassle, since I only prepare it for when I am at home and have the time or patience for it.  I personally don’t like the small infuser ball or ‘spoon’, since they can be messy and it seems like I make a mess with the loose tea.

My favorite infuser is a stainless basket, which has a fine mesh and is easy to use.  The fine mesh means that the particulates get strained out, and the basket can be used in a variety of mugs.  I have a 20 oz mug and the basket works just fine (whereas other infusers might end up at the bottom where I have to dig it out).

Plus, I find clean-up is a breeze – simply dump out the loose tea (which I do in the compost), or even pop in the dishwasher!

Blooming Teas

Blooming teas are both beautiful and tasty.  They make a great gift and a nice conversation piece.

TeaBloom

Sweetener

I never use artificial sweeteners, and usually drink my tea straight, without any sweetener.  However you can find some unique sweeteners, like organic sugar, coconut sugar, etc.

Last year someone got me Teavana Rock Sugar as a gift, which was pretty nice.  I would say it is definitely pricey, but makes for a nice gift and a nice sort of conversation piece as a gift and for using when you serve tea, as it is certainly very pretty!

When I do use sweetener, a nice honey or organic sugar is the way to go.

Lastly, I recently discovered the “London Fog”, which is Earl Gray tea with steamed milk and vanilla syrup, so I had to have some to make my own at home!

Tea Advent Calendar

This is my first year trying a tea advent calendar, and I love it!  This one is from Adagio Teas.

Adagio Teas Advent Calendar

Do you have favorite teas and accessories?  I would love to hear your faves!