Today: A slow and quiet Christmas (and a David’s Tea giveaway!)
If I had it my way, we would have a (childproof) Christmas tree up all year long and we’d live next door to the kind of people who leave a plastic Santa on the roof well into the Spring. There would be an Advent calendar for every month (which, I know, doesn’t vibe with the story of Christmas… but, um, God wants us to be happy). We’d listen to O, Holy Night every night. We would say “Happy Holidays” to strangers (and mean it). We’d always be on the hunt for the perfect gift and everything would smell like peppermint. On cinnamon. Oh, and we’d can our nasty ‘tudes (something that seems to magically happen this time of year, albeit temporarily).
More simply put: If I had it my way, it would always be December. Because, you know, this is the most wonderful time of the year.
With all the energy that goes into baking and shopping, wrapping presents and decking the halls, finding that one broken bulb and hanging up the mistletoe… this can also be an overwhelming time of year. I leave Thanksgiving dinner with grand Pinterest-fueled plans for the month of December, but by mid-month, what I really need is a nap.
Follow Elizabeth’s board Christmas On Tap on Pinterest.
This year, all I want is a slow and quiet Christmas.
I’m dialing back the decorations (generally speaking, neither lit candles nor glitter are baby-friendly), laying low, and soaking up as much of that Christmas spirit as possible. Oh, and I’m drinking lots of tea.
Growing up, we always had an advent calendar hanging in our kitchen. It’s a tradition Nick and I have adopted — one I look forward to sharing with Grace. In the meantime, she’s happy to be crawling here, there, and everywhere with one of the Wise Men from her Little People Nativity. This year, in addition to our traditional advent calendar, I picked up one of the coveted David’s Tea 24 Days of Tea sets.
I can’t wait to open the day’s tea and share a cup with Nick and take stock of the day. I can see why this set sells out year after year (I lucked out in the Chestnut Hill store) and has become a tradition for so many families. It’s exactly the quiet and slow I’ve been craving.
While on the hunt for the set, I went on a bit of a shopping tea spree (can we make that a thing, or at the very least, a hashtag?). I picked up a few gifts for family and friends, some loose tea for yours truly aaaaand I also bought something for one of you, too.
David’s Tea giveaway (closed)
One lovely On Tap for Today reader will receive the Healthy Collection from David’s Tea. Why? Because I like you all a lot, and want you to stay healthy and enjoy your own slow and quiet holiday season. This set includes three teas/infusions and ten filters for steeping your loose tea. To enter, simply leave a comment below and share your favorite holiday tradition. A random winner will be chosen and notified on Saturday, December 13th. Thanks for entering! Megan B. was chosen and has been notified.
Disclaimer: Don’t get it twisted. This is not a sponsored post.
Also On Tap for Today:
- New to the calm and serene world of tea drinking? Here’s a little Tea 101
- 21 homemade gift ideas from The Kitchn
- Stay tuned for two more giveaways this week #tistheseason #partyonwayne
What is your favorite holiday tradition? Are you having a wild or mild December?
Comments (25)
Kelly
December 8, 2014 at 5:11 pm
December all year sounds good!
When I was growing up, my parents decorated the house (and they still do) so much that people in town know it. It’s normally in the newspaper and all that good stuff.
So our tradition was to watch the cars circling the cul-de-sac. There would be SO many and it was fun to watch!
Kelly recently posted…ENELL Sports Bra Giveaway!
Kimberly
December 8, 2014 at 5:40 pm
I would love for it to be December year round!! Especially here in hot, sunny Florida!! My favorite holiday tradition is helping my parents decorate the tree. Every ornament has a story and we invite friends and family to join in and laugh about the years past. It’s my favorite part of the holidays.
Jane
December 8, 2014 at 5:43 pm
My favorite tradition is picking out the tree and drinking hot chocolate while decorating it! Hot chocolate is a must when decorating, no? Happy holidays!
Jane recently posted…Men’s Health Urbanathalon – San Francisco: Recap
Carol
December 8, 2014 at 6:02 pm
Definitely love to pick out the tree with my family and decorate, so much fun!
Emily @SinfulNutrition
December 8, 2014 at 6:42 pm
I can never watch the Polar Express until right after decorating the tree. with hot cocoa of course. 🙂
Emily @SinfulNutrition recently posted…Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls
Karen
December 8, 2014 at 6:59 pm
I think my favorite holiday tradition is seeing the Nutcracker with my dad. We’ve been going every year since I was a kid. That music makes me think of family and love and the holidays. Pure happiness.
katie
December 8, 2014 at 7:38 pm
i love it all too but my favorite is drinking hot cocoa and decorating the tree…. aaand i guess drinking red wine xmas eve with my family and eating all the carbs
Kelly
December 8, 2014 at 9:50 pm
my favorite tradition is a cookie swap with my girlfriends and now we’ve started to add our kids to our annual day!
Kelly recently posted…J: Safety in Ignorance
Denise
December 8, 2014 at 10:10 pm
my favorite tradition is cookie and candy making every year with my son. We started doing it when we couldn’t afford to buy gifts for family members. He is 23, we are a bit better off financially and we still wait 364 days for our favorite day of the year.
Denise recently posted…Family Recipe Swap
Megan Buchheit
December 8, 2014 at 11:30 pm
That 24 days of tea set looks awesome. I may have to get one next year! My favorite holiday tradition is spending the entire weekend with my family the weekend before Christmas — and watching Love Actually!
Megan Buchheit recently posted…the end of the beginning.
noel
December 9, 2014 at 7:34 am
Holiday baking is my fave part, love to pass it along to my kids!
Stephanie
December 9, 2014 at 9:06 am
We have SO MANY holiday traditions, it would be hard to name my favorite. Well, every Christmas Eve we get a new pair of PJs. (Yes, I know we’re in our late 20s, early 30s now…but we still get them!). Then we sit on the couch and read two short Christmas books, including A Visit from Saint Nicholas. Then off to bed!
Stephanie recently posted…Our Honeymoon to Ireland: Intro
Kelly
December 9, 2014 at 11:47 am
I’m totally with you on having it be December all year round, it is definitely my favorite month of the year. Even though it is by far the busiest at work, it also includes my birthday, anniversary, and of course Christmas.
One tradition that we had growing up that I definitely want to continue is the Christmas pickle tradition, which is a German tradition -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_pickle
Kelly recently posted…31 Facts For 31 Years
Olivia
December 9, 2014 at 11:51 am
i love to go on a long walk on christmas day with my dog and my husband. everything is always so quiet and peaceful. thanks!
Stacie
December 9, 2014 at 2:07 pm
As a family we have a tradition of getting together for Cookie Day. We make dozens of cookies and then share them with one another. We then spread the joy further and share the cookies with neighbors and coworkers since we have so many.
Your idea of a slow and quiet Christmas sounds just delightful! I hope you, Nick and Grace experience just that.
Thank you for the incredible giveaway! 🙂
Lindsay
December 9, 2014 at 4:21 pm
keep it pretty simple with my christmas candles and some ornaments … and lots of tea!
Sarah
December 9, 2014 at 8:48 pm
My favorite tradition is decorating the house while listening to Christmas music. I am hoping for a mild Christmas!
Jacqueline
December 9, 2014 at 11:36 pm
Oh how I love Decemeber and Christmas!! My favorite memory has to be that of matching pajamas my mom would be my sisters and I! We would always change into them at Aunt Kathy’s house on Christmas Eve! It is a tradition that has lasted up until this past year where now the next generation does the matching pajamas! Edward and Scarlett will be matching 🙂 a lovely and fun tradition that if I ever have a family I will pass on to. I still have a lot of the pajama sets!! Who doesn’t love cozy flannel jams!
Xoxo!
Madeline
December 9, 2014 at 11:48 pm
I love our advent calendar during the holidays. My husband and I alternate days and make a homemade gift/note/surprise in the boxes for one another. It makes it fun and special 🙂
Chloe
December 10, 2014 at 4:07 am
Don’t really have a Christmas tradition but one of my favorite memories would be gathering at a relative’s house one year for Christmas (when we were younger) and all the kids would compete to complete the lyrics to Christmas songs and we’d get prizes 🙂
Some hot tea would be awesome this Christmas!
Heather
December 10, 2014 at 8:53 am
My favorite holiday tradition is going for a long walk through my neighborhood just after dusk while listening to my favorite podcasts’ holiday episodes, with a travel mug of hot cocoa (sometimes spiked), to take in the lights solo-style! I’ve been doing it since the first Christmas season that I was alone in NY and I continue to take the time for myself every year since, even though I feel so NOT alone in NY anymore 😉
Heather recently posted…Simple Winter Fitness Goals
Alison
December 10, 2014 at 11:36 pm
Seeing family and having grasshoppers (mint ice cream)
Stephanie
December 11, 2014 at 12:36 pm
My favorite tradition is going home for Christmas morning with my family. So far my holiday season is wild — I have quite the jam packed schedule. I hope I don’t get sick!
Brittany Koelmel
December 11, 2014 at 12:37 pm
We stuff stockings for EVERYONE in the house! Including grandparents!
Tricia @ A Couple of Dashes
December 11, 2014 at 12:59 pm
I have a couple favorite holiday traditions that I like to do with my friends and family. The first one is going to Zoolights and drinking hot cocoa while looking at all the lights and the second one is going to the local gingerbread house exhibit at a hotel in my area. I love them both!
Tricia @ A Couple of Dashes recently posted…Fitness Gifts for Under $100