One sure fire way to survive the holidays!

Do you find yourself stressed this time of year?  Thanksgiving is in the past, Christmas is only weeks away and then it's time for all of those resolutions to be renewed.  How do you cope?  
Do you plow through til the end?  Do you chuck it all and say "Bah Humbug"?  Do you work yourself into a frenzy and wonder was it worth it all?  I tend to plow through til the end, wake up December 26th and wonder "what now?" and "who's going to clean all of this up?"

But this year I have a plan - an action plan.  I am going to take back the holidays and keep my sanity.  The best part of this plan is that it is simple - be thankful.

Now I know there was a campaign on Facebook in November to write one item you are thankful for each day for 30 days.  That was a great plan, however, I propose something a little more permanent, personal (you are the only who sees it) and easier to look back on and review.

To execute this plan you will need the following:

• A pad of paper or journal
• A pen or pencil
• A place to keep your paper & pen (preferably at your bedside or with your favorite teacup!)
• An open mind

Now, every night when you have that evening cup of tea or  before you turn off the light write down at least 3 things you are thankful for.  Do this everyday if you can or at least 4 times each week.  Do this every week until you have nothing left to be thankful for! 




This discipline may seem juvenile at first, but stick with it.  It gets easier.  I began this discipline in July 2012 and I can tell you that after a few weeks of it I became:

• more content with life
• more optimistic
• less stressed
• more willing to help others
• better able to see the silver lining in each cloud

In the retail business it is hard to remember that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas! Our shelves are stocked with holiday cheer while the weather is still hot and humid.  Let's make this holiday season about more than 30 days in November and more than packages and bows.  Join me in making it a way of life - a part of our character.  Now get that pad of paper and pen and start writing!

What Tea Means To Me

What Tea Means to Me

I have been in the business of tea for over 10 years.  However, I feel as if tea has been a part me all my life.  As a child, I began to drink tea to emulate a much loved older sister.  She was not a coffee drinker then, she drank tea and I wanted to be like her.  My teacup collection grew because my Aunt Millie collected teacups.  I remember her telling me how she would offer the cups to her guests after dinner - a different cup for each guest.  I was fascinated and soon began my collection. It is often my souvenir of choice when I travel to return with a teacup to remember my holiday.  Now, in my own home, I offer guests the whole of my tea cupboard to choose their own personal teacup.  After a meal my guests may choose their favorite cup from my collection - each with its own story to tell. Since owning a tea shop I have become an even more avid tea drinker, enjoying the ritual of making a pot of tea almost as much as sipping each cup.  Tea is definitely a way of life for me. 

What does tea mean to you?  How did you first develop a love for tea? 

Erin