Welcome to December! And just like that, here we are with the holidays upon us. I love this time of year for all of its twinkly, flickering, sparkling lights; its cozy evenings; the cheerful sound of jingle bells; and all that time spent reconnecting with friends and family.
This is also the time of year when my already high intake of hot tea gets even higher. Case in point, I’m sipping on a new holiday tea (Let it Snow from David’s Tea) as I write this. This year I decided to treat myself to a tea advent calendar (also from David’s Tea). That means each day from now ‘til Christmas there will be a new tea brewing away in my mug. I’m not even ashamed to say this makes me really happy.
Tea at home is one thing (and vital to my existence), but afternoon tea in a pretty, little tea parlor is another thing altogether. Fortunately I had the opportunity to indulge in such an occasion not once but twice recently.
My local tea parlor of choice is Camellia’s Sin Tea Parlor. It’s situated on a charming street lined with other unique shops and restaurants, so after I’ve had my fill of tea, scones, and clotted cream, I can take a stroll down charming Pomfret Street. This is exactly what me and my new friend Andrea did one sunny Saturday in October after our tea.
First a little about that name – Camellia Sinensis is the botanical name for the tea plant. The four principle types of tea – black, white, green, and oolong – all come from the same plant. What gives each type of tea its distinction is when the leaves are picked and how they are processed. But enough with the textbook stuff – Camellia Sinensis…Camellia’s Sin. I like the wordplay.
Here’s what I like about afternoon tea: It feels deliciously decadent and indulgent, like you are doing something intentionally nice for yourself. (Isn’t that so important? The world is tough. Let’s all be nicer to ourselves.) There is something wonderful about gathering around a lovingly decorated table with a friend and a pretty pot of tea.
A few years ago I attended a presentation on the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, back before matcha was so big. It was so quiet, intentionally so as the tea ceremony is meant to encourage spiritual contemplation. Each motion, down to the folding of a napkin, is weighted with meaning. Given my proclivity to talk too much, an English high tea is more my style.
My friend Carrie and I indulged in the tea room’s Annual Dickens Tea, which means most every part of the menu is seasonal and holiday-themed. It was a particularly rainy and gray November Saturday, which made the coziness of the tea room and the warmth emanating from the ornate tea cups all the more enjoyable. We were the last seating of the day, and as we sipped the last of the tea from our cups, the ladies who keep Camellia’s running so smoothly were busy setting up for the next day. It was a whir of matching place settings, delicate napkin rings, and quirky teapots, punctuated with the faint clinks and pings of china and silverware being set.
Afternoon tea is a way for me to hit the pause button and spend quality time with some of my favorite people. How do you carve out time for yourself and those you hold dear?