CHRISTMAS TEA AND ANNUAL CARD


( Our Christmas Card)

Last week,after posting about the origin of the Christmas card, MMM from Steamed Sponge, one of the greatest blogs around in my humble opinion, posted a request to see my card. Each year I start thinking of the perfect card around October and sometimes before. My selection this year is certainly one that reflects our life at the moment with our two young children so full of energy, exuberance, and enchantment. I must admit that I normally gravitate towards Old Master museum cards with celestial beings or the Holy Family but this year, these children peering through the window to see Santa and his sled dashing through the Christmas sky, with the sweet church visible as well, reminds me of the importance of teaching our children what this holiday truly means, while endeavoring to entertain and balance their visions of sugarplums, presents, and of Father Christmas.

Now, after adding details of the Christmas tea below, I must get busy addressing and stamping or it will be 2009 before anyone receives our card. Happy addressing!



(Christmas Tea with the Tea Society)

Saturday was our annual Christmas Tea and Tea Cup exchange( I will post my tea cup later in the week in another post). We had a wonderful crisp December afternoon and had a successful unveiling of the Tea Society's first official tea, Christmas Clove Tea from the Ladies' Historical Tea Society. This concoction has a specially blended black tea base with the addition of whole cloves. Very simple yet quite delicious and was happily very well received. Our menu began with a savory of tomato celery soup with cocktail cheddar muffins. We continued with orange glazed scones, assorted tea sandwiches, and delectable seasonal candies to end. Along with the Christmas Clove tea, we savored cups of Yorkshire Tea and Sugar Plum Spice Tea. After we enjoyed these delicacies we retired to the parlor with our trusty Lizzie, content in receiving praise and attention from each lady, where we exchanged tea cups and spent the next hour or so in great conversation and enjoying one anothers company.

I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends. The ladies in the society are among the most generous and gracious women I have ever known. Though a couple of our cherished members were unable to attend, due to travel or other obligations, it was a lovely afternoon. I want to take a moment to recognize one of our most special members, Paula Porter. Paula has been with the Society since we began as part of the Ladies' Tea Guild back in 2003 and it was her perseverance that persuaded me to preside over our chapter of the guild. Paula was unable to be with us on Saturday but left a surprise for us. Each lady received a breast cancer angel to hang on her tree as a token from Paula who has battled this horrible disease too many times to recall. Paula is a beacon of hope and an example of profound faith and strength through the most trying times imaginable.

Paula, if you are reading this, we love you, pray for you and cherish you more than you will ever know. We are so grateful that you are a part of our lives. May God bless and strengthen you, my dear sweet friend.