Take a cozy pause from the holiday rush and join us for December’s Tea on Tuesdays. From a classic Christmas tea with warm citrus and spice to festive homemade and bakery treats, you’ll find a merry tea table by a twinkling tree, full of seasonal inspiration.🎄
Merry Tuesday! 🎄
Welcome to the December edition of Tea on Tuesdays,
our monthly celebration of tea on the third Tuesday of every month!
The last couple of weeks of December are busy for everyone, filled with last-minute shopping, holiday baking, and travel—so Pam and I are especially honored you’re taking a little time out of your schedule to join us today. ☕🎄
You’ll find Pam’s invitation to tea at the bottom of this post.
Let’s settle in by the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree as we share a cozy holiday tea featuring a classic seasonal blend, festive treats, and a table dressed in plaid, cardinals, and Christmas cheer!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Tea: A Classic Holiday Blend
We’re sipping Harney & Sons Holiday Heritage Colonial Williamsburg Blend, a tea that tastes like Christmas in a cup! It’s described as a classic holiday tea with hints of citrus, cinnamon, and just a dash of nostalgia—perfectly fitting for this time of year.
Each sachet brews two cups and features a beautifully balanced blend of black tea, orange peel, cinnamon flavor, ground cinnamon, apple flavor, apple pieces, cinnamon pieces, and ground cloves. Beyond its lovely flavor, this tea also supports the research, preservation, and educational programs of the nonprofit Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
I’m serving our tea from a favorite cardinal teapot, perfect for a little merry nesting and a nod to one of my favorite winter birds. . . and Santa’s favorite too!
A Festive Tea Menu for a Busy Season
Because December days are full, I try to find recipes that are make-ahead, mixing a few homemade treats with some supermarket bakery finds—less time in the kitchen means more time for enjoying tea! ☕
Cheddar Cheese Straws
A fun and festive savory bite with a hint of spicy heat! These cheesy favorites come together quickly in the food processor and are pressed through a cookie press using seasonal discs—Christmas trees, snowflakes, and even a bow. Cheese straws may be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in refrigerator. They’re perfect for sharing with neighbors or friends.
👉 Find the recipe here: Christmas Tree Cheese Straws With a Cookie Press
No-Bake Spiced Rum Balls
An easy, make-ahead holiday treat that comes together in minutes—no oven required! Rich, warmly spiced, and just boozy enough for grown-ups, these rum balls will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator, making them perfect for checking off your holiday to-do list in advance.
👉 Find the recipe here: Easy Holiday Treat & Make-Ahead Gift: No-Bake Spiced Rum Balls
Snowball Cookies
Buttery, tender, and filled with finely chopped pecans, these cookies are rolled in a blizzard of confectioners’ sugar. They’re a favorite Christmas cookie to enjoy and gift! They freeze well up to 3 months, either baked or unbaked. If freezing after baking, reroll in sugar after thawing for best presentation.
👉 Recipe here: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Snowball Cookies
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
From the Publix bakery, these cookies got an easy upgrade with a festive drizzle of vanilla glaze:
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoons milk, thinning to desired consistency.
Claxton Fruitcake
It wouldn’t feel like Christmas without Claxton Fruitcake, made in Claxton, Georgia since 1910. The small 2-inch squares are just the right size to satisfy a fruitcake craving with an afternoon cuppa!
Table Details: Cozy, Traditional, and Cardinal-Filled
A plaid throw sets the tone as a tablecloth, adding warmth and a cozy holiday foundation while a Santa figure adorned with cardinals and a bunny, stands proudly on a pedestal, surrounded by treats ready to enjoy.
Regular readers know my love of birds—especially cardinals—so cardinal salad plates with a plaid border were layered with Mikasa Holiday Traditions dinner plates.
Boughs of holly with bright berries deck the plates, cups, and saucers, all layered atop white chargers and red beaded placemats for a bit of holiday sparkle.
Plaid napkins are gathered with beaded red and green napkin rings featuring greenery and berries, while Wallace Gold Accent Corsica flatware brings silver and gold together in a beautiful basket-weave texture.
A favorite three-tiered server holds our assortment of treats, joined by a small dish filled with holly leaves, pinecones, and a sweet cardinal perched on the side.
Details:
Cardinal Teapot, Old Saint Nicholas Collection, several years ago, similar Amazon
Santa with Cardinals and Bunny / Ridgefield Home, HomeGoods, couple of years ago
Cardinal Salad Plates / Stechchol Gracie Bone China by Coastline Imports
Dinner Plate / Mikasa Holiday Traditions
Cardinal Dish / Corner Ruby, HomeGoods, couple of years ago
Plaid Throw / HomeGoods, several years ago
White Chargers / HomeGoods, many years ago
Red Beaded Placemats / Kohl’s, many years ago
Napkin Rings / Pier1
Napkins / HomeGoods
Wallace Gold Accent Corsica Flatware
You might also like:
Tea with St. Nicholas and Christmas Morning Coffee Cake
Tart dried cherries join salty pistachios for hints of festive red and green, with a warmly spiced streusel topping and sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for Christmas morning, teatime or anytime you slice it!
🐦🎄🐇
Visit Pam for more Christmas tea inspiration:
Pam at Everyday Living
Thank you for joining us for December’s Tea on Tuesdays. I hope you’re inspired to slow down, savor the season, and enjoy a warm cup of holiday cheer—one sip at a time. ❤️🎄☕
Thank you for your visit, sharing with:
Between Naps on the Porch
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What a delightful tea time you’ve created Mary! So many lovely touches and tasty treats!! Off to check out that cheese straws recipe now!!
What a festive but peaceful setting you’ve shown us! I made spritz cookies over the weekend and am thrilled to know another recipe for the cookie press, thank you! Will be trying that cheese straw recipe.
Happy Holidays!
The tea and treats are beautifully enhanced by the table setting, so many beautiful details, Mary. The cardinal theme is gorgeous. I especially love the detail on the Santa and how you captured that in the closeups photo of the bird in hand. The tea itself sounds scrumptious. Happy Tea on this snowy (here) Tuesday morning!
Good morning Mary 🎄 I have long admired your cardinal teapot. It is a daily pleasure to see the bright red plumage of cardinals on the vivid green rye grass out my kitchen window. I would enjoy any one of your treats, honestly I would enjoy having one of each! The Williamsburg tea blend sounds delicious for this cold December morning. Your Santa strikes a handsome pose on the pedestal. I love the cardinal salad plates and they make a charming statement on your lovely Mikasa Holiday Tradition dinner plates. A plaid throw is ideal as the foundation for your delightful teatime and the pairing of the napkins adds another lovely detail!
As always, I love and enjoy our Tea on Tuesdays. Wishing you a merry week ❤️🎄❤️
Mary, cardinals are so beautiful and such a symbol of Christmas! Your tea looks so inviting and goodies are perfect. Such a wonderful time of the year to be with friends and family. Love all your recipes!
Good morning Mary, your morning tea sounds heavenly. The cardinal plates look lovely with the Mikasa Holiday Tradition plates. The plaid throw is the perfect addition to this charming table. I have admired your cardinal teapot and Santa. The tea and all of those goodies are a lovely way to enjoy this holiday. Merry Tuesday.🎄
Good Merry Morning, Mary! Your table is so festive with homemade and easily purchased treats. Your Santa figurine is so jolly and perfect on the pedestal. Seeing all the detail on him is a work of art, like my new teapot. I believe I’m having Mikasa dish envy with those gorgeous dinner plates….sigh! I also love your cardinal teapot and plates. Thank you for sharing the joy of a beautiful table and providing links to your homemade treats. 🥰
Love your content❣️ You should make a hardcover coffee table book of all your settings❣️ I want to be first on the list to buy it❣️
Mary, Your tea table is gorgeous! The plate stack is so pretty and peaceful. The cardinal and calm colors are a favorite. The small holly details with the plaid cardinal is lovely. Your tiered goodies look delicious. Santa is a jolly soul with his woodland friends. Merry Christmas! Clara❤️
Mary your table is delightful with all the beautiful cardinals…a favorite of mine also. You are so inspirational and I am heading to the kitchen to make my Spritz cookies with one of the oldest copper Spritz makers on this earth. Had it for years and noticed that I do not have the “bow” pattern. Oh well, they are delish using the faded and food splashed recipe that came in the box. (which s falling apart). LOL Merry Christmas.🎄🎄🎄
Gorgeous, as always. Merry Christmas to everyone!
A snowy or rainy afternoon, a pot of tea, a sweet treat and a book ~ the perfect time for relaxation. Sending you wishes for a very Merry Christmas~
Hello, dear Mary. I, too, love Cardinals. And when I saw this Christmas teapot a year or so ago. I had to have it. It goes so nicely with my cardinal tea cups.
Your Christmas treats are looking quite tempting sitting on your beautiful Christmas tea table! And yes, please, to the Williamsburg tea blend. It sounds delightful! Jolly ole Santa is standing perfectly on his pedestal. I am sure he is keeping an eye on all the delicious treats.
Thank you for such lovely Christmas inspiration.
Merry Tuesday!
❤️💚🎄💚❤️
Hi Mary ~
Christmas tea time sounds wonderful !! Where or where did you find the Williamsburg tea? I had thata few weeks ago at a Inn and I absolutely love it, however I can not find it a bummer I know. Your treats look delish as always!!
Sending you & yours a very Merry Christmas & blessings
~Paula~~
Hi Paula, I got the Harney & Sons Holiday Heritage Colonial Williamsburg Tea from Amazon. You can get it HERE. Thank you for your visit! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and thank you for your visit! 🎄❤️
Wish I could fly in and join this lovely tea time. All those delicious treats look amazing. What beautiful presentations, Mary! Of course I love all the special Christmas serve ware. The cardinal teapot, the tartan and holly dishes, the Santa treat stand, each make me smile. You have such special collections and use them so artistically. Tea Time with you is always magical! Happy week before Christmas, Mary!
This is SO festive! Love the Mikasa dinnerware and that magical Santa. I clicked through and ordered a tin of the tea to try… can’t wait! Thank you so much for this lovely tea party!
Hi Mary!! Was travelling for a few days and then upon my return came down with the flu. What timing. Oh yikes. Anyway today I am more myself than I have been in a few, so finally checking my email and oh what a lovely post to behold. I oohed and ahhed so loudly and with such gusto (Good gracious it is good to be alive and well again) that my hubs came into the room to see what I was palpitating about. I laughed and in my usual awe about your blog said “It’s Mary. She did it again.” He nodded with understanding and then I started showing him these pics and he was so impressed. His mother LOVES cardinals (and they are our state bird) and this Christmas I got her lots of cardinal things. That Santa with the cardinals and the bunny in his pocket – oh oh oh it is sooooo cute. And that teapot and your tablescape. And the tea foods. Sigh. Oh to be a guest ar your table would be a dream come true! Perhaps one day Kitty and I could visit. See? I must still have a fever. I just invited myself to your home. HAHAHAHAHA. Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Mary, I am unsure how well I will do in the next few days with time for the computer so if I don’t get back on, please know I wish you the most sincere best wishes for a joyful and blessed Christmas and a peaceful and healthy new year. Take care and God bless. And thank you for another wonderful year of jaw-dropping, lip smacking, eye-balls popping AMAZING content.