"Taking time for tea", I sat one night and thought about this little phrase I've read and heard so many times. It seems simple enough, but what does it really mean? To me it means making time for comfort and relaxation, taking time to listen and share with my children, stopping long enough to truly live in the moment. Again, it seems simple enough but for some reason it's not. It "seems" that we schedule our lives so full that taking time somehow gets confused with wasting time. Making time for things that are important to us is never a waste of time. Relaxing is important, comfort is important, our family and friends are important.

So with this said stop what you are doing right now ~unless you happen to be having a cup of tea ~ and take time to have one now. Start a tradition of making time for you, a friend, a family member or members. Make this time last long enough to stop thinking about what you need to do next. It will get easier if you make it a tradition and soon it will be more important than the next thing you need to do. I speak from experience. It wasn't easy to start a teatime tradition with my children ages two and four but now it's something we look forward to everyday. It's not always pretty but it's always fun.

Our ritual is simple enough I say "it's time for tea" and my children go running to the china cabinet for their special cups. My daughter uses her own bone china demitasse cup and my son has his special Clifford mug. We use sugar cubes because we love them. We have scones or cookies in the afternoon or toast and jam in the morning. We sing silly songs, my son tells jokes and my daughter and I pretend they're funny. We talk about life, the seasons, holidays, family, and friends.

For me it's a time for living life through their eyes. They are so beautiful and life is so beautiful when seen through their eyes. I know that these days will be cherished memories, and they will go by too quickly. I know that we are truly blessed. And I'm so happy that we are "taking time for tea." Charlene

Read what one of our recent hostesses has to say ... I was invited to attend my first Tealightful Treasures® party by my hometown childhood friend of forty-seven years, Cindy Welch. I told her I would attend but that "I don't like tea." Now I am drinking those words. For years I called tea, sick people's juice. To me tea had always been boring and tasteless. The only time I would drink tea was when I was ill. If you have a special ritual or tradition that involves tea, please write to us. We plan to feature letters and ideas from our customers each month. Thank you for visiting and please come again. Charlene Phillips presented the group with flavorful healthy teas and delicious scones. I was quite taken by surprise by the variety of wonderful flavors and aromas. Unlike the flat teas that I disliked, the Tealightful Treasures® teas were exciting and delightful. The flavors and information about the teas took us in many interesting directions. Who would imagine that such a coffee and diet cola drinker would suddenly enjoy tea? I did right there and then. Charlene taught us how to brew a good cup of tea. We learned how to decaffeinate tea. Along with the teas we tasted her scone mixes. Her scones are not like the dry hardtack my Scottish grandmother baked. These are good! I found the study of tea very interesting. I so enjoyed the flavors of the different teas. From that day on I have switched to tea as my beverage of choice. I no longer drink endless cups of coffee. I battle insomnia less. I don't drink expensive diet soft drinks any longer. I am actually drinking tea which is beneficial to my health! When I went to get my teeth cleaned, the hygienist asked me what I was doing differently. There was less calculus on my teeth. The only change had been my new beverage of choice, tea! I don't know if there is any science to this personal discovery. I am one who has to go every four months to get my teeth cleaned. I purchase the extra bulk amounts which are economical. My grandson Joshuah enjoys tea with me each day. We have our relaxing ritual and kick back when together. I used to just drink coffee and colas on the fly without relaxing. We both enjoy our tea together. My husband has taken to the ice teas and asks what flavor are we having today? Last Saturday Charlene came to my home and gave a Tealightful Treasures® Party and we learned more. I am curious to learn even more about tea. It has an interesting history and is only next to water in world popularity. Thank you Charlene. It was fun seeing my friends enjoy the awakening to the pleasure of tea. Your products are very good and useful. I am now sincerely a tea convert, Catherine Romaine Brown