On the Third day of December, Trendyholm announced to me,
Orange Mint Tea,
Candy Cane Tea,
and a pack of twelve Teas!

Tastes Like: Orange Mint

Ingredients:

• Orange Peels * (read caution here) – 3 Tbsp
• Orange *slices Toasted (read caution here) – 3 Tbsp
• Mint – 2 Tbsp
• Cardamom * – 1 Tbsp

Other Items Required:

1. Mortar & Pestle
2. Mixing Bowl
3. Loose Leaf Tea Ball or French Press, etc

Preparation

1. Gather Ingredients
2. Using a mortar and pestle grind each ingredient then put in mixing bowl
3. Mix thoroughly
4. Test out! – For every cup of water, use a half a tablespoon of tea mix

Ready in 15 minutes

Serves 5-10 people (Per batch)

Tips

When grinding ingredients, take care not to grind too fine as it will leave a layer of silt in the bottom of your tea cup.

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STORY

I was talking about creating a 12 days of Christmas Tea event with Latisa, and she mentioned a few combinations to try, all involving things we associate with this time of year. When she said oranges, this also got me thinking – I know there’s some tradition as to why we have oranges around for Christmas, but I can’t quite remember….so I went digging. This particular article listed four different reasons as to why oranges are such a staple at this time of year.

1. St. Nicholas and his sacks of gold.

_{One explanation for this tradition stretches back hundreds of years to St. Nicholas, who was born in what is now present-day Turkey. He inherited a large sum of money, but devoted his life to helping others, and eventually became a bishop.}

_{According to the story, St. Nicholas learned of a poor man who wasn’t able to find suitors for his three daughters because he didn’t have money for a dowry. St. Nicholas traveled to the house, and tossed three sacks of gold down the chimney for each of the dowries. The gold happened to land in each of the girls’ stockings which were hanging by the fire to dry. The oranges we receive today are a symbol of the gold that was left in the stockings.}

2. A treat during the Great Depression.

_{During the Great Depression of the 1930s, money was tight, and many families simply didn’t have the means to buy gifts. Instead, it was such a treat, even a luxury, to find things like a sweet orange or some walnuts in your stocking on Christmas.}

3. Oranges were once a scarce treat.

_{Some also offer the idea that fresh oranges were hard to come by, especially in the north, so finding one of these fruits in your stocking was a huge treat, and a way of celebrating the holiday.}

4. It’s the season of giving.

_{Another theory behind the tradition is that December is the season of giving, and the orange segments represent the ability to share what you have with others.}