Christmas Cranberry Tea

I love tradition.  There's something warmly comforting in the expected.  And while I certainly enjoy surprises and making new memories, nothing makes me happier than participating in something year after year.

Being am military doesn't lend itself to predictable tradition.  Deployments, living far from family and limited time off makes it hard to establish holiday traditions in particular.  This year I was determined to start new traditions in our family and I have to admit I failed miserably.  I'm still learning how to balance all the things I think I have time to do and all the thing I actually have time to do.

I'm planning a "Christmas in July" blog series so I can get prepared early next year!  I'm also doing some after Christmas shopping this year to get supplies and hopefully some books to start our advent tradition next year.

One thing I did manage to do was have my annual ornament party.  This was the 5 year I've had this party and I look forward to it each year.  It's a great time for the girls to get together (sans babies!) and fellowship.

One of my favorite family traditions is enjoying a cup of cranberry tea before dinner on Thanksgiving.  For the first time this year I didn't get to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family so I was craving this tea.  I've started serving it at my party to share a little bit of my family tradition with others!

This tea is sweet and tart and comforting.  It's a gorgeous cranberry red color and looks particularly beautiful when served in my Aunt's Christmas china cups.  But it tastes great regardless of whether you serve it in a china cup or a mug!

Ed's Cranberry Tea

1 package of fresh cranberries

4 quarts water

2 oranges, quartered

2 lemons, quartered

2 cinnamon sticks

8 cloves

4 cups sugar

Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water and boil oranges, lemons and cranberries (about 25 minutes) until the cranberries pop.  Add cinnamon and cloves and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Strain the tea and add 4 cups of sugar.  Mix well.

I put mine in the crock pot to keep it warm.  You could play around with the amount of sugar if you would like it to be more sweet or more tart.  

This is a beautiful addition to a holiday meal or party.  

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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