We’ve hit the holiday home stretch once again.

Historically, I’ve been reluctant to embrace the candy cane-colored sights and sounds that are synonymous with American Christmas culture. It’s not that I’m all “bah, humbug!” about the spirit of the season. It’s that some of us old-school Eastern Europeans still celebrate Christmas Day on January 7th, per “the old calendar.” With that in mind, many of us don’t begin thinking about what Christmas tree we’re decorating until roughly December 19th. More on all of that later- I’ll have a full post about Ukrainian Christmas and Koliada traditions closer to that date.

So what am I supposed to do until then? The festivities are in full swing everywhere I look. As a kid, I was more than happy to partake in the celebration of “two Christmases.” We opened presents and feasted on glazed ham with our other relatives on the 25th, and then our Ukrainian family would have a traditional meal the night before the 7th. It would be pretty jarring to switch between the two cultures this time of year. All the snowflakes and wreaths would come down around us as soon as midnight struck on the 26th. We’d get back to school from winter break, and some of my Ukrainian friends (who exclusively celebrate on the 7th) would have to explain why they still haven’t opened any presents.

Yet, here we are. I am once again graced with the presence of the Cascade Radio Group Christmas tree right in front of my studio window. The holiday spirit is hard to put on the back burner.

It’s a lovely tree. Our receptionist, Renee, always does an exquisite job decorating our space for any holiday or season. You can tell her she did a great job by clicking here.

I had been thinking about how I could enjoy the season without compromising my own traditions. While at Haggen recently, it hit me- I’ve been ignoring the season of Advent.

Traditionally, the Advent season is defined in Christianity as the period of time leading up to Jesus’s birth. As a child, I defined it as the period of time leading up to “American Christmas” where I got to pop out a free chocolate from a box every day and hang a felt ornament on the Advent tree. Once I was a bit older, kids’ websites with daily virtual Advent prizes also became a part of the Christmas tradition. It seems bizarre now- waiting for hours to get a connection to an overloaded website after opening presents in real time.

“But why let the concept of those traditions end in adolescence?” I thought as I admired a boxed-chocolate Advent set at Haggen. I nearly had the box in my cart when I saw something even better- at least, better for someone who’s now lactose intolerant and prefers to keep warm on these chilly mornings.

Behold, my 2022 Advent calendar: a “24 day journey with tea!”

In case you’re wondering how I power through the Morning News for three hours every day, here’s my secret: two cups of green tea. That’s it. I used to believe I could only function on copious amounts of energy drinks and/or coffee, but that turned destructive over time. I stick with the tea leaves these days.

There’s a great variety of herbal and caffeinated teas to sample from. I was more than happy to dive in on Day 1… which happened to be December 5th, the day after I bought this calendar. I needed a backup plan. Do I start with Day 5? Do I brew five teas all in one go? Should I just give up and start anew in 2023?

I decided on a plan while brewing Tea #1. I had 22 days to work with (to say, days that I’d be at the station) before Ukrainian Christmas. I would double up on two days- on both, replacing one of my “mandatory” green teas with an Advent green tea. No sweat.

I’ll be updating this post as the season of Advent rolls on with my reviews. Without further ado…

The 24-ish Days Of Christmas: A Review In Tea

  1. Aged Earl Grey (caffeine level: high)
    • I’m normally not a fan of black teas. However, this was a smooth start to a Monday morning if I’ve ever had one. Thanks to the caffeine content, I definitely felt like the morning just flew. I suppose I’m now an Earl Grey fan.
  2. Immune Boost (decaf)
    • Let’s call this one an herbal supplement. It featured notes of echinacea, rosehip, and dandelion, so it definitely qualifies as such. I got a good hint of licorice root as well, making this tea a good alternative for when I eventually run out of Throat Coat.
  3. Turmeric Amber Sun (decaf)
    • I was promised a cinnamon and cardamom Rooibos tea. I was really hoping this tea would just explode with flavor and give me a spice jolt for the day. The color of the tea, a perfect hue of amber, was enough to get my hopes up. But when the time came… this tea fell short. There was a flavor of something, but it wasn’t the spices I had been promised. I could’ve steeped it for too long, for all I know. I still want to give this one a chance.
  4. Gunpowder Green (caffeine level: medium)
    • It’s a green tea. You can’t go wrong with a solid green tea. No additional flavorings, just pure goodness. It drew back to the simpleness of the Earl Grey on Day 1. And, fortunately, I can confirm that there was no aftertaste of gunpowder. Phew.
  5. Honeybush (decaf)
    • This one intrigued me. Honeybush is found in South Africa, and billed itself as a “naturally sweet” tea. I was really hoping for some notes of honey. It definitely didn’t deliver what I expected on the sweet front, but as a generic herbal tea, it wasn’t bad. I’d give this one another go.
  6. Chinese Breakfast (caffeine level: high)
    • This Yunnan black tea tasted like gunpowder. Point blank. It woke me up, that’s for sure. But I was not a fan of the flavor.
  7. Congest Away (decaf)
    • Another herbal blend, featuring fennel, peppermint, licorice, and ginger. Out of those flavors, the licorice was again the most prominent. Not quite enough licorice to qualify as “Throat Coat adjacent.” Truly was a shame I couldn’t get any of those other flavors to shine through.
  8. White Rose (caffeine level: low)
    • Liquified bouquet of roses. Lasts way longer than the bouquet you got for Valentine’s Day. Sipping on this did, in fact, give me the skooch of serotonin I’ve been looking for. It made the studio smell like a whole garden. Now all we need are fresh flowers so I can get that scent year-round…
  9. Rooibos Chai (decaf)
    • Remember when I complained about a lack of spice in earlier teas? This is where they were all hiding. My goodness. Even without the caffeine, the aromatics woke me right up this morning. It was everything I wanted in a chai and more.
  10. Chocolate Rooibos (decaf)
    • Alright, these teamakers know exactly what they’re doing with their rooibos blends. For all you lactose-intolerant folks out there, this tasted like a dairy-free hot chocolate. But it’s tea? And it’s hot chocolate?? It’s a culinary mystery that I certainly won’t question. This was phenomenal.
  11. Moroccan Mint (decaf)
    • I mean… it’s a mint tea. You’re going to get what you’re going to get. I’m glad the mint flavor wasn’t overpowering, and it was an overall smooth cup. It would probably make for a nice treat on Christmas Eve with a nice book next to a fireplace, if that’s your jam.
  12. Golden Chai (caffeine level: high)
    • Did I need this cup of assam black tea after powering through a green tea and a full cup of coffee? Probably not, and I regret nothing. It wasn’t as spice-forward as the Rooibos Chai, but they were still present. I wish that these teamakers could make a combo chai- the caffeine content of this one mixed with the flavors of the Rooibos. That, to me, would be an undisputed tea champion.
  13. Rooibos (decaf)
    • This straightforward rooibos, described as a “mellow South African brew,” was alright on its own. I’ve already sampled two exquisite takes on this base, which is alright on its own. It gives plenty of room to build off of, so I’ll be sticking with their Chocolate and Chai blends if I’m feeling a rooibos fix.
  14. Jasmine Green (caffeine level: medium)
    • I normally don’t lean into floral tea flavors, but this was a lovely palate cleanser. The jasmine flower notes were subtle to start. I leaned into it the more I sipped throughout the morning. It was nice to end the morning on calmer tasting notes.
  15. Chocolate Pu-Erh (caffeine level: high)
    • It’s hard to beat a flavor profile that’s already exceeded your expectations. I knew that while brewing this black tea, which definitely delivered on the chocolate side- though not as prominently as the chocolate rooibos. I propose this: I want the caffeine levels of this Pu-Erh, and the taste of the rooibos, in one blend. Can we make that happen?
  16. Orange Spice (caffeine level: low)
    • Less than 10 teas left to go, and I’m treated to this white tea for a Friday morning. I wasn’t expecting too much from this one, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of orange flavor that came through! There were some subtle spices with every sip as well. I’m not sure when the next time I’ll need a “low” level of caffeine (I work in morning news, after all), but this tea will definitely be on that list.
  17. Dry Desert Lime (decaf)
    • I had concerns with this tea the moment I opened the bag. All I got was artificial smelling lime. As the tea steeped, all I could think of was that fake lime flavor. Lo and behold… the first half of the cup actually tasted just fine. The lime wasn’t too overpowering and complemented the “dry desert spices” that came with it. But I left it alone for a while, and came back to a mouthful of sour, almost bitter lime. The rest of the cup was rough. I suppose, as a word of caution, if you’re interested in giving this tea a whirl: drink it quickly.
  18. Ginger Lemon (decaf)
    • This herbal blend promised ginger root and lemongrass. The ginger was certainly there- not overpowering, but there. I was hopeful after the previous day’s citrus debacle for a more appropriate acid flavor. Unfortunately, the lemongrass- if it was there- didn’t power through as much as I would’ve liked.
  19. Matcha Toasted Rice (caffeine level: medium)
    • I think I may have found my new favorite green tea base. The nuttiness of the matcha not only shines, but it lingers afterwards. I didn’t want it to end. This was my first cup of the day, and it put me in such a fantastic mood that I didn’t care what happened the rest of the day. Pure bliss, in a cup. No further notes.
  20. Dandelion Detox (decaf)
    • Promising notes of milk thistle and nettles, all I tasted was boiled dandelion water. Maybe a watered-down chamomile, at best. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a good dandelion tea. I just wished that it gave me something more.
  21. Breakfast Blend (caffeine level: high)
    • The last of the caffeinated blends, I was really hoping this would give me the jolt I craved this morning. Can’t say the taste was particularly remarkable- I can’t even say definitively that this was a black tea. It described itself as a “hearty blend of traditional morning teas,” to which I imagine they’re referring to Earl Greys and others of that ilk. It was smooth, like the Earl Grey I had on Day 1, but it was otherwise unremarkable. Did the job in waking me up, though.
  22. Hibiscus (decaf)
    • I was a bit surprised to see this herbal blend featuring cinnamon and cloves. They, of course, were the dominant flavor- which I certainly will not complain about! I did get a hint of hibiscus as a finishing note. Not overwhelming, but it was present. I think I would have preferred the two flavor profiles- the earthy and the floral- separately.
  23. Chamomile Lemon (decaf)
    • It was a cup of chamomile tea. Light notes of the lemon myrtle at the end, but otherwise it delivered on what it had set out to be. I’m still not sure where all these different types of myrtle came from. I’ll have to do some more research.
  24. Sweet Slumber (decaf)
    • Not the name I want to look at when it’s 5 am and there’s a morning show that needs to be put together… but here we are. This lavender chamomile didn’t encourage me to doze off, fortunately. It was a step up from the previous day’s chamomile- nice notes of valerian root at the end.