A Cup of Christmas Tea

My Mom passed away from Alzheimer’s/Dementia a few weeks ago. I find myself searching for ways to preserve precious memories. In the process, I write a series of letters. I secretly hope she can read them.

My Mom loved nothing more than a great cup of tea. She drank tea in the morning, at restaurants and for fancy occasions. Over the years, we began building a collection of tea sets.

We threw her a big eightieth birthday bash tea party. Complete with fancy bakery goods and the perfect table setting, she was treated like a queen for her special day.

My Mom was absolute grace. Tea was simply a way to extend that part of her personality. For my Mom it wasn’t about being proper, she simply loved the whole idea of a nice warm cup of tea and a few moments of solitude.

I’ve donated several of her sets to charity. However there’s one simple teacup I simply can’t give away. I hope there might be a day I can give this special teacup to someone that will pass it down through their own family.

My Mom’s favorite teacup was the one pictured above. It’s “A Cup of Christmas Tea”. It’s story is simple enough but it’s memories are priceless.

My sister and I purchased this special teacup at a corner shop in town during a Christmas parade in our small town. My sister was a reporter at the time and was taking pictures of the parade.

I still remember rushing in out of the cold to that pretty little shop. My sister spotted the teacup. We didn’t have a lot of money but we knew we’d found something truly special.

You see our Mom loved tea and Christmas in no particular order. Needless to say, we loved our Mom. It was perfect. So we bought it. Every year we brought it out for our Mom. Each time she had the same wide eyed look of a child’s excitement. She enjoyed the Christmas teacup and we collected nice moments, little pieces of time with every sip.

I have a fairly good idea what “A Cup of Christmas Tea” meant to my Mom. I have the distinct notion the majority of it had to do with the Christmas holidays. There was something enchanting about my Mom and Christmas. She loved everything about the holidays. It was as though she’d lived a million holidays before. She was so thrilled when Fall beckoned the Christmas season and she savored every little bit of holiday magic.

I can only express my true thoughts about this elegant cup of tea by writing a letter to her.

Dear Mom,

In my heart, I now hold a few precious pictures of you with your beautiful Christmas teacup.

I remember your happiness and love for all things Christmas. Even though, we decorated up the house and bought you a special Christmas animated figure every year, I know your Christmas teacup was treasured by you.

It was a perfect addition to your favorite time of year. You always loved having a nice cup of tea with a few sugar cubes. It was pretty and fancy and you used it with your own beautiful etiquette and grace.

We will carry on your fond tradition of Christmas by trying to add little special touches during the holiday season to our decor, gifts and hearts.

I loved the way you did everything at Christmas. I’ll admit I was hunting for Santa Claus as a child soI grew to appreciate your love for Christmas more as an adult.

You said kids should get to be kids. That was your Christmas motto. However, I always got the bigger kick watching you be a kid too. You wrote us Christmas poems and found innovative ornaments to decorate packages. From bells to glitter bows, no one could compete with your creativity which seemed to peak at Christmas.

The teacup is a carrier of two things. It’s a place to hold tea but also a haven for your kindness and Christmas spirit.

I look fondly at this teacup and I recall you simply sipping a cup of tea. Your calm gracious kindness and understanding even radiated over tea.

You were all things kind and wise. I noticed with every Christmas there was a new story to tell. With each new story I got to know you a little more. I found only a few things I never could replace. You were all things class, style, family, kindness, warmth, creativity, patience and wisdom.

These are the lessons of the Christmas cup of tea. I stare at it now and I think back to my eight year journey of helping you with your disease.

I pulled out the cup most of those years until your hands could no longer use it. You appreciated life in a way few people can understand. I did.

In you Mom, there was something that was inexplicable magic and years experience rolled into one. You saw a bigger picture in everything. You wanted a kind and graceful daughter. You demanded the same of this world.

It’s just a simple teacup but there was nothing simple about you. Stories and Christmas memories are woven into your obvious elegance holding that cup in my mind. It was perfect. Christmas was perfect. You were perfect. I thank you.

Love,

Your Daughter