Merry, merry Tuesday and welcome sweet friends. Can you believe it is only 8 sleeps until Christmas?
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)
I am happy that you are here to join my granddaughters and me for a tea party with the nutcrackers. Their little brother and his Da will drop by for a brief visit, but are planning a boys party later that will likely include chocolate milk and tractors. It is warm and cozy inside the Sunshine Cottage and I am serving up plenty of sweet treats…for girls and boys!
It is Tea on Tuesdays and Mary and I are excited to welcome back Kitty from Kitty’s Kozy Kitchen as our special guest. You will find Mary’s and Kitty’s links at the bottom of this post.
As you can see, there is no absence of color on the table!
Recently Ella Mae and Emma danced in four performances of The Nutcracker Princess. Our girls are pictured front and center. As proud grandparents, we enjoyed watching and seeing the smiles on their faces. We were especially amused as our very shy Emma blew kisses as she exited the stage!
My friend and fellow tea and flower enthusiast, Mary, gifted me this charming Fitz and Floyd Nutcracker teapot. The girls were so excited to see it and immediately asked for a nutcracker tea party. Clara and the Nutcracker are depicted in this photo.
Long-time readers know I collect all kinds of ‘STUFF’! Why just have one nutcracker? My collection of Steinbach nutcrackers began years ago when I found one at Tuesday Morning. The next year I discovered two more, so the story goes with all my collections. A couple of dear friends added more to my collection. Steinbach nutcrackers are handmade in the Ore Mountains of Germany with great attention to detail! There are eight on the shelves (one on the bottom right is covered by a photo)!
I found the sweet nutcracker cups and salad plates four years ago at Hobby Lobby! The following year I was able to add a few more plates. Unfortunately, Hobby Lobby no longer has them. You might remember my Nutcracker Parade and Cookies & Chocolate Milk With the Princesses.
The girls and I enjoyed a delicious pomegranate green tea. EM prefers sweet hot tea and EK drinks sweet iced tea. They always love their tea served in a pretty tea cup!
The large musical Christopher Radko Santa was a gift many years ago from a dear friend. Santa enjoys spending Christmas in the cottage because the girls and WL visit often!
Santa was eyeing the strawberry cupcakes, it would probably be a good idea to keep an eye on him!
One of the favored treats were the marshmallow snowmen!
The April Cornell Green Essential napkins were used once again. I thought they were perfect with the red velvet bow napkin rings.
Christmas tree sugar cookies, chocolate dipped pretzel sticks, Hershey’s kisses, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies added to our sugar overload!
The Sugar Plum Fairy is depicted on this side of the teapot.
Be sure to visit Mary and Kitty for their delightful teatimes!
Mary ~ Home Is Where the Boat Is
Kitty ~ Kitty’s Kozy Kitchen
Thank you for your visit and gracious comments! Wishing you a joy-filled Christmas!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
So much festive eye candy and nutcracker fun at your table in your cottage Pam! I love the photo of your grand girls front and center from their performance in their Nutcracker Princess and their parents must have been proud! Your cottage is filled with lots of holiday cheer with your nutcrackers paired with the tartan plaid and sprigs of greenery on your shelves! Your nutcracker plates and mugs are adorable…I love the scalloped rims. All your treats look delicious, I know your girls had fun enjoying them along with their tea. Your musical Christopher Radko Santa is charming bearing gifts and a tree. I’m so happy the nutcracker teapot has a good home and friends to visit with 😉 and I hope you and your girls enjoy many tea parties to come! It’s a treat to join you for a cup of holiday cheer today. Wishing you a very, merry week with a countdown to Christmas! ☕ 🎄❤️
Thank you, Mary. The Nutcracker teapot is a wonderful treasure! Christmas blessings, dear Mary ✨❤️✨
Good Morning Pam. I love the nutcracker theme and that tea pot is too adorable. I know the girls will have a lovely afternoon with you. Enjoy. Hugs. Kris
Merry Tuesday Pam.
What a lovely tea time with your nutcrackers. Your Nutcracker teapot is adorable! How sweet of Mary to gift it to you! ❤️ The cups and plates with more nutcrackers are perfect for the Nutcracker theme. The scalloped rims are so lovely. Your grandchildren must love it all, along with those delicious treats.
Seeing the Grands in the Nutcracker photo is so precious. What an honor for them to dance with them.
I enjoyed your Sunshine Cottage decorated with your Nutcracker collection and Holiday Cheer!
Merry December, dear friend!
Thank you, Nancy! You are so sweet to always visit and comment! Merry Christmas, dear friend ✨❤️✨
Thank you, Kris! Christmas blessings and hugs!
What a darling and fun Nutcracker theme in the Sunshine Cottage for you and your granddaughters, Pam. Your collection of nutcrackers is just stunning and your dishes on table are so colorful, and your napkins are so sweet. The teapot gifted to you from our dear Mary must hold a special place in your heart.
How proud you must be of your darling granddaughters and what a thrill to see them perform; loved the kisses being blown to the audience.
Many thanks to you and Mary for inviting me to join in this special Christmas teatime. ♥️🎄♥️
Thank you, Kitty. As one grandmother to another we share the love of being there for whatever our grands are involved in. Grandchildren are a blessing! It is always a joy to have you join us for tea ✨❤️✨
Funny how collections start, isn’t it. You don’t plan on it, and before you know it, you’re a collector! The table is fantastic and especially given their own personal nutcracker experience. I think they’ll adore it. I would — I love each and every detail!
Thank you, Jeanie. I think we share the collecting bug!
What a sweet and memory making time in the Sunshine Cottage! The girls must have been thrilled with the Nutcracker theme. I love they got to pose front and center with the other ballerinas. What a beautiful and thoughtful gift of the teapot to star on your table. Your nutcracker collection is stunning. My Santa collection started at age 18 when my sorority secret sister gifted me a tiny Santa candle (which I still have). Now many years and many, many Santas later, I keep saying “No more”…but do I listen to myself?!? Hope these next few days are joyous for the whole Richardson clan!
Thank you, Roxanne. The girls loved the teapot and they were very excited about the party. You sound just like me, it is hard to say no when in your heart enough is enough 😉 Wishing you joyous days leading up to Christmas and beyond!
What an explosion of nutcrackers! This is so so cute Pam, the grands must love it all!! The F&F nutcracker teapot is wonderful and your collection of nutcrackers is impressive. The Sunshine Cottage is such a great place to display and enjoy some of your favorite things. I love the nutcracker plates and cups, wow, so so fun! Lots of delicious treats too~ I know seeing the girls in the Nutcracker performance made your hearts sing, they look so pretty. Ho ho ho, one week to go!
Thank you, Jenna. As you know, grands are wonderful blessings and it is so much fun to have parties. The girls love any party and WL just loves all the treats!
Pam, What a beautiful teapot and lovely tea party! I know the girls enjoyed it. The Sunshine Cottage is so festive. I, too, continue to add to my collections. EK drinking her sweet tea out of cup reminds me that I did the same thing at her age with my grandma! Some things never change and I’m glad traditions continue! Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Thank you, Clara. I love making memories and continuing traditions. They both make me happy ❤️
Oh my, this looks like so much fun! Your tea setting is both gorgeous and festive. I know your precious girls must of had so much fun. They look beautiful in their Nutcracker photograph. You must have been beaming with pride. The gifted Fitz and Floyd teapot is so pretty and looks perfect with your Nutcracker dinnerware. The treats look scrumptious, and the tea sounds delightful. I always love seeing your collection of Nutcrackers, and this year you have displayed them beautifully in your Sunshine Cottage. Merry Christmas, sweet friend!
Thank you, Shannon. Your sweet comments are heartwarming! Christmas blessings, sweet friend!
Happy Tea Tuesday Pam,
I HAD to join you for tea this morning before I go to school. It put me in the Christmas spirit! Oh, how I love your cozy cottage, decor, words! Your nutcracker collection, teapot, dinnerware, and sweet treats are perfect pairings for a festive gathering. You make Christmas (honestly, ALL holidays) so much prettier, Pam.
The photo of the girls and the cast touches my heart (and EM blowing kisses–how precious)!
I’m so happy I could stop by and have tea with you all today. I love you, dearly, Pam. I’m praying for all of you as we continue our countdown of “sleeps” before THE ARRIVAL celebration! Hosanna to our baby KING!
Karla, you are so sweet to take time for tea before going to school. I wish you could join us. I love you dear one and you are always in our prayers! Take care of yourself ✨❤️✨❤️
Seeing our beloved grand kids dance at Christmas time just makes me smile! Love the Nutcracker tea party setting too.
Linda, how sweet. Grands are wonderful blessings!
Wowwww… Absolutely amazing and magic!!! Such beauty and inspiration! Adorable Grands… Congratulations! I am so glad I stopped by!
Thank you, sweet friend! I am happy you stopped by!
Pam, your Nutcracker Tea Table is lovely!!! My mother also collected nutcrackers and each of four kids have them now. My son loves nutcrackers, too. So glad you were able to share this special tea with your granddaughters and will have another special day with your grandson.
Merry Christmas hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thank you, Barbara for your sweet visit. How special to have your mother’s nutcrackers that are priceless keepsakes! Merry Christmas!
How fun to have a nutcracker tea party with the girls in the sunshine cottage. I’m sure all their friends must wish they could join them. It is straight out of a fairy tale.
Thanks so much, Karen! The girls enjoy any occasion to have a party!
Pam I have long admired your nutcracker collection and what a joy to be the new owner of the lovely teapot. I know the girls love all the attention of your fabulous tea parties. What beautiful memories you are creating. The cottage looks so happy in all it’s Christmas splendor…I would love to be a guest and sip tea and snack on your array of sweets. YUMMY! Enjoy dear friend and have a Blessed December. 🥰🙏🏻🎄🌲🫖☕️🥁📬❤️💚❤️💚
Thank you, Kari. The girls love any reason to have a tea party. I would be so pleased if you could join me, my friend! Christmas blessings!
What a fun Christmas Tea Party Pam I love the photo of your two little Sugar Plum fairies in their dance showcase! Grandchildren are such a wonderful blessing & keep us youthful.
Blessings to you sweet friend, Jennifer
Jennifer, they do keep us youthful! Thank you, sweet friend!
Aww, Pam, I love this so much! As a family of Nutcracker veterans (all but J), I can appreciate every single detail here. The teapot is adorable! I’m very happy the Sugar Plum Fairy is featured on the opposite side of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. My oldest has danced many roles in our ballet/symphony’s production over the years (including Clara & Sugar Plum Fairy), and attests to the degree of difficulty of the Sugar Plum’s choreography. Your girls’ dance experience is so valuable on so many levels! This tea is something I aspire to sharing with my J, who just attended her first Nutcracker last weekend. I loved all the treats and tabletop decor here.
Rita, how fun that J attended her first Nutcracker. I was so happy to received Mary’s gift. The girls loved it when they saw it and they said we must have a Nutcracker Tea party. I have no idea how long they will hang in with dance. They are involved in many activities. I know you were so happy that your family followed in your footsteps!
Christmas has arrived at the Sunshine cottage indeed! The table is fabulous, the red bow napkins rings are so fun and the new teapot is perfect for your Christmas tea. The grands are so cute. I would have loved seeing them perform in The Nutcracker
Thank you, dearest Alice! I wish you could have seen the girls, they were precious
Pam, how exciting for your granddaughters to have tea parties. Remember “Kodac Moments” ? What fond memories for your grandchildren and next year there will be one more !
I think all the bloggers should post something about their collections so those of us with odd pieces can donate in appreciation. My one and only cares nothing about china and glass. If only older folks knew how to sell our hoard, I mean collections, online 😕
Hi Myrna, yes I do remember the Kodac Moments. My granddaughters love for me to tell the stories of the collections and at this point want all of them. I hope that holds true when they are adults. It would be nice to have a source to sell our hoards and not be put in a yard sale!
Merry Thursday!
When we say “Enough is Enough” and really do it, it will be time to leave. Why miss
the joy of discovery and fitting it into our lives? Your collections are so tasteful and
well “disciplined”, I can’t imagine they are too much ….They bring smiles to us all.
Your Sugar Plum Fairies do their Family proud and spread the joy they have been given.
Your Nutcracker Table is a delight to behold, a Christmas gem and that is some
wonderful teapot taking center stage. Just love those tartan plates… You so beautifully
spread the beauty and reason for the season, Pam, and are such an inspiration. Bless you.
Thank you, my dear Mary. I have loved collecting since we married almost 52 years ago. I know my girls will appreciate and keep my collections to be passed on down. Sending you love on this cold, but Merry Thursday!
The Nutcracker tea party in the land of the sweets looks so very festive and fun! And your two little and special dancing ballerinas must have enjoyed this special time with you! Cheers to creating memoires to last a lifetime!
Mary, you are so sweet! I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood and I want to make memories for my grands!
Oh what a festive tea party you must have enjoyed, given all the colorful delights. So many details to study too. You’ve done it again, Pam–a stunning compilation of dishes and decor to take our breath away!
Thank you, Nancy for your sweet comments! Merry Christmas, my friend!
Oh Pam, this is wonderful and what a delightful table for tea in the Sunshine Cottage and to share with the grands. I bet they absolutely loved it! Your nutcracker collection is quite impressive and the nutcracker salad plates are darling. The gifted F&F teapot from Mary is lovely and is perfect for your table. The treats look delicious and I especially love the photo of the girls at the Nutcracker Princess – you must be very proud grandparents. Merry Thursday to you!
Thank you, Kim! I always happy to see you here. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, my friend!
What fun! I’ve been trying to find some crafts/traditions to do with my kids this year while I wait for the garage guys to finish up, and doing something with the Nutcracker is exactly what I’m looking for! Your blog seems to have a lot of awesome ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jeanie for your visit. Merry Christmas!
Pam, I’m so late getting in a visit, but so happy to be here. Your collection of fabulous Steinbach nutcrackers is a treasure you can pass down to those darling granddaughters who dance in The Nutcracker. How special for them! I had a collection of nutcrackers which I passed on to one of my nieces when she was dancing. One of my early teaching partners gifted me a different nutcracker for years. Not sure my niece still has them, but I hope so. She has a daughter of her own now. I have my special German nutcracker that my mom brought me from a trip to Germany, and several MacKenzie Childs nutcrackers that I have given myself through the years. Nutcrackers are special! I love the darling plates, the F&F teapot, and all your awesome details. You and Butch created special memories for your grands with each holiday and everyday living. How fortunate they each are to have you two in their lives.
Merry, Merry, dear friends!
Sarah, you are never late. I will pass the Steinbach nutcrackers to my girls. They love them. I love your Mackenzie Childs nutcrackers and your styling makes them so special. Thank you for your sweet friendship, Sarah and Merry Christmas, sweet friend!
Pam, your table is so darling. Such a lovely collection of Steinbach nutcrackers. A real treasure passing them on to your grands. I love how your decor is so sweet and festive. The grands must love visiting. The gifted teapot from Mary is so pretty. Sunshine cottage is such a fun place to decorate and hang out. Happy New year.
Thanks so much, Linda. Sunshine Cottage is our happy place. Happy New Year!!