Thrifty Christmas gifts that keep on giving: Tea Caddy

I love tea. I love coffee. And I love the “ooooh’s and aaaah’s” I hear when, after a fine dinner with friends, or just when they drop by in the afternoon to visit, I pull this puppy out and open it up when I’ve put the ‘Hobb’s kettle’ on to boil.

“Here, choose your tea … or coffee” They really love choosing from a great selection. It’s fun. Of course, I also have a bit of Lipton in there for the purists.

This is so simple to make, and would be a great and thrift gift idea for the tea drinker/entertainer on your Christmas list!

Just find a nice looking box. Try antique stores, places like Marshall’s or TJ Max. Just remember that you’ll have to section it off into tea bag packet widths. This was actually a jewelry box, hence the red felt lining. You can line a box yourself easily, and section it off with some balsa wood from a craft store that has some additional felt glued to it. Be creative! Old silverware chests would also be a very cool way to go.

Check out ebay for boxes.

Then it’s just a matter of rounding up a good selection of teas - plus a few of those Starbucks coffee packets. You could even make a special section for hot cocoa packets! After all, it’s your box, so make it the way you would like.

You could also put a couple of nice little gift certificates in the box from Peet’s Coffee & Tea or Mighty Leaf.

If you really want to make it an all -round tea lovers fantasy, get them a Hobb’s kettle - that’s British for an electric counter-top kettle that quickly boils water for hot drinks. They use an induction plate to heat, and you simply lift it off and set it right on the tabletop. No worries. Automatic shutoff, so no burnt tea kettle. I have the model3123US.

There are a lot of famous brands that now make these type of kettles at all price points. Everytime I’ve given one of these kettles, it’s been a ‘winner’ of a gift. I got mine cheaper a couple years back on ebay.

-maven