Custom Body and Sanity Saving Tea Blends for the Holiday Season – Written DIY

Ah tea. The beverage of a thousand possibilities. Known to have started in Ancient China, tea can warm you up or cool you down; give you pep or relax you into sleep, help your ailments, and always soothes your soul.

With the arrival of Fall comes all the holiday festivities. And, as joyful as they may be, it is easy for us to get overwhelmed and fatigued; causing brain fog and lowering immune system function. Not to mention, we feast in vast amounts, making our digestive systems work overtime. This can all leave us feeling bloated and heavy. Not to mention the heartburn.

Why make your own tea? Yes, you can buy pre-bagged teas. Sure, you can order tea at most any coffee house. But, nothing beats making your own blends and brewing them at home. There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes with the process of mixing herbs together, knowing exactly what is going in it, and what it’s for. Making your own tea gives you the freedom to adjust your tea blends for strength, flavor, and effects.

The whole process of making your own blends, has its own healing benefits. I don’t even know how to describe the feeling of satisfaction I get when I take that first sip of a personally blended cup of tea. There is definitely some pride and giddiness.

These Tea tutorials will help you stay calm, focused, and balanced this holiday season. Some of the blends are my own blends and some I’ve collected. There are six tea recipes for you, two for your children (should you have any), plus two that are proven favorites at holiday gatherings. Use these recipes for yourself, or give them as wonderfully personal handmade gift this holiday season. Paired with our handmade tea bag, it would be the perfect gift.

Find the tea bag DIY HERE.

Let’s begin with a grounding tea. It’s nice to start your day already centered and ready to take on whatever it may bring. This particular blend makes 2 ½ cups of dried herb mix. And with only 2 teaspoons per cup of tea, one batch ought to get you through. All herbs are dried.
Grounding

• 2c betony, flower and leaf
• 1 c chamomile, flower
• 1 c tulsi, leaf
• 1 c catnip; flower and leaf
• 1/2 c St. John’s wort, flower and leaf
• 1c boiling water

Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Fill tea bag or tea infuser with 1-2 tsp of the tea blend. Place in 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 3-5 minutes.
Brain

These blends are from robinskey.com. Here are two unique blends to help keep your brain clear and focused during those high brain stimulating days.

• ½ c green tea
• ¼ c basil, dried
• ¼ c peppermint leaf, dried
• ¼ c rosemary, dried

-or try-

• ¼ c sage, dried
• ¼ c rosemary, dried
• ½ c green tea
• ¼ c ginkgo biloba, dried

Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Fill a tea bag or tea infuser with 1-2 tsp of tea. Place in 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 3 min.
Easy Sleep

This recipe is from Wellnessmama.com. It is a common problem to lay in bed at night, running through your to do list for the next day or review what was or was not accomplished on that day’s to do list. This blend provides a calming of brain and body to gently send you into sleep.

• ¼ c chamomile
• ¼ c mint
• ¼ c catnip

Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Fill a tea bag or tea infuser with 1 ½ tsp of tea. Place into 1 cup boiling water and let steep for 5 min. This is best to drink about 20 min before bed.
Headache Tea (4 yrs-old and older)

This blend is from Demetria Clark’s book Herbal Healing for Children. We can’t forget about the kiddos. Children feel the hustle and bustle of the holiday season just like we do. I know mine get worn down and suffer brain fatigue; which usually leads to headaches. So, to help your wee ones cope with it all, and to help save your sanity of a tired cranky child (can’t blame them), here is a blend for children; catered to younger, smaller systems; to help keep them balanced and clear headed.

• 1 tsp peppermint leaves, dried
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves, dried or fresh
• 1 tsp chamomile flowers, dried or fresh
• 1 tsp lavender flowers, dried or fresh

Steep in boiling water until lukewarm.

Note: For children under the age of 4, I recommend putting 1 drop of lavender oil in a diffuser and having the child rest and do a calm activity near the diffuser. A second option, is using 1 drop of peppermint oil in a diffuser.

Digestion Aid

This is a great after meal beverage to aid your digestion when feasting is high.

• 2c alfalfa leaf
• 1c peppermint leaf

Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Fill tea bag of tea infuser with 1-2 tsp of tea. Place in 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 3 minutes.
Stomach Calmer

For when you find yourself having eaten too much of a good thing.

• 1 c mint leaf
• 4 tbsp lavender, dried

Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

Fill tea bag or tea infuser with 1-2 tsp of tea. Place in 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 3-5 minutes or until cool enough to drink.
Immunity Support

This blend is also from Demetria Clark’s book Herbal Healing for Children. This is another great children’s blend that you’re sure to enjoy as well.

• 1 tsp echinacea flowers and leaves
• 1 tsp astragalus root, dried
• ½ tsp boneset leaves, dried
• ½ tsp licorice root, dried

Steep in 2 cups boiling water, at room temp until cool

-2-3 years = ¼ cup per day

-4-5 years = 1 cup per day

-6-12 years = 2 cups per day

With these teas in your arsenal of well-being, you are ready for the party. The following are two classic beverages for yourself and your guests to enjoy during those gleeful holiday gatherings. Double or triple measurements to suite the number of guests. The following recipes with serve about 10 people.
Cranberry Spice Tea

• 12 cups water
• 9 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 large or 4 small lemons, juiced and zested
• 5 cinnamon sticks, whole
• 2 tbsp peeled and grated ginger
• 6 tbsp goji berries
• 6 black tea or Rooibos tea bags
• Raw honey to taste
• Fresh lemon and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Slow Cooker Directions:

1. Combine water, cranberries, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon sticks, ginger and goju berries in the slow cooker.
2. Set to high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours then keep warm
3. Add tea bags and steep for 3-5 minutes just before serving.
4. Serve with the option of adding honey for taste, and lemon slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish.

Stove Top Directions:

1. Combine water, cranberries, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon sticks, ginger and goji berries in a stock pot.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add tea bags and steep covered for 3-5 minutes just before serving.
4. Serve with the option of adding honey for taste, and lemon slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish.

TIPS: I prefer the slow cooker method, because it allows for other party preparations to take place while cooking. Plus it really fills the house with that tangy, sweet spice we find so familiar this time of year.

This is also a great beverage to serve chilled mixed with sparkling water.
Timeless Wassail

I really can’t see a holiday gathering occurring without Wassail. Nor can I help myself from humming the song when preparing this warm and cozy beverage. This is a slow cooker recipe, because there really is no other way to go with this. Really. If you don’t have a slow cooker large enough to hold a gallon or more of liquid, you can half the recipe.

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 4 c orange juice
• 4 hibiscus tea bags
• 10 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp cloves, whole
• 1 tbsp juniper berries
• 1 – ½ inch fresh ginger, cut into slices
• 1 apple, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 orange, sliced into thin rounds

2. Place all ingredients into the slow cooker and cover.
3. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours, until dark and the fruit is soft.
4. Remove tea bags and serve hot.

TIP: For the adults 21 and older; if desired, add ½ cup of your favorite brandy in the last 5 min of cooking. This will blend the brandy into the wassail without diminishing the alcohol. (Please drink responsibly.)

Supply and Ingredients Notes:

Glass or ceramic tea kettles are best as they to not transfer molecules into your tea like metal does. Nor will they absorb the tea like metal does.

Most of what you will need you will find at your local market. For those harder to find ingredients I recommend online resources, such as Mountain Rose Herbs and Em’s Herbals (we aren’t affiliated with these companies, they just sell awesome herbalism & aromatherapy supplies). You can find more with a simple online search, just be sure your herbs come from a reputable organic grower.