3rd Day of Christmas Giveaway with Tracie Miles
Published November 30, 2011
On the third day of Christmas…
We have Tracie Miles!
But, before I give the keyboard over to her, let me remind you that you may comment on each day’s post to be put in the drawing for that particular prize.
Then, one gal who comments on all 12 posts will win the grand prize. (You can scroll down below to day one to see it.)
You may comment on any post until midnight EST, Sunday December 11th.
All winners announced Monday, December 12th.
Oh, and I just had to show you the scene out my kitchen window this morning.
SNOW DAY!
For all my kids, homeschooled and public. 
We’re gonna decorate the tree.
Good thing we got one yesterday before the storm hit.
Now, meet my friend Tracie Miles.
Tracie has been called a ‘Christmas-aholic” by her friends and family for years, because she loves the Christmas season!
Her holiday spirit is always contagious to her husband Michael, and her three children, Morgan, Kaitlyn and little Michael. They are excited about spending the next month celebrating family, and the birth of Christ, through all their holiday traditions.
Be sure to visit Tracie’s blog to sign up for her Christmas series which kicks off tomorrow, called “The Reel Side of Christmas” . This series will highlight movie clips from old and modern popular Christmas movies, and focus on the spiritual lessons tucked within these movies that we can share with our families.
Tracie’s memory:
When I was a little girl, I always looked forward to going to my Grandmother’s house at Christmas. Every December, my family would drive several hours to reach her home which was nestled in the cornfields of North Carolina, to spend time with our aunts, uncles and cousins that we didn’t get to see very often.
Even though seeing family was the priority, there was something else that we eagerly anticipated – all the delicious treats that we knew she would have waiting for us! Grandma Josephine would have delicious goodies perched all over the kitchen and den, including all sorts of cookies, homemade candies, fudge, lady fingers and cheese straws.
One of her specialties was chocolate cake made from scratch, including the fudge icing, which is a recipe that none of us have ever mastered. But despite all the food and desserts available at our fingertips, there was one special beverage that topped the ‘must have’ list, called Russian Tea.
To this day, my Christmas is not complete without cooking up a big pot of this Russian Tea and indulging in my favorite hot beverage. The smell of cinnamon, cloves, and oranges that permeate the house when it is stewing on the stove, make the whole house feel like a warm, cozy old fashioned Normal Rockwell moment.
So today, I want to share that recipe with you, right out of Josephine’s hand typed family cookbook, which she titled At Jo’s from Five to Nine. This simple little spiral cookbook has become a treasured possession since my Grandmother’s passing, and her love of cooking continues to live on through me and my family. It is packed with yummy recipes, but below is the recipe for her Russian Tea.
Russian tea
Water
2 sticks cinnamon
2 tbsp whole cloves
5 small tea bags
1 Can frozen lemonade
1 Can frozen orange juice
1 can frozen apple juice
½ can frozen pineapple juice (optional)
1 ¾ cups sugar
In large pot, pour in 8 cups of water, cinnamon sticks, cloves and tea bags. Bring to a boil and steep 3 minutes. In another pot, pour in 8 more cups of water, all 4 frozen juices, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to make sure all juice concentrates are dissolved. Pour the mixture from the first pot into the second pot through a strainer. Serve hot, and enjoy!
Tracie’s giveaway
Leave a comment with your favorite winter-time drink and you might win the following from Tracie:
~ A holiday coffee mug
~ Two recipe cards (one for this recipe and one for Josephine’s homemade hot cocoa mix)
~A book about embracing the Spirit of Christmas through helping others, called If You’re Missing Baby Jesus, which you can read to your family around the Christmas tree as you are sipping your Russian Tea!
~A $5 Starbucks card so you can sip something yummy while you are out Christmas shopping
Okay, what is your favorite thing to sip on at Christmastime?
527 Responses to 3rd Day of Christmas Giveaway with Tracie Miles
Leave a Reply
Subscribe
My Family
Each year I try a new “Christmas” specialty tea. This year I think it will be the Russian tea posted today. Thank you.
Hot Chocolate & hot apple cider!!!
Hot Chocolate with marshmallows!!!!!
I love Russian Tea….but seeing this made me think…my daughter was diagnosed with MS a while back, so we have embarked on a journey of no gluten, no refined sugar, and no dairy. Ahhhhhh…..she loves Russian Tea! So I’m going to try it with agave rather than sugar…and regular lemon juice rather than frozen lemonade (which has sugar added)…….. I will let you know how it goes! Thanks for the reminder about this holiday favorite!
Debbie– Have you tried Stevia–natural sweetener?
My favorite Christmastime beverage is Peppermint Hot Chocolate! Mmmmmm! Your grandmother’s Russian Tea sounds wonderful, though …. I definitely am going to make some this year!
I have a super yummy hot chocolate mix that I make every winter. I also enjoy Trader Joes Candy Cane tea for a sweet and low calorie hot drink.
Rebecca Ann
My grandmother-in-law always does the apple cider with red hots and it is DELISH! Can’t wait for some this year. I could do it myself…but it wouldn’t be the same:)
Yum to the tea! I love just about any warm drink….apple cider is a face!
My favorite winter-time drink is my coffe with Peppermint Mocha creamer, but my kids’ fav is Hot Coccoa! They start asking for it as the days turn chilly, and it’s a must for snow days
I would love to try the Russian Tea recipe!
Hot Choclate with lots of marshallows !
Chai tea. Yum!
I have two favorite drinks for Christmas. Hot Chocolate with a little eggnog in it and any kind of tea! (once in a while peppermint mocha)
I love to drink hot tea, doesn’t really matter which type. I do especially enjoy drinking hot tea in the winter months while watching the snow fall outside. It’s just so very peaceful!
Chai Tea or Peppermint Cocoa is the best!
My favorite thing to sip on at Christmas is something with peppermint. Whether it is tea that I stir with a candy cane, the peppermint chia tea latte from starbucks, the peppermint candy cane coffee wal-mart sells or a hot chocolate with a melting andes mint in it. Yum, now I must make some.
I love sipping caramel apple cider from Starbucks. I love the winter (the colder, the better) and look forward to that yummy, hot caramel, whipped cream and hot apple drink when those temps fall which isn’t often in Texas
Growing up my holiday drink was hot chocolate, today I would have to say it is just a good cup of coffee. I too had those wonderful Grandmothets that instilled traditions. The food was great but their love for God was the greatest thing they passed on.
We like hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows, and my grandmother’s version of wassel. Anything warm makes us feel like Christmas. This is especially needful when we have one of the warm Alabama Christmases (wearing shorts on Christmas just doesn’t seem right!)
Favorite Winter drink… I love hot cocoa. The kids come in from playing in the leaves and their little faces are all red, we have cocoa (with marshmellows if they were good;). I have only been to Starbucks once, about 9 years ago (our oldest is 9- lol), but would love a chance to go back and maybe try some holiday treats! Thanks Tracie & Karen for the opportunity to win some great prizes!!
I love homemade hot cocoa and hot cinnamon spice tea.
I love Sugar Cookie Sleight Ride Tea.
What is Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea?? That sounds interesting!
Hot chocolate….. very early Christmas morning! YUM!
Your story about Russian Tea brought back memories that I hadn’t thought of in a long time. My grandmother also liked Russian Tea (actually, she loved ANYTHING to do with cinnamon and/or cloves and I inherited that same love from her!) She made it “homemade” occasionally, but most of the time she had a small metal canister of the Bigelow “Constant Comment” teabags that she’d use to make both of us a cup of tea. Everytime I see this tea in the store (though now its gone to a cardboard box) I am reminded of my grandmother.
My favorite….Egg Nog. Yummy. Sipping on it watching the lights on the tree.
I love Egg Nog, although I can’t drink too much of it.
My favorite holiday drink is a great Chai latte (I used to get them from S’bucks, but they changed the concentrate they use so now I go to Target and get the Tazo Chai Concentrate – you can get about 8 cups of chai from one box versus buying them out which is more expensive…but I still sometimes venture out for the coffeeshop ambience and grab a chai latte or peppermint hot chocolate)…
Oh, and believe it or not…..I have NEVER been to a Starbucks
Marjie–
I will pray for you.
me too! I love Starbucks. Big treat for me though. I don’t buy it often because it’s not a neccesity and as a single mom I have watch to watch my pennies.
Russian Tea sounds yummy! Love all kinds of spiced tea during the cold months!
Wow! That recipe looks yummy~I’m gonna try that the day we decorate our tree. My personal favorite winter drink is Hot Cocoa with Peppermint. Mint and chocolate together can’t be topped! Happy holidays and Merry Christmas! ~Lynne
Merry Christmas everyone! I am torn between peppermint hot cocoa and hot apple cider!! They are both so good, warm and yummy!!
Definitely hot chocolate. Love the photo of your yard, the kids and I can’t wait for a snow day to bake cookies and drink hot chocolate!
The Russian Tea sounds GREAT, I can’t wait to get a pot going. A couple of years ago I found a Spiced Cider Mix at a small store that you mix with CranApple Juice and serve warm. I always have a supply on hand to sip at night before bed. Blessings to you both today.
traditional hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows is honestly my favorite with my kids! The russian tea sounds yummy! Merry Christmas!
I love hot cocoa and egg nog – but not at the same time.
I LOVE marshmallows in my hot cocoa.
I grew up in England so black tea with milk and sugar was a signature drink in our home all year around.
I don’t know if I have a particular “Christmas tea” but I love old fashioned hot chocolate (with whipped cream of course) throughout the winter time.
Love the recipe though and will definitely be trying it at some point this winter.
Love and blessings to both of you!
I am not much of a coffee or hot tea drinker but this Russian tea sounds great.
I love the specialty coffees at Starbuck’s and our local Mountain Bean (don’t know what they have this year yet!). I love hot apple cider on Christmas Day, and any spicy, cinnamony teas that come out this holiday season.
I enjoy chai, Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane tea (they also put out the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea mentioned above), or coffee with cinnamon chunks and a holiday creamer.
My children used to go to a youth camp with the church called “Lake Forest Ranch”…..they always went in the wintertime so that they could have bonfires, make s’mores and drink hot chocolate. It didn’t matter, back at home, if I made HOMEMADE hot chocolate with cocoa, sugar, real cream, etc…..they only wanted “Lake Forest Ranch hot chocolate”. It was a combination of dry ingredients that you add hot water to (cocoa, powdered milk, powdered sugar, Nestle’s Quick, etc.). I called Lake Forest, got the recipe, and made up a batch and gave a container to all of my kids, friends and family. Now, it’s tradition.
Wassail has become our family traditional favorite!! We invited all our neighbors over for this warm holiday treat. Thanks for sharing your tea recipe.
One of my favorite holiday treats is my mom’s Wassail. She makes it a few days before Christmas, so the yummy smells fill the house, helping to get everyone “in the spirit”! I am looking forward to diving into it this year!
Yummy! That tea sounds delicious…and I am definitely going to give it a try.
I know it’s not creative, but I love eggnogg. I don’t sip it throughout the season, but the times when it is a must is the day we decorate the tree. Then again on Christmas Eve, when every present has been tucked under the tree, the midnight mass has drawn to a close, the carrots and cookies have been left for Santa and his reindeers, and my husband and I just sit still and enjoy the quiet, the lights on the tree, the peace that permeates the air. Ahhhhh!
I love love wassail. I look forward to it every Christmas. I definateley want to try the Russian Tea though. Sounds yummy
It doesn’t get very cold here on the gulf in Texas, and I’d hate to admit this out loud, but the only hot drink I’ve ever had is coffee and hot chocolate. I think I may need to venture out of my comfort zone because the Russian Tea sounds delish!!
Oh, sounds so nummy. I love herb teas (lemon, spicy anything) and also hot apple cider too. Wassail is a traditional hot drink for visiting family and friends too. The Russian Tea sounds delicious. I may try that this year instead. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really enjoy chai latte. It’s a comforting drink on a really chilly day! The Russian tea sounds delightful!
Hot Chocolate made with milk
I love coffee and really like it with Peppermint Mocha creamer for Christmas time. I also enjoy Peppermint hot cocoa or eggnog. On Christmas morning I am making it a new tradition to make Spiced Apple Cider in my Crockpot! Mmmmmm. Yummy!
My favorite drink is Hot Chocolate with my grandkids around the Christmas Tree. I love Christmas and I try to create memories with them.. Your Russian tea sounds wonderful and I am going to try it and maybe start a new tradition.
My favorite Christmas drink is lime sherbert punch. Now you woudn’t think that was for Christmas since you mostly think of hot drinks but when we were growing up every year my mom always had everyone over for Christmas Eve. We opened presents, ate cookie and snack and had this punch. It was so good and just made our Christmas. I lost my mom last year but we still try to carry on the things that were close to mom’s heart. I know she’s having a wonderful time in heaven and can’t wait to get there too. Thanks for sharing. Jean
Our local coffee shop has a hot toffee coffee that is quite yummy! At home I like the Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Spice coffee with plenty of cream and Splenda!
My mother-n-law fixes Wassil for us on Christmas Eve night.
MMMM Yummmm. That Russian Tea recipe is full of my favorite flavors. I can’t wait to try it! I have always loved egg nog at Christmastime, and try hard not to let the fat and calories cloud my judgement. A cup of tea with my mommy is ultimately my favorite hot beverage. She has to be the one who brews it too! It does not taste the same if I do it.
My favorite drink is coffee, 1/2 caff with milk….lattes are nice but not in my budget! I’m in:)
I always enjoy Mint Hot Chocolate with marshmellow cream, of course!
Russian tea is one of my childhood favorite drinks for the holidays. Matter of fact I am making the instant version to give a as gifts this year!
I love warm wassel, the best one is from the Biltmore. I love it with apple cider or a red wine. It is such a yummy warm drink. The Russian tea reminded me of it. I will have to try the recipe thanks for sharing.
Apple cyder
Hot chocolate with pumpkin spice creamer added. Cranberry slush made with fresh cranberries and gingerale.
Spiced cider. My best friend and I love to watch Christmas movies and drink hot cider together. One of my favorite holiday traditions.
It sounds delicious…Thank you for sharing…
Gingerbread spice tea or pumpkin spice latte make me feel like Christmas is just around the corner!
My favorite winter time beverage is the ever popular hot cocoa!! I love making homemade hot cocoa, but the packets are fine too in a pinch! Thanks for sharing the Russian Tea recipe, I am definitely going to try that this year!!
Hot chocolate for sure. It always reminds me of being home and since my parents divorced three years ago it brings me back to the good times that my family had. This year I’ve also discovered chocolate caramel hot chocolate. YUM!
I love Russian tea too! My mom makes it every year! But I also love egg nog — it’s one of my favorite drinks during the holiday season.
Sitting in my comfy chair listening to Christmas music or just sitting with the tree lights on, I enjoy a good cup of coffee with a little hot choc, some hazelnut or french vanillia added topped off with some whip cream – what a treat! Can’t wait to try the Russian Tea – it sounds yummy! It reminded me of a Russian Tea mix my mom would put together that we would just add hot or cold water to. Christmas Blessings ~ Jodie
Russian Tea is my favorite wintertime drink, also! Here’s my version:
2 quarts water
3 family-size tea bags
4-5 cinammon sticks
2 Tbsp whole cloves (or same amount of ground cloves in tied-up in a coffee filter)
64 oz orange juice
16 oz white grapefruit juice
16 oz pineapple juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
ground allspice and pumpkin pie spice, to taste
In a large pot, combine the three juices and warm slowly (medium-low to medium heat.)
In a small saucepan, add two cups of the water and bring to a simmer; add the cinnamon sticks and cloves and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the tea bags; steep for 15 minutes.
Add the contents of the small saucepan to the pot of juices. Add both sugars, remaining water, and “to-taste” spices (stirring well.) Simmer for as long as desired (the longer, the better!) Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving.
*If you’re feeling festive, you can save the cinammon sticks and place one to each mug : )
I love coffe with fat free Irish creme in it with a dab of cool whip on top.-.fat free, of course. I love the christmas-aholic expression. I would love to be known as that.
I also love Russian tea. Reminds me of my own Christmas memories!
peppermint mocha and i also look forward to apple cider
Thank you for the recipe I am really anxious to try it. My favorite winter time drink is hot chocolate, mostly from a cappucino machine, but I will even drink it from the little packets (usually use two packets, so it is extra chocolaty!!!)
Love, love, love hot chocolate. And at Christmas I like to stir it all up with a peppermint stick. Yum!
My family absolutely loves hot cocoa with candy canes hanging over the side of the mug. After Christmas we buy up tons of candy canes to last us through the winter and inevitable snowstorms that come our way. I must say I am a bit jealous of Tracie’s snow this morning!
I love apple cinnamon tea in the winter!
I loved going to my grandmother’s house for Christmas. She was a very Godly woman who passed away last December at the age of 96. She literally had a Christmas tree in every single room of her home – even the bathroom and the screened-in porch! She would have pralines, divinity, fudge, red velvet cake, all kinds of pies, etc. She kept a lot of the candy in the screened porch since it was cooler (in Southern Missouri) so it was easy to slip out there and “sneak” candy. On Christmas Eve my cousins and I would depict the Christmas story in a skit we created anew every year. Oh what wonderful memories!
I love home made hot cocoa and now that lactaid makes eggnog I can have that again as well!!
Home made hot chocolate, yum!
Hot chocolate has always been our “go to” favorite, but this Russian Tea sounds WAY to good to pass up. Making plans now to add this to our “goodie list” this year. Thanks so much for sharing your family favorites and your treasured memories.
I have never tried that tea, but look forward to making it! I love coffee with some cocoa and cream in it.
Hot cocoa with lots of little marshmallows. So jealous of the snow, we haven’t seen that yet this year in Seattle!
I am going to try the Russian Tea! My favorite holiday drink would have to be peppermint hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows
Hot chocolate or Russian tea are delicious.
My favorite used to be coffee with flavored creamers, but since being diagnosed with heart issues and acid reflux, I can’t have coffee or chocolate (so no hot chocolate, either). So, I now drink apple cider
Love it…and sometimes make it with caramel syrup and whipped cream for a carameled apple cider 
The Russian tea sounds great! I’ll have to try it for my family…thanks!!
I’m enjoying your friends Christmas memories and ideas. Even if I don’t win anything I have learned a lot of new things to add to our Christmas traditions. I’ve never had Russian tea, but will definitly try this recipe. My favorite winter drink is a ginger bread latte made with soymilk from Starbucks. Just the site of that red cup makes me happy inside. I love warm apple cider also!
Hi Tracie! You have a beautiful family!
I admit I’m not for drinking warm things very much, I’m a die hard Diet Coke drinker!
We will have an occasional hot chocolate with marshmallows in the winter. We live in north Florida so we don’t have any snow & not very much freezing weather.
Blessings,
Janet W.
Pumpkin white chocolate mochas and apple cider… But this Russian Tea sounds soooo good I will have to try it!
I live in MI, too, but from what I’ve checked at weather.com our area is only seeing rain so far. Don’t think we’ve ever has a snow day this early in the season. Sure hope we don’t return from our warmth and sun vacation to white stuff. ????. As for my favorite holiday drink, I discovered Celestial Seasonings Holiday teas last winter, and fell in love with Gingerbread Spice. I buy lots so that I can enjoy it all year. But now I have to add McDonalds Peppermint Mocha to my list; but only with 3 squirts of syrup in the large instead of 5..
Hot cider is my #1 pick!! So yummy!
Hot apple cider with mulling spices and hot chai latte
Peppermint hot chocolate!!
My favorite winter-time drink is wassail.
Love SB pumpkin spice latte!
Never had Russian Tea before – but am anxious to try it – thank you for that recipe. My favourite is warm apple cider, cinnamon sticks, mmmm – but also love, love chai latte at any time..
My favorite holiday drink is a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. I don’t know the recipe for it, though I have certainly tried to make something like it at home. Never is as good as Starbucks though!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I too had a grandmother that would make cake and sugar cookies from scratch, fudge and all sorts of goodies. So a big glass of cold milk is still one of my favorite beverages and it’s so nutritious.
Our family favorite is homemade hot chocolate. I like to add a little french vanilla creamer to mine and top it off with some Redi-Whip.
I am anxious to try Tracie’s recipe but I have to say some of my favorites are the Christmas-flavored coffees this time of year. One of my very favorites is a mint coffee from Millstone from fresh-ground coffee beans.
Your russian tea sounds good, I’m gonna try it! I make spiced tea with splenda, it’s low cal and still has the “Christmas Flavor”!
Thank you for that recipe! I really don’t like Tea, they have to be Fruit Tea or Spice Tea in order for me to drink so I can’t wait to try this one!! My favorite Hot drink is HOT CHOCOLATE! I just Loooove Chocolate! After heaven, it’s God’s best thing made for me!!!
Hot Apple Cider
I just love ANY Warm drink at Christmas Time but Now Coffee with a Good Creamer is my favorite & I’m the Grandma Now where everyone comes to my house!!
I’m very cold natured so anything HOT works for me. I’m looking forward to trying Russian Tea.