Holiday Shopping Guide--Teasmade

I can't help but think of that great Irish movie "The Commitments" when I think about this gorgeous Teasmade. Jimmy Rabbitt, dealing with the hoodlums, asks for some instruments and "Oh, me ma would like one o' those tings that wakes ya up wid a cup o' tea."

But back to Christmas shopping... I would be over the moon to find one of these amazing things under the tree. From 1950 The Illustrated London News:

Makes the tea! Lights the room! Wakes you up! Tells the time! My goodness, that would be like Christmas Day every morning! I love how the add emphasizes that it tells THE CORRECT TIME. Was there some kind of problem in 1950 with getting the correct time?

Most Americans have never heard of these. But in Britain, this is a famous oldie. And they still make them! Check out this article from the Daily Mail a few years ago. I'm American, but I've been a tea drinker since, well probably birth. I didn't have a dad to bring the tea to my bed like the article says, but my mother did well into my adult years. I even once had a friend whose mom, when I would spend the night at their house, would bring me tea in bed! (What ever happened to her anyway?)

I must say, though, my husband is generally the tea maker these days (being from the British Isles, perhaps!), but I don't like it brought to me in bed anymore. I prefer to pour my own, hot from the pot.

So if you've never heard of a Teasmade before, check them out. There are some to be had on UK Ebay, and there are modern ones at Teasmade.com and John Lewis.com. Also, the Guardian newspaper (UK) did an article as well.

If a Teasmade's naff, well then call me naff! I don't care... I want one!