It’s time for a recap of my trip to Boulder, Colorado with Celestial Seasonings!
![Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear_thumb[8]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear[6].png "Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Bear_thumb[8]")
I’m excited to share all of the fun with you today! And, at the end of this post, you will find a pretty stellar giveaway packed with items I picked out just for you guys (including some of my favorite teas, a super cute Anthropologie-esque mug, a tumbler, tea kettle, adorable potholder and more). Let’s get to it!
Visiting Celestial Seasonings
Thursday of last week was jam-packed with all things tea! Our morning kicked off with breakfast at the hotel before our group of bloggers hopped in a car and headed to Celestial Seasonings’ headquarters, located on Sleepytime Drive. How appropriate, right!?
Those of us from out of town got a kick out of the adorable prairie dogs that greeted us from the fields as we drove onto the property, but even their cute little faces couldn’t top the welcome we received from the Celestial Seasonings team.
All of the employees greeted us on the front lawn with signs and smiles. It made us feel very welcome and we made sure to thank everyone for their enthusiastic greeting! (Just FYI, Celestial Seasonings offers a free factory tour in Boulder every day of the week!)
Of course we all were especially excited to meet the Sleepytime Bear!
![Celestial Seasonings Bear_thumb[2]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Bear[4].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Bear_thumb[2]")
The famous Sleepytime Bear has a cat named Chamomile and I did my best to convince him to get a dog, too, even though I’m pretty sure Sadie wouldn’t touch that bear with a ten-foot pole. She’s not exactly the bravest little creature.
After our warm welcome, it was time to warm our bellies with all the tea we could drink. I’m pretty sure I went to the bathroom every 30 minutes when I was there because I did not stop drinking tea. I loved trying so many new-to-me flavors, including Sweet Harvest Pumpkin (sweetened with a little stevia – so good!) and Cinnamon Apple Spice.
![Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour_thumb[6]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour[6].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour_thumb[6]")
During the tasting, I truly did not try one tea I didn’t like, but there were two big standouts that quickly claimed the top prize in my eyes.
First place went to Bengal Spice herbal tea.
This fragrant tea tasted like the holidays in a cup and was incredibly flavorful thanks to cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. I was shocked to hear it wasn’t sweetened since it definitely has a sweet flavor. I also think it would be fabulous with a splash of almond milk. I made sure to buy two packs of this tea before we left.
Second place went to the Caramel Apple Dream herbal tea that included quintessential autumn flavors such as apple, cinnamon and maple. (I picked up a box of this one, too!)
Following the tea tasting, we were ushered into the main tour room where we learned more about the company’s beginnings and the direction they hope to go in the future. Founded in 1969 by Mo Siegel, Celestial Seasonings came to be when Mo and his friends decided to bring the blended herbal teas they made in the Colorado mountains to health food stores. The company continues Mo’s passion for herbal tea and many of the ingredients used in their teas come from the same farmers Celestial Seasonings has used for upwards of 30 years.
After learning a bit about the company, we were off to the next activity, but not before I quickly snagged a bottle of Celestial Seasonings kombucha.
![Celestial Seasonings Kombucha_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Kombucha[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Kombucha_thumb[1]")
I drank a bottle of the super green tropical blend and thought it was great. I am rather picky when it comes to kombucha since I’ve tried my fair share of kombucha I have not enjoyed, so I was happy to love this one!
And then it was off to do some more tea tasting, only this time we learned a bit about the brewing process. I clearly had a lot to learn because I always leave my tea bags in my mug when I make myself a cup of tea which is a big no-no.
Here are a few single-cup brewing tips for the most popular kinds of tea:
- Green Tea: To brew a great cup of green tea, place one tea bag in your cup. Pour very hot (just at the brink of boiling) water over the tea bag. Cover and steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bag and add lemon and/or sweetener if desired.
- Chai Tea: Place one tea bag in your favorite mug. Fill with 3/4 cup boiling water. Steep for 4 to 6 minutes. For authentic chai taste, remove tea bag and fill mug with 1/4 cup hot milk or dairy substitute. Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey.
- Black Tea: Place one tea bag in your cup and pour boiling water over it, cover and steep 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Remove tea bag. We recommend adding honey to sweeten.
- Herbal Tea: Place one tea bag in your favorite cup. Add boiling water and let steep 4 to 6 minutes. Sweeten if you desire – we recommend honey!
Another quick tip: Squeeze the tea bag before removing it from your cup. Why? Tea leaves can absorb up to seven times their weight in water and compressing the bag enhances color and flavor.
Following our tea tasting, we sat down to a lunch that included fresh salads, salmon and sweet treats before it was time to slip into our marshmallow suits and head off on the factory tour.
![Celestial Seasonings Tour_thumb[10]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Tour[10].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Tour_thumb[10]")
![Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour_thumb[2]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour[6].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour_thumb[2]")
During the tour, I chatted with our guide about the holiday teas which are some of my all-time favorites. (I’m looking at you Candy Cane Lane!) He told me that the inspiration behind their Nutcracker Sweet tea came from an 11-year-old girl on one of their factory tours. She was a ballerina and said they should make a holiday tea and call it “Nutcracker Sweet.” This eventually led to more favorites like Sugar Plum Spice.
![Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Holiday Teas_thumb[1]")
No trip to the Celestial Seasonings factory is complete without a visit to the Mint Room, so we made sure to spend some time in the incredibly aromatic space where all of the mint is stored before we were done.
![Celestial Seasonings Mint Room_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Mint Room[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Mint Room_thumb[1]")
Our day at Celestial Seasonings concluded with a happy hour that included tea-infused cocktails.
My favorite was the Until Next Time cocktail made with vodka, chamomile simple syrup, lemon juice, egg whites and strawberry puree. It was fantastic!
![strawberry tea infused cocktail_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/strawberry tea infused cocktail[3].jpg "strawberry tea infused cocktail_thumb[1]")
And now it’s giveaway time!
Before we said goodbye to our friends at Celestial Seasonings, we were each given a gift card to use in the Tea Shop toward a giveaway for our readers. I obviously wanted to include some of my favorite teas, but I also added a few extra things that I hope you love!
![Celestial Seasonings Giveaway_thumb[1]](file:///C:/Users/Julie/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter1286139640/supfiles127DD2B4/Celestial Seasonings Giveaway[3].jpg "Celestial Seasonings Giveaway_thumb[1]")
This giveaway includes:
- Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea Sampler Pack (Candy Cane Lane, Gingerbread Spice, Sweet Harvest Pumpkin, Nutcracker Sweet)
- Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Herbal Tea
- Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra Tea
- Alba Botannica Hawaiian Body Cream
- Alba Cherry Lip Balm
- WoodWick Candle in Bakery Cupcake (This smells amazing!)
- Festive Mug
![Aroma Gourmet Electric Kettle_thumb[1]](https://i2.wp.com/pbfingers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/AromaGourmetElectricKettle_thumb11.jpg "Aroma Gourmet Electric Kettle_thumb[1]")
- Aroma Gourmet Electric Digital Kettle
- Celestial Seasonings Tumbler
- Celestial Seasonings Teas with Altitude t-shirt
- Cute Potholder with Embroidered Towel
To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me about your favorite Celestial Seasonings tea or the kind of Celestial Seasonings tea you’d love to try!
I will randomly select a winner on Friday morning. Good luck!
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I love the Sweet Pumpkin Harvest and I would love to try Gingerbread Spice! Sounds Amazing!
I would love to try your first place tea, Bengal Spice. I have tried and tried to get on the tea train, so maybe having everything to make a good cup of tea will help!
My favorite is the Cinnamon Apple Spice tea – you don’t need to add anything to it, the flavor is amazing! I would love to try the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride – I can just picture a cup with a good book in my window seat with the snow falling at Christmas – I love tea!
Nutcracker Sweet sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
I LOVE the sweet harvest! I live on it all Fall long 🙂
I love the Gingerbread Spice for the holidays!
Would love to try the Bengal spice or any others that can convince me to switch from coffee!! 🙂
I drink green tea daily, but I love ending my day with one of Celestial’s “fun” flavors.
Sleepy Time Tea would be wonderful!
I want to try the holiday ones! Also I’ve never had sleepy time but will pick some up next time I’m at the store!
The sleepytime peach herbal is fabulous!
I love the sweet harvest tea! Awesome giveaway
i’d love to try the sweet harvest pumpkin!
I’d love to try the Bengal Spice!
I love the cinnamon apple spice I am a tea addict!
Wow!! My daughter and I enjoy a tea each night during the holiday months! We always look to see the new flavors of celestial offers each year at our grocery store! We would love to try the Bengal one, sounds delicious!!
I am a big herbal tea fan — look forward to getting my hands on bengal spice!
Lemon Zinger is my favorite, but I think I need to try Candy Cane Lane!
Oooooo! The pumpkin one sounds amazing!!
The Bengal Spice looks amazing — I would love to try it!
Celestial has my favorite peppermint tea!! 🙂
I am a huge fan of cinnamon, so I think the Bengal Spice sounds awesome! Can’t wait to pick some up and try it… I never knew Celestial Seasonings had soooo many flavors to choose from!
I love traditional chamomile! And I would love to try pumpkin harvest!
I LOVE the Sleepy Time tea! So relaxing1
I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin to get into the spirit of fall!!
Bengal Spice is my favorite!
Peppermint!!
My favorite Celestial Seasons tea is Tension Tamer. An herbal tea, it has peppermint and ginger in it along with B vitamins – which really perk me up midday! Though I come to work with a to go cup of different Celestial Seasonings tea I brew at home, I usually make 1 – 2 cups of Tension Tamer during my work day. Every time I do I always have colleagues inquire about it. It smells amazing and like I said, the ingredients lends itself to a great afternoon tea when I hit that slump.
I have never tried coffee and have been a tea drinker all my life. Celestial Seasonings is one of my favorite brands.
I want to try all the teas in the holiday sampler pack!
What a great set of prizes!!! Hubs and I have needed a new kettle since I rusted out the bottom of the one we got as a wedding present… Oops!
I would love to try candy cane lane one of these days. I didn’t know it was a green tea until just now!
I’d LOVE to try the Bengal Spice or the Candy Cane Lane!
I love the Sleepytime tea!!! It always makes me feel relaxed and ready for bed!
I would love to try the Candy Cane Lane tea, would be perfect for the holidays!
I’d love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin – sounds like an awesome treat for a chilly New England morning!
I go herbal tea crazy when the weather turns chilly. I love the zinger teas and the honey chamomile (especially great for bedtime). My favorites are the holiday teas – Candy Cane Lane and Gingerbread Spice. Yum!
Would like to try the Wellness Tea! 🙂
I am a fan of anything pumpkin!
I love the Bengal Spice too! I also love the decaf green tea. With a cold right now, hot tea is a staple!
I absolutely love chai tea. I would love to try the apple tea – definitely sounds delicious!
I would love to try the Bengal Spice – but right now Sleepytime and Apple Cinnamon are my favorites!
Sweet Harvest Pumpkin. That would be PERFECT this time of year!
I obviously now want to try all of these, but especially Candy Cane lane!
i love the green tea with lemon
I’m already on iHerb looking at all the different kinds…I definitely want to try the Bengal Spice!
I was extremely excited the other day when I saw you post the Sleepytime bear on your instagram. I have a strong connection to Celestial Seasonings teas because they take me back to my childhood. My grandma used to always make me sleepytime tea when I would go over there to spend the night. She would set the box next to the bed and tell me stories of the sleepytime bear. About his wonderful adventures and his cat! Skip forward to my freshmen year of college and I met my best friend April. After moving in together I noticed one day that there were a ton of Celestial Seasonings Teas in the cupboard. I asked her about it and she explained to me that her grandma used to give her sleepytime tea as a child! I screamed when she told me and proceeded to tell her about my grandmother. Sleepytime has become somewhat of a symbol of our friendship. We even painted the sleepytime bear on a wooden storage box that we hung on the wall and put our tea (of course sleepytime) and coffee in. If I could figure out how to put a picture in the comment I would post it but I am not tech savvy enough for that haha. My favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is sleepytime because the amount of memories I have with it. Thank you for this post it really made me smile :)!
I’ve been loving sleepy time blackberry Pomegranate lately!
The raspberry tea! I’ve heard it’s great for detoxing!
Sugar cookie sleigh ride!
i’ve loved sleepytime for as long as i can remember, but i’d love to try the pumpkin flavor 🙂
Candy cane lane? Yes please!!!!! I love peppermint! And I bed that place smelled yummy 🙂
‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice!