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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Mandarin Orange Spice is my all time favorite, especially this time of year! It’s the perfect way to bring in fall.
I would love to try the Bengal tea!
Bengal Spice has always been my favorite, we ALWAYS have it in the house! And it tastes super sweet to me too without anything added…I would love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin, it sounds like what fall dreams are made of 🙂
I love drinking Celestial’s Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride in the winter!
I’m a sucker for anything ‘pumpkin’ and will be adding the digital kettle to my Christmast list!
I love all the holiday teas. I just tried the pumpkin spice and fell in love with it. I would love to try the sleepy time tea. I don’t drink coffee but love tea. What a great giveaway!!!!
I’ve always liked the Fruit Sampler so I can have a couple of different flavors around but cherry is my favorite from that! The way you’ve described Bengal Spice sounds right up my alley I’m hoping I’ll be able to find it at my grocery!
I’m a green tea lover, but my boys would go nuts for that holiday tea sampler! They love trying different herbal teas and having a special “tea time”!
I’d love to try the pumpkin!
Being that it is Fall and I am a typical girl, I would love love love to try the sweet pumpkin harvest tea!
I like all black teas!
I’ll be on the look out for that caramel apple dream tea! Sounds delicious!
I love the Sugar Cookie Sleigh ride!
The Bengal Spice sounds awesome!
I’m a traditional girl when it comes to my tea so I like the authentic green tea, no sweetener added. I’m really curious to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin though; I love all things Pumpkin!
There are always boxes of Celestial Seasonings teas in my house, especially during my chai tea phase when I drank it every night. I would love to try the Bengal Spice!!!
Sleepytime Vanilla is the best! It always helps me relax before bed and is great with a spoonful of honey mixed in to soothe a sore throat! Plus I love supporting local businesses!
I’ve heard so much about candy cane lane that now I want to try it!
I love the good ol’ sleepytime tea for right before bed in the colder months, during the summer I love making iced tea out of their fruitier flavors like raspberry. I definitely need to get my hands on their pumpkin flavored tea
I love the peppermint and have been drinking it since I was a kid! I did a factory tour there last year and loved it! Such a wonderful company.
I love anything cinnamon apple!
Gingerbread Spice is absolutely my favorite. A cup of that and one of my mom’s famous gingerbread man cookies makes it feel just like Christmas and is such a treat!! Recommend everyone to try it! I would love to go take a factory tour, definitely a good gift idea to treat my mom who loves tea.
My current favorite is Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride – though I have been known to guzzle some True Blueberry!
I would love to visit this place – perhaps Boulder needs to be on my to visit list!
I really need to try the pumpkin! Yum!
My favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is the sleepytime tea!! I went through a period of really bad anxiety/depression about a year ago and that tea worked wonders. It helped with my insomnia and always calmed me down enough to get a good nights sleep. It has become a nighttime ritual for me to drink a cup before bed…I am so thankful for sleepytime tea! I would like to try some of the holiday flavored teas you mentioned!
I have always been a big fan of their sleepytime tea. I was unaware they had seasonal teas, they all sound delish! I’d love to try all of them!
Hands down Bengal Spice – I’m totally with you! It’s delicious.
I love anything pumpkin so excited to try the pumpkin spice tea!
The caramel apple dream tea sounds amazing!!!
My favorite Celestial Seasonings tea is and always has been Lemon Zinger, I could drink it all day everyday.
I usually drink coffee, but now that it’s getting cooler at night I need something without all that caffeine!
I’ve never had Candy Cane Lane myself, but would love to try it!
Oh my goodness, Gingerbread Spice sounds amazing!!! I would love to try that!
Candy Cane Lane all the way! Although, I love all holiday flavors. They’re like Christmas in a cup!
I love Celestial Seasonings Tea, but I would love to try the Gingerbread Spice. In fact, all of their holiday flavors look amazing!
The Candy Cane Lane sounds wonderful!
I loved drinking the bengal spice when I was in college. I’d add frothed soy milk on top and a bit of sugar and it tasted as good as a chai from starbucks but was much healthier!
I would love to try the Caramel Apple Dream flavor! This giveaway looks amazing.
candy cane lane all the way!! the best 🙂
Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!!
I’d love to try the Bengal Spice. Florida doesn’t get the “holiday feel” that other states do because of the lack of cool weather, so holiday in a cup sounds fantastic!
Apparently I’ve been missing out not trying the Candy Cane Lane tea! Would love to try it!
Also, good luck on your barre challenge! My studio is wrapping up our 20 classes in 30 day challenge and I am definitely feeling the burn!
The sweet harvest pumpkin sounds amazing. I liked the tutorial on making the different types of tea.
My absolute favorite Celestial tea is the Sleepytime Extra. I actually had a cup last night and it definitely zonked me out. Morning Thunder is a nice, strong black tea that I enjoy.
You have me curious about the Bengal spice tea! I’d love to try that 🙂
I’d love to try the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin!
I love Sleepytime Tea at night! So relaxing
I’ve only tried a few of the green teas and love them. I can’t wait to try the holiday teas….the cooler weather has me craving warm yumminess 🙂
I would love to try Candy Cane Lane and the Harvest Pumpkin!
I would love to try the candy cane lane..sounds delish!