All Things Coffee...for Christmas! Gift ideas Included!

Welcome to the cafe!

I'm serving up some coffee inspiration today with photos from the coffee bar, all decked out for Christmas.

I finally unpacked all of the holiday mugs and got them ready for customers (okay, I'm the biggest customer). Some Longaberger mugs, along with some holiday favorites. The boys often use these for hot cocoa mugs in the cold and snowy weather.

Do you see the empty sugar container between the two red latte mugs? There's a story behind that.

I've been experiencing some real stomach problems all summer, with painful bloating and cramps. Constantly. After going to the doctor and getting an all clear, I decided to try an elimination diet. And thanks to a suggestion from my big sister, Tina, I started with stevia. I gave up all artificial sweeteners  (Truvia was my go-to). And guess what? Within one week's time, the cramps and bloating were history. It turns out that many people have a hard time digesting all forms of artificial sweetener. So I've kicked the sweetened coffee habit completely.

Here's the coffee selection, with a few Christmas items added. These days, I'm drinking a lot of pods from Dave's Coffee Pods. Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Maple Glazed, Honey Oatmeal Cookie. Mmm. So good! I also love my Senseo Douwe Egberts brands, like Hazelnut, French Vanilla, and Breakfast Blend.

EDITED TO ADD: Apparently, I needed to drink more coffee when I put those blocks on the shelf, because Christmas is spelled wrong! LOL!

And here's the table at the cafe! The quilted table runner was a gift from Tina many years ago. Love it!

Sadly, the cookie/candy plate is empty. It will stay that way for a long while as I continue to give up sugars. Maybe, just maybe, I can bring a few out for the family as Christmas approaches...if I have better will power then.

I wish you could all visit me here at the cafe! I'd brew up some delicious lattes for all of you, and we could head next door to the craft room for some creative time. Wouldn't that be fun?

If you are in the market for a new coffee maker, or you'd like to purchase a coffee maker as a gift this Christmas, then you should check this out. My friend, Elizabeth at Reviews.com, sent me an online review of leading coffee makers that had some great suggestions. You can find all the info here:

https://www.reviews.com/coffee-maker/

I've seen a lot of Cuisinart coffee makers advertised on television this holiday season, especially the maker that brews a pot on one side, or single pods on the other side. Intriguing, especially for a big family of coffee drinkers.

In my family, young Sam and I are the only ones who appreciate a good cuppa joe. We still love the Senseo! And even though I have to order pods online, I can attest to the fact that Dave ships out my orders with super speed so that I'm never coffee-less (thank heavens!)

Blessings on your December weekend, cafe friends!