Trader Joe's Candy Cane Green Tea (Polar Bear Tea) & Chocolate Peppermint Soy Milk

I know there are a bunch of food bloggers out there who are rolling out their favorite holiday cooking and baking recipes. Me? I'm going to start the holiday season by telling you things I like to BUY. :)
 
Here are two of my favorites: Polar Bear Tea and Chocolate Mint Soy Milk

While the official name is "Candy Cane Green Tea," I call it Polar Bear Tea. Trader Joe's sold it last year for the first time and it sold out in an instant. This tea is perfection for me; I don't drink caffeine, love decaf green tea and love peppermint. Score! When I saw it back in the store this year, I quickly picked up 6 boxes. 2 boxes are already gone. I need to go back. ($1.99 at Trader Joe's)

 

However, this year, I discovered this is Celestial Seasonings' holiday tea: Candy Cane Lane. Trader Joe's doesn't allow vendors to say they supply TJ's items (you should read this really good Fortune Magazine article: Inside the Secret World of Trader Joe's by Beth Kowitt). But the ingredients are EXACTLY the same. If you don't have a TJ near you (poor mija), then try the Candy Cane Lane from Celestial Seasonings. Personally, I think the Trader Joe's Polar Bear in Bridget Jones' worthy jumper chillin' out on the iceberg is cuter than the worker bee Celestial Seasonings bears.

My other favorite this holiday season is West Soy Chocolate Peppermint Stick Soy Milk. Yummy stuff for the lactose-intolerant or vegan. If you heat this up in the micro for a few minutes, it is delicious. 

Finally, here is a note to retailers. I went to the mall on Thursday, November 18th (a full-week before Thanksgiving) and Santa was at the mall. The whole photo set up going on. This is so wrong. First, stores are still hawking 75% off Halloween stuff. Second, we were a week away from Thanksgiving! You need to wait til Thanksgiving. Third, Santa looked sooooo freaking bored. I think kids thought he was a creepy leftover Halloween costumed man hanging out at the mall, and not Santa. And, really, shouldn't he and his people be making all the toys during this time? Sigh. Come on back in January as I rant about the Easter Bunny set up.