Hoogly Blogs / celebration

HIGH RESOLUTION

Hello and a Hoogly New Year to you all! It’s that time of year again; a time of reset and resolution; a time of looking forward to the months ahead; of new challenges and high expectations; of learning from our mistakes and setbacks in an attempt to do better this time round. At Hoogly, we are always searching for ways to help you feel happy and empowered, and this month we are sharing our top tips for achievable New Year’s Resolutions. Obviously, drinking more Hoogly Tea is the number one target for 2023, because this is a sure-fire way to tranquillity and mindful bliss—but we also have a whole load of equally amazing suggestions, so buckle up and see if any of these ideas strikes a chord…

Boundaries. This is a tricky one to get right, but hugely beneficial in the long run. Learn to say no in the right way and at the right time. If you can master this simple-sounding (but often difficult) act, you will find yourself with more time, more productivity, more belief in yourself and a good work-life balance.
Become a better listener. Give people around you the time and space to express themselves. Active listening will make others feel respected, valued and understood, and the feelings will usually be reciprocal.
Mind-wandering. Give your brain the space to make connections and form ideas without the constant interruption of technology or conversation. Allow your thoughts the silence they need to coalesce, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much your focus and creativity is bolstered.
Social Media time out. Maybe start with a ban on checking your socials first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If you can, expand the times when you are tech-free, and attempt wherever possible to avoid ‘doom-scrolling,’ endlessly swiping through content that lasts only for a few seconds. Engage in an activity that fills you with joy, one that makes time melt away in a positive way, and focus exclusively on being present in that activity. Your mind will thank you.
Be health-conscious. This doesn’t mean an all-out blitz on every aspect of your life, but small and positive changes as you are able. Walk or cycle instead of driving where possible. Dodge the lift and take the stairs. Eat an apple instead of a chocolate bar. Chose proteins over trans-fats. Drink less coffee and add more water. Even doing these things once or twice a week can make a big difference, and the positive changes you notice might just motivate you to continue!
Gratitude. Start a journal and jot down three things each day that you’re thankful for. It can be big or small, getting a new job or simply narrowly avoiding a downpour. Go back over these notes every night and focus on the positive things in your life, gently pushing away negativity.
Read more books. Of course, this requires a certain investment of time, but if you can carve out some moments from your schedule, this traditional hobby is a hugely mindful way of relaxing, as well as offering (depending on the genre) excitement, cosiness, educational value or a darn good fright!
Drink more Hoogly Tea. This comes in at number 8, despite being the most valuable item on our list! As you know, being more Hoogly is about tapping into the Danish sense of cosy, calm and joyful living, focussing on the things that matter most in your life, and treating yourself to things that put a smile on your face. It is about slowing down and appreciating the people, places and hobbies that we love; it’s about being kind to yourself; it’s about fluffy socks, candlelight baths and baking cakes; it’s about board games with friends, light conversation for the sake of conversation, and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel special. And all this joyful Hooglyness has been condensed and curated into our wonderful selection of teas, offering you a tantalising treat to help you shed the day’s stresses and a deliciously Danish taste of comfort that you can turn to time and time again.

And now introducing our brand-new addition to the Hoogly shop: Silver Needle White Tea! This is the champagne of all white teas, utilising only the top buds of the Camellia Sinensis to produce beautifully smooth and elegant loose-leaf brew, ideal to send as a delightful gift to your nearest and dearest, or simply to enjoy as an indulgent treat for yourself.

If it’s possible, our next newcomer might be even more spectacular! Jasmine Flower Balls Green Tea are intricately hand-crafted, jasmine-scented Green Tea balls, whose blossoms unfurl as the brew infuses to reveal a stunning display of delicate flowers. This is a mesmerising spectacle, perfect for wowing guests on special occasions, and ideal for adding light and cheer to the dark winter months!

That’s it for now, Hoogly lovers. Good luck with your resolutions—stay safe and take care of each other!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

Posted on January 18, 2023

Tagged: biodegradable tea bags, books, celebration, cherish life, January, New Year, plastic free, resolutions, tea, try something new, vegan, well-being

A new Christmas tradition!

We all have our favourite Christmas traditions; the little moments and items that make the day extra special and unique, and the activities in which everyone joins in, creating a wonderful sense of togetherness and peace. These traditions form part of the fabric of December, an anchor in the seas of our busy lives, keeping us safely moored and reminding us that Christmas has thrilled our previous generations, and will continue to thrill future generations for years to come.

So what are our top 10 Christmas traditions?

-Christmas Cards! The first card was created in 1843 by the Post Office as a way of promoting its services, and now it’s a lovely, non-digital way of saying hello and offering the warmest of wishes in the coldest of months.

-Stockings! This comes from the legend of St Nicholas, the gift giver, who sent bags of gold down a chimney so that a poor man could pay for his unmarried daughters’ weddings. The gold ended up in some stockings that were being aired, and the tradition was created! The Dutch called St Nicholas Sinterklaas, which eventually transformed into the English Santa Claus!

-Mince Pies. Old Santa has a job to do, and he needs mince pies to fuel his trip! Initially inspired by Middle Eastern Cuisine brought back by Crusaders, this was originally filled with meat, but this ingredient had disappeared by Victorian times!

-Holly and the Ivy. Used in pre-Christian times in Winter Solstice celebrations, these enduringly popular plants offer a dash of colour in the dark winter months.

-Turkey. Originating in Mexico, these were popular with Henry VIII, and became a fashion in high society in the 19^th century. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the turkey became a commodity that everyone could afford. Now they’re an integral part of many households on Christmas Day, and the correct way cooking this big bird is the cause of many yuletide arguments.

-Christmas Crackers. Invented by a sweet-maker in the late 1840s, these included riddles and mottos, but it wasn’t until the inventor made them ‘crack’ that sales really took off. Now the sound of the crack is traditionally followed by the reading of a bad joke, and the collective groan by those who bothered to pay attention.

-Christmas Pudding. Fruity, delicious, and sometimes on fire, this is an essential treat that no-one can fit in but rarely, if ever, refuse. Sometimes includes coins—or credit cards, because my Dad thought that was funny.

-Mistletoe. A pagan practice taken up by early Christians, this tradition of kissing under the mistletoe has its origins in England. A berry should be plucked for each kiss until none remains. Pucker up!

-Christmas Carols. Another pagan tradition swallowed up by early Christians, carols have been written throughout the centuries, but most of the familiar tunes were created in Victorian times. Contemporary Christmas music is played on loop in most public places from the 1^st December, and has led some people to wear ear muffs.

-The Christmas Tree! These noble companions have been around for more than a thousand years, but the UK didn’t see one until the 1830s. Prince Albert put one up at Windsor Castle in 1841 and started a tradition that has created magic for every generation since. Caution: some people are very particular about where the decorations are placed, so if you value your life, don’t interfere. It’s just not worth it for bauble and tinsel.

And this year we warmly invite you to add a new tradition to your December celebrations: a mug of Hoogly tea!

Our delicious brews are designed to recreate the calm, cosy and indulgent pleasures of Hygge—the Danish way-of-life that has captured the imagination of millions, and helped the Danes consistently land a place at the top of the ‘world’s happiest people’ tables! Think of Hygge as Christmas all year round; a devotion to feeling peaceful, happy and comfortable by filling your house with things that bring you joy—cute lamps to add atmosphere, big fluffy pillows to lounge about on, and scented candles to add some spice. Hygge is about wearing your oldest, comfiest pyjamas and fluffy socks. It’s about making cakes and licking the spoon, without worrying about the calories. It’s about having friends and family over to share in your happiness and create laughter and memories together.

So if these things sound appealing, then condense them all into a mug and try a Hoogly tea this December. We’ve got some dazzling winter recommendations to warm your cockles: Spiced Orange herbal infusion, a zesty and fruity combo, coupled with mulled spices, offering the perfect accompaniment to a seat by the fire after Christmas dinner. Or how about Lemon & Ginger herbal infusion? Classic lemon and fiery ginger embrace each other in this energising brew that will give you just enough fuel to survive a game of charades before falling asleep in perfect comfort. Lastly, flip the kettle on for Around the Fire Oolong Tea. This is a lovely mix of the comforting and the exotic as smoky Chinese and Taiwanese tea leaves combine with safflower flames and crushed chilli for a kick that Rudolf would be proud of!

Whatever your traditions are this Christmas, open your heart to Hoogly and make room for one more. We promise you won’t regret it!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

Posted on December 14, 2018

Tagged: celebration, Christmas, cosy, family, festive, gifting, healthy indulgences, Hygge, loose leaf, natural, tea, traditions, winter warmers

A Hoogly Year!

Is it me, or is it cold? Properly, bitterly, unacceptably freezing. The summer heatwave now seems like a bad joke, some distant dream involving t-shirts, Magnums and sleeping without a duvet. This morning it was the sort of temperature where getting out of bed seems like a direct contravention of my basic human rights; the sort of temperature where it wouldn’t be ridiculous to wear every single item of your clothing and ride a huskie sled to work. My greyhound has the right idea: he pokes his long nose out of the back door, assesses the climate, and promptly goes back to bed. His canine senses are telling him to prioritise survival over the comfort of his bladder or the filling of his tummy. If I suggest a walk, he looks at me as if I’ve just ripped up his favourite toy in front of him and binned his box of treats. So, we go back to bed, with a warm mug of Hoogly, of course, and wait for the sun to do its thing.

But this time of year is not all bad: we get to have some spooky fun with Halloween (big shout out to the Netflix series ‘The Haunting of Hill House,’ a brilliant story of families and ghosts to get you in the mood for the dark winter to come) In case you’re wondering, my Halloween costume this year will be a hibernating bear. If someone could kindly bring me some trick-or-treat chocolate to my cave, that would be splendid, thank you.

After Halloween we move to Bonfire Night. This is a truly Hoogly celebration, a way to get friends and family together all dressed up in cosy coats, scarves and fluffy socks. It’s a night for icy breath and wellington boots, of mesmerising orange flames and kaleidoscopic firework displays, of burgers and hotdogs with lashings of sauce. Unless it rains, in which case it’s a bit rubbish. But don’t worry you’ve always got a mug of our delightfully Danish tea to sustain you through the unpredictable weather.

And once we’ve navigated November, we move onto the serious stuff. The word that cannot be mentioned. The all-encompassing stress-monster. The jingling bells and familiar songs. The swathes of shoppers elbowing and bumping each other as they cross items their giraffe’s neck list. The day of gorging and regret, punctuated by the giving and receiving of gifts, and the repeat of a good film.

If you survive the-word-that-cannot-be-mentioned, you’ll then find yourself in January, a month of violent introspection and urgent self-improvement, with military-level supplies of fruit and veg stocked up to compliment our new regime of exercise, which we carry out in a manner that suggests we’re being chased down by a monster. Which is why our regime only really lasts until mid-January, February at best. Plus, we’re a bit hungry. For something other than carrots and quinoa.

And then it’s summer again, possibly another heatwave, beaches rammed with the same people who were brawling for presents in December, but this time with less clothes and more burnt skin and beer. At least you can go to work and come home again in daylight—which does improve the working day by 4-5% (the same percentage as getting a free coffee from the barista or discovering that the boss you dislike is off sick.) This is not quite as big as the 12-13% improvement in a working day when you are allowed to punch out early, especially if it’s a Friday and your extra free time bleeds into a weekend. As Mickey Flanagan says, we’re going out out! The list of things that make a working day worse are too long—and the percentages too big—to mention here, but we all know what they are. We’ll choose to ignore them in a burst of Hoogly mindfulness.

To summarise this rant, I would like to say that every season, every day, every moment is improved incalculably by flipping on the kettle and popping in one of our Hoogly tea bags. Bad moods, bad days, bad luck and bad bananas will fall away as you discover our tantalising variety of finely crafted treats, each designed to bring the cosy comfort of Hygge into your life, allowing you to become the centre of attention, the full focus of your relaxation, stripping away stress and strains as if they never existed. Whether you’re a traditionalist, an experimenter, a sweet-tooth or a smooth operator, there is something in our shop for everyone. You may even find the perfect gift for December, and it’s all just a couple of cosy clicks away!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

Posted on November 15, 2018

Tagged: artisan tea, celebration, Christmas nearing, cold, hand blended, healthy drinks, Hygge, loose leaf, premium tea, tea, Winter, winter warmers

Hoogly Blogs / celebration

HIGH RESOLUTION

A new Christmas tradition!

A Hoogly Year!

Your Order