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McCrea’s Caramels

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World Market offers a variety of advent calendars, one of them being a caramel calendar. There are a total of twelve different caramels, twenty-four total. These are my opinions on the different flavors, rated out of five stars.

  1. Dark Roasted Mocha- It smells like coffee, is not super soft and granuley. I am not someone who enjoys coffee-flavored things, aside from actual coffee, but this isn’t a super overwhelming flavor. I still didn’t quite like it, 2 stars.
  2. Deep Chocolate- Its scent is very chocolatey (no surprise) and almost tastes like a brownie. I give it 4 stars.
  3. Ginger Fusion- This caramel has an odd smell with a bit of a kick. It tastes almost fruity and I liked it until I didn’t anymore. As a ginger-hater, I give it 2 stars.
  4. Ginger Fusion- Repeat, 2 stars.
  5. Deep Chocolate- Repeat, 4 stars.
  6. Cinnamon Clove- The scent of this caramel is more clove than cinnamon and has an almost pumpkin spice-esque taste to it. Not too bad, 3 stars.
  7. Chocolate Peppermint- This smells just like the name and tastes like a thin mint, however the mint isn’t overpowering. I quite enjoyed this one, 5 stars.
  8. Deep Chocolate- Repeat, 4 stars.
  9. Cinnamon Clove- Repeat, 3 stars.
  10. Cape Cod Sea Salt- It tastes like a traditional caramel. No extra notes, 4 stars.
  11. Cape Cod Sea Salt- Repeat, 4 stars.
  12. Anisette- I don’t quite understand this as a flavor but it is quite popular around the holidays. It smells like a tea, licorice, and flowers, while tasting like black licorice. I actually enjoyed this flavor, 4 stars.
  13. Black Lava Sea Salt- This has a good caramel flavor but I was not a fan of the chunks. The added texture brought the rating down, 2 stars.
  14. Black Lava Sea Salt- Repeat, 2 stars.
  15. Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt- It smells weird and I don’t think truffle should be in a caramel. Just the name of it turns me away, 1 star.
  16. Tapped Maple- All I know is that this flavor is not for me. No other explanation, 2 stars.
  17. Tapped Maple- Repeat, 2 stars.
  18. Chocolate Peppermint- Repeat, 5 stars.
  19. Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt- Repeat, 1 star.
  20. Classic Vanilla- A good, solid taste. You can’t go wrong with this flavor, 5 stars.
  21. Classic Vanilla- Repeat, 5 stars.
  22. Anisette- Repeat, 4 stars.
  23. Cafe Noir- This was an immediate no just from smell alone. It tastes like espresso and I do not like coffee unless it is in a mug or martini glass. This is definitely not for me, 1 star.
  24. Dark Roasted Mocha- Repeat, 2 stars.

Some may agree with my assessments on these flavors while others may have opposing views. Either way, you will never know how you feel about them unless you try them. I found this advent calendar at World Market. Let me know if you try it and what you thought of the different flavors.

Harry Potter Jelly Bean Advent

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World Market boasts many of advent calendar’s right around that time of the year. I was able to get my hands on the Harry Potter Jelly Bean calendar and try their ten different flavors. There are a total of twenty-four meaning there are some repeated flavors. Here are my opinion on the flavors.

  1. Blueberry- This flavor was delicious, I give it 4 out of 5 stars for the classic taste. What creature was Albus Dumbledore’s Patronus?
  2. Cherry- This was a typical “fake” cherry flavor and a solid 3 stars. With exceptional skills in potions, who was Head of Slytherin House?
  3. Green Apple- Green Apple isn’t a favorite of mine but this jelly bean did have a good flavor so I was say 2.5 stars. The stone of the Marvolo Gaunt’s ring was known as what legendary artifact?
  4. Tutti Fruitti- They could have named this one bubblegum as that is exactly what it tastes like to me but I did enjoy it and rate it 3 stars. Where was Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup hidden?
  5. Green Apple- Repeat, 2.5 stars. Known as the most famous Auror of all time, who sacrificed an eye during the Wizarding Wars?
  6. Cherry- Repeat, 3 stars. What was used to destroy Tom Riddle’s Diary?
  7. Cinnamon- I think that cinnamon is a great flavor and found this to be no exception as it tastes like a Hot Tamale, so I give it 5 stars. What was used to destroy Salazar Slytherin’s Locket?
  8. Watermelon- I do like a watermelon flavor but this one lost its taste pretty quickly, 3 stars. Originally belonging to Godric Gryffindor, what determined what house you belonged to?
  9. Lemon- If you don’t like lemon flavored things, this is not for you. I thought it tasted similar to a Lemon Head so I give it 4 stars. Who is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?
  10. Watermelon- Repeat, 3 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Ravenclaw?
  11. Tutti Fruitti- Repeat, 3 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Gryffindor?
  12. Blueberry- Repeat, 4 stars. Who was killed by Neville Longbottom in the Second Wizarding War with Godric Gryffindor’s Sword?
  13. Marshmellow- This jelly bean was a sweet, tasty flavor that reminded me of marshmallow fluff, 5 stars. Who was Head of Ravenclaw House and a well-known Charms Master?
  14. Banana- I am not a huge fan of banana flavored things and this tasted like the banana runt, 3 stars. Who was the Care of Magical Creatures professor and the gamekeeper of Hogwarts?
  15. Cinnamon- Repeat, 5 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Hufflepuff?
  16. Candyfloss- I am not sure what they were going for here but I thought it had a weird taste so I give it 2 stars. Who served as Head of Slytherin House and taught Tom Riddle about Horcruxes?
  17. Lemon- Repeat, 4 stars. Who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and became a werewolf as a young child?
  18. Marshmallow- Repeat, 5 stars. What are the three traits to describe a Slytherin?
  19. Watermelon- Repeat, 3 stars. Who was a well-known Seer and Professor of Divination?
  20. Lemon- Repeat, 4 stars. Who stole Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem?
  21. Banana- Repeat, 3 stars. Since 382 B.C., who was known as the Maker of Fine Wands?
  22. Cherry- Repeat, 3 stars. Who was the HOuse-Elf that served the Malfoy family?
  23. Tutti Fruitti- Repeat, 3 stars. What creature was the first birthday present that Harry ever received?
  24. Candyfloss- Repeat, 2 stars. Who was Head of Gryffindor House and the Transfiguration Professor?

If these flavors or this advent calendar interest you, you can find it, and the answers to the trivia questions, at World Market.

The Artful Dodger

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The Artful Dodger has to be one of my favorite period shows to date. It has one season with eight episodes so far, though there will be a second coming out, on Disney+.

In this show, we follow Dodger who, if you aren’t a classic literature fan, is a side character in Oliver Twist. In the 1850s, Dodger finds himself in Australia, having run from authorities after committing several crimes. We get a look behind what makes the character tick as well as a new look into Oliver Twist’s character.

Dodger, played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster, goes by the name of Jack Dawkins so that he can have a career as a surgeon. He soon meets the smart, shrewd, but generous Lady Belle Fox, played by Maia Mitchell, daughter of the Governor to Australia. Belle soon uses Jack as a means to get into medicine herself, in a world in which women are not doctors, and we soon see a romance start to form.

Both criminals and lawmen alike try to catch Jack in the act of crime as well as put a stop to the budding relationship he has with Belle. More problems arise between Jack and Belle as they try to keep secrets even from each other, making for a problematic and devastating reveal later on.

I found it fascinating to see what methods were used in the 1800s in the world of medicine but I found the characters even more fascinating. I hope that the next season is released soon as I cannot wait to delve into this world again.

Crossing Swords

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Crossing Swords is an animated show found on Hulu and Disney+. The series has two seasons with ten episodes to each season. I do believe the show is completed.

In this animated sitcom, we follow the life of Patrick who yearns to be a knight for his kingdom. He grew up with siblings who always chose the wrong side of the law and therefore, vowed to do good and help the people of his kingdom.

This fantasy-drama is raunchy, has explicit scenes (as explicit as you can get with wooden pegs as the characters), and has themes that are not suitable to a child. Patrick tries his best to be an upstanding knight even when those around him choose debauchery and lawlessness, including the monarchy.

I found this show to be hilarious and entertaining. Patrick, who is accompanied by King Merriman, Broth, Queen Tulip, and Coral for just about every episode, is voiced by Nicholas Hoult, Luke Evans, Adam Pally, Alanna Ubach, and Tara Strong, respectively.

If you give this a watch, I would be interested to hear what you thought of the show.

12 Days of Scented Candles

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This advent calendar hails from the healthy grocery market known as Trader Joe’s. I’m not a frequent visitor to this establishment because it is always busy and expensive, but when I do go I tend to buy anything and everything. A past visit included an advent calendar in my purchases. This is all my own personal opinion and therefore other people may not agree with my assessment.

The candles are all 2.5 oz and in my opinion, the jar they come in is a thin aluminum, which is not my favorite method of canister. The selection included in my pack is as follows:

  1. Rhubarb – I don’t quite know the ins and outs of rhubarb but I thought this candle smelled more like grapefruit.
  2. Warm Vanilla – This scent is a classic. Their version reminds me of a Bath and Body Works scent known as Cashmere.
  3. Lilac – I couldn’t really discern if this was a lilac aroma but it most certainly smells flowery.
  4. Eucalyptus – I found this to smell like the ointment called Vic’s. Now I love the smell of Vic’s Vapor Rub so I enjoyed the scent but not everyone may agree.
  5. Gardenia – It certainly smells good but again, I’m not brushed up on my flower scents so I have no clue if this is what gardenia typically smells like.
  6. Spiced Apple – I’m a basic bitch and I’m always down for that classic apple smell that seems to signal fall no matter what the actual season is at the moment.
  7. White Tea – I’m not sure how one bottles the scent “white tea” but what I got from this particular candle is a hint of lime. Unless that was their intention, I think they missed the mark on this one, still, not a bad scent.
  8. Persimmon – I have never seen, held, eaten, or smelled a persimmon so I have absolutely no idea if they succeeded in making this a scent. To me, this candle smelled like oranges.
  9. Lavender – All I can say is that this is definitely lavender.
  10. Snow Day – Interesting title for a candle. My guess is the maker was going for a light, clean smell but what I got was the smell of those rootbeer flavered Bottlecap candy.
  11. Sandalwood – I don’t know how anyone could mess up this scent, Trader Joe’s most certainly didn’t. I find that I love a deep, rich scent in almost any aspect.
  12. Peach – This candle smells like those peach rings if you like that, and I like that.

I completely forgot to write down the price of this collection but I do remember being a little miffed that the candles were so small for the price in which I paid for them. I do believe these candles are also organic so if that matters to you, now you know.

Walt Disney’s Short Circuit

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In my quest to watch everything that Disney+ has to offer, I have recently completed a compilation of short stories written and produced by new faces as well as seasoned creators who have worked on big projects like Coco, Soul, Beauty and the Beast, etc.

The following reviews are my personal opinion and of course, may not be the same as others. I am curious as to what other people thought about these shorts and would love to discuss.

Puddles: 5/5

This was such a cute story. It made me think about how you miss the magic of the world when distracted by technology.

Exchange Student: 4/5

New schools can make you feel like you’re on another planet. Stay true to yourself, celebrate your differences, and a true friend will accept you for who you are.

Lucky Toupee: 4/5

Are the leprechauns a metaphor for time and how it can be a thief? It takes our young bodies (i.e. hair), but it also shows that we are all in the same boat.

Just A Thought: 4/5

I almost cried with happiness at the idea that those cute kids end up together.

Cycles: 5/5

What a cool medium to use to tell a story!

Lightning In A Bottle: 5/5

I see the metaphor but I also see a great story.

The Race: 4/5

Death is neither good nor bad, just a fact of life.

Hair-Jitsu: 4/5

I used to cry if they cut more than an inch.

Downtown: 3/5

We can find beauty anywhere.

Jing Hua: 5/5

I love the style of animation. This short expressed so much emotion.

Drop: 4/5

What a lovely thought. They do say water holds memories.

Zenith: 5/5

Gorgeous animation.

Elephant In the Room: 4/5

God, just make me an emotional wreck.

Fetch: 5/5

Children are just little packages of joy.

Crosswalk: 5/5

Nothing in life should hold you back, unless of course it is a crosswalk sign.

Going Home: 5/5

In a world that is changing, some things stay the same, our memories.

No. 2 to Kettering: 4/5

A smile to a stranger is free.

Dinosaur Barbarian: 3/5

It’s giving early 90s.

Songs To Sing In the Dark: 5/5

I love this.

Reflect: 4/5

Off-handed comments can fracture our self-image.

I genuinely enjoyed watching these shorts and I also learned that it takes so much more work for such a small amount of screen time.

Burman’s Hot Sauce Advent

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It’s that time of year again so here are my thoughts on Aldi’s hot sauce advent calendar. Keep in mind that I am not much of a hot sauce person and don’t have much of a tolerance. The bottles that the sauce came in are not full size and about as big as the mini Tabasco sauces.

  1. Sriracha hot sauce – I found this to have too much of a vinegar taste, not being very thick, and while it was hot, it was bearable. 1/5 stars
  2. Jalapeño hot sauce – This sauce tasted like banana peppers and was initially spicy but was over quickly. 4/5 stars
  3. Green hot sauce – It tasted similar to the jalapeño but wasn’t as tasty. 3/5 stars
  4. Mango Habanero hot sauce – I thought this sauce was hotter than the others and I didn’t quite like the taste. 2/5 stars
  5. Smoked Chipotle hot sauce – The name describes the way the sauce tasted. 2/5 stars
  6. Yellow hot sauce – What even is this? This was too hot I couldn’t really discern the taste. 1/5 stars
  7. Chocolate Chipotle hot sauce – GROSS. 1/2 star
  8. Garlic hot sauce – This had quite the garlic flavor. 2/5 stars
  9. Cajun hot sauce – Nope. 1/5 stars
  10. Extreme hot sauce – There is no taste, just REALLY HOT. 1/5 stars
  11. Sweet Chipotle hot sauce – I found this sauce to have a mesquite-type of flavor and it was spicy. 3/5 stars
  12. Red hot sauce – There was almost no taste and was really spicy then cools down. 2/5 stars
  13. Sweet Habanero hot sauce – This tastes almost exactly like the red hot sauce. 2/5 stars
  14. Chipotle hot sauce – This sauce tastes exactly like sweet chipotle but a hint sweeter. 3/5 stars
  15. Smoked Garlic hot sauce – I didn’t think this was spicy or hot but it did have a good flavor. 4/5 stars
  16. Red Pepper hot sauce – This was immediately spicy and didn’t have a very great flavor. 2/5 stars
  17. Garlic Herb hot sauce – It was really salty and didn’t have much of a garlic taste. 2/5 stars
  18. Ghost Pepper hot sauce – Absolutely not. 1/5 stars
  19. Green Pepper hot sauce – Not bad. 3/5 stars
  20. Habanero hot sauce – It tastes just like the other habanero hot sauce. 2/5 stars
  21. Thai Sweet Chili hot sauce – This was too hot with not enough flavor. 1/5 stars
  22. Whiskey Habanero hot sauce – This one also tastes just like the other habanero sauces. 1/5 stars
  23. Smokey Bourbon hot sauce – It smelled smokey but that didn’t transfer to the flavor. 1/5 stars
  24. Smoked Jalapeño hot sauce – I found that this tasted just like bell peppers. 3/5 stars
  25. Red Chili hot sauce – This was really hot and had no real flavor. 1/5 stars

This review is just my opinion, you may end up liking what I didn’t. This might be helpful to others like me who are curious but don’t necessarily like hot sauce.

Bonne Maman Advent Calendar

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This advent calendar features twenty-four jams. I am a novice in this area so if you are an expert in this food category, please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

  1. White Nectarine-Peach-Lemon Verbana smells like tea and tastes like a sweet black tea. It tastes decent on toast. 3/5
  2. Strawberry-Linden Blossom is sweet, almost too sweet and doesn’t really taste like strawberry. 3/5
  3. Apricot-Banana is a no-go for me. 1/5
  4. Cherry-Pink Peppercorn has absolutely no taste. You would think there would be at least a hint of the peppercorn since it is such a strong flavor. 1/5
  5. Fig-Cardamom is a NO. 0/5
  6. Grapefruit-Dragon Fruit gave me high hopes but ended up being disappointing. 1/5
  7. Raspberry-Dark Chocolate absolutely befuddled my mind. I could not seem to reconcile chocolate with raspberry jam. 2/5
  8. Peach-Jasmine Flower was just as confusing as it sounds. 1/5
  9. Honey is not my favorite and do not like it unless it is in tea. 2/5
  10. Lemon-Yuzu was almost sour but had no real defining taste. 1/5
  11. Apricot-Lavender had a subtle lavender flavor but I could not taste the apricot. 3/5
  12. Wild Blueberry-Balm Leaves is such a big name for a flavor but it didn’t really stand out like it should. 2/5
  13. Caramel-Cinnamon tastes like straight-up caramels. I didn’t really taste cinnamon but that’s okay with me. 5/5
  14. Cherry-Hibiscus Flower was a bit tart but not terrible, though I didn’t like the texture. 3/5
  15. Mirabelle Plum-Spice almost reminded me of cinnamon applesauce. 3/5
  16. Orange-Guava Lime smells like guava but I’m not a fan of the taste. 2/5
  17. Peach-Mint is a no, thank you. 1/5
  18. Pineapple-Ginger tastes like baby food. I detest ginger but this didn’t have that soapy taste to it. 1/5
  19. Strawberry-Guava reminds me of a sponge cake. 4/5
  20. Quince is a weird texture and not much of a discernible taste, just sweet. 1/5
  21. Rhubarb-Strawberry almost doesn’t taste like anything specific. 2/5
  22. Orange-Mandarin-Passion Fruit was alright though I mostly taste the mandarin and I didn’t like the texture. 2/5
  23. Mango-Raspberry-Lime has too many flavors trying to battle it out on my taste buds. 1/5
  24. Cherry-Christmas Spice is sweet then tart. 1/5

Aldi’s Cheese Advent Calendar

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I am a HUGE fan of cheese. I will try ANYTHING. I was so excited to get my hands on one of Aldi’s cheese calendars. I will say that I was a little disappointed by the size of the cheese but I also thought the price of it wasn’t too expensive.

  1. Extra Mature Cheddar- This is a white cheese, not a soft cheese (almost crumbly), and tastes like a really good sharp cheddar. 5/5
  2. Black Pepper Gouda- It has almost no taste but the occasional peppery flavor. Even still, I enjoyed this mild cheese. 3/5
  3. Smoky Cheddar (Mimolette Cheese)- This tastes like it says. It makes me think of a smoked meat. 3/5
  4. Spiced Apple Cheddar- I’m going to need to buy this in a larger size because this tastes and smells like stuffing. 5/5
  5. Aged Gouda- A very mild, but classic cheese. 4/5
  6. Cheddar with Whiskey- This cheese almost has a strawberry taste to me. It’s not quite crumbly but not totally soft either. 4/5
  7. Cheddar with Port Wine- A marbled cheese that doesn’t really have the port wine flavor but it is a decent cheddar. 4/5
  8. Goat Cheese- Not a whole lot of flavor, but what flavor there is, tastes like I’m eating a goat. 1/5
  9. Black Truffle Cheddar- A harder cheese that tastes similar to most other truffle-flavored foods. 3/5
  10. Mustard Gouda- A very interesting and delightful flavor with hints of spices while still managing to have a faint mustard taste. 4/5
  11. Sweet English Cheddar- This is exactly what it says it is and I don’t know how to explain it any better. 5/5
  12. Spiced Apple Cheddar- Repeat. 5/5
  13. Mustard Gouda- This is a repeat. 4/5
  14. Mimolette- An orange cheese that starts out smoky then turns bitter. 1/5
  15. Cheddar with Whiskey- This is a white cheese, hard and crumbly with a heavy whiskey flavor. 3/5
  16. Smoky Cheddar- Repeat. 3/5
  17. Black Pepper Gouda- Repeat. 3/5
  18. Cheddar with Port Wine- This is a repeat. 4/5
  19. Extra Mature Cheddar- Repeat. 5/5
  20. Sweet English Cheddar- Repeat. 5/5
  21. Mimolette- Repeat. 1/5
  22. Aged Gouda- This is a repeat. 4/5
  23. Goat Cheese- This is a repeat and I didn’t bother to try it again. 1/5
  24. Black Truffle Cheddar- Repeat. 3/5

As you can see, I enjoyed most of these flavors of cheese. I’m now starving for some after writing this and I simply can’t wait until this December. I hope that the next one incorporates some cheeses with fruit in them. If you have tried Aldi’s cheese advent calendar, what did you think of it?

English Tea Shop Advent

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Let me start by saying that I am a fan of tea. If you do not normally like tea, then this would probably be a waste of your money. If you still want to give it a go, that is up to you. Here is my review of the World Market English Tea Shop Advent Calendar to help you make that decision.

  1. Chai Charge- To me, this tea tastes like a weak black tea. Chai is supposed to be practically overflowing with the flavor of the different spices and I did not get that when I tried it. 1/5
  2. Festive Spice- This tea has a very specific taste (that I can’t think of at the moment) but I found it to be a little weak. 2/5
  3. Super Star Anise- Decently aromatic, this tea also had a weak taste and the smell did not make the same taste. I wasn’t a fan. 1/5
  4. Peachy Keen- I love peach in teas but this tea was once again, weak. 3/5
  5. Tropical Lemongrass- This had a very pretty taste. It sounds strange but if you try it, you’ll get what I mean. It was very refreshing and I love lemon. 4/5
  6. Happy Holiday- Actually quite delicious, this tea was sweet (probably because of the honey I added) with a waft of spice. 4/5
  7. Ghostly Green- I love a good green tea and I know it can be an acquired taste. This organic green tea had cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, and rose, the flavors don’t really taste well together, in my opinion. 2/5
  8. Happy Holiday- This was a repeat. It had flavor notes of cinnamon, pomegranate, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. 4/5
  9. Super Star Anise- This was also a repeat. It was a black tea with ginger, cloves, and star anise. 1/5
  10. Spooky Spice- This organic green tea had cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. I really wasn’t a fan of this tea. It tasted like someone tried the tea and then spat it back in the cup before I tasted it. 0/5
  11. Ghostly Green- This was a repeat. 2/5
  12. Peppermint Candy- I’m not normally a fan of peppermint tea, though I know that it’s really good for you, and this tea was a bit of a step up. An organic green tea with peppermint, orange, cinnamon, roasted chicory, and vanilla, it tastes like regular peppermint tea. I did not taste any other the other notes. 3/5
  13. Tropical Lemongrass- This is a repeat. The notes are lemongrass, peppermint, hibiscus, rosehip, chamomile, and apple. 4/5
  14. Chai Charge- This organic rooibos with cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, cardamom, garlic, and blue corn flower is a repeated flavor. 1/5
  15. Post-Party Refresh- An organic green tea with cinnamon, garcinia, and acai berry. It had a weak flavor and I disliked the smell. 1/5
  16. Post-Party Refresh- This is a repeat. 1/5
  17. Gingerbread Treat- This organic black tea has cinnamon, ginger, apple, and cardamom. I thought it had almost no taste and tasted like boiled water. 0/5
  18. Irish Holiday- An organic black tea with ginger, rooibos, and cinnamon that smells quite nice and would probably taste good if it weren’t so bitter. 1/5
  19. Winter Warmer- Organic rooibos herbal tea with ginger, cocoa, star anise, and mace. It smells kind of like water beds ‘n stuff but tastes a little fruity and watery. 1/5
  20. Spooky Spice- Repeat. 1/5
  21. Festive Spice- Repeat. 2/5
  22. Peppermint Candy- Repeat. 3/5
  23. Peachy Keen- Repeat. 3/5
  24. Gingerbread Treat- Repeat. 1/5
  25. Irish Holiday- Repeat. 2/5

As you can see, I wasn’t a huge fan of these teas. That makes sense, seeing as how they are all similar variations of the same ingredients. Remember, just because I was not a fan, doesn’t mean you won’t be either. Let me know if you’ve tried them and what you thought about them.