True and dedicated tea drinkers know that all of those so-called “coffee mugs” out there are really tea mugs. And souvenir tea mugs are the best, so amassing a collection is a natural thing to do for a tea drinker who travels.

When hubby and I met, he had already acquired several very nice souvenir coff… uh, tea mugs. I quickly caught the souvenir tea mug fever, and so our collection has grown, including various representatives of the main types of souvenir mugs:

• Tourist souvenir mugs with the name of a location and/or images
• Company souvenir mugs with the name of the company and/or its logo and/or motto
• Event souvenir mugs such as for a marathon or charity event

In fact, some decades ago mug makers discovered that emblazoning mugs with these various designs was a sure way to sell a lot of mugs. They’re relatively inexpensive and often get used on a daily basis, even if it’s only as a pencil/pen holder or paperweight. Maybe even as an impromptu vase for that bunch of violets the vendor on the corner was selling when you were out walking around on your lunch break.

These mugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. One of my favorites is made of frosted glass and was purchased at a gift shop when hubby and I visited Seattle, Washington, home of some great tea businesses. Another great one honors Orville and Wilbur (the Wright Brothers) and is a hefty mug in navy blue with gold printing. Every time I sip tea from it, I am inspired to follow my dreams and dare to be bold!

An unusual and pleasing mug is from a place called “Danfords Inn” in Port Jefferson, New York. It’s a little taller and narrower than standard tea mugs and gives an air of delicacy to even a hearty Assam, Ceylon, or Keemun tea. Other tea mugs in our collection are not so much standouts in the world of mugs as they are reminders of milestones in our lives: the Butterfly Pavilion in Denver, Colorado, where hubby and I spent a beautiful afternoon and thrilled to the site of hatching Monarchs; The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park where we had a wonderful tea time after a lengthy walk along a nearby trail; and Sedona, Arizona, where we stopped on our trip to visit friends.

As you can see, those souvenir tea mugs hold a lot more than tasty tea — they hold memories that stir the heart with each sip. Start your collection of those souvenir coff… uh, tea mugs and keep your memories alive while enjoying your fave tea in them.

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