A late addition to the tea table during the second half of the 19th century, tea cozies brought a sense of whimsical practicality to any tea-drinking occasion on both sides of the Atlantic. For, although a cozy’s most important role has always been to keep the teapot and the tea warm, its style—sometimes quirky and inventive, often elegant and prettily embroidered—attracts attention, provokes discussion, and gives those at any tea gathering an affectionate feeling of easy sociability and contentment.
It is not simply the cozy’s name (which of course means snug, warm, safe, restful, and secure) that instills in tea-party guests a feeling of well-being and comfort; the shape, color, size, design, and character (traditional, eccentric, bizarre, beautiful, or totally weird and funky) play their part and often make guests smile and ask about the cozy’s origins.
Some cozy addicts suggest that the tea
