Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon break with our Afternoon Tea curators. Need an extra lump of sugar? One more sip? If you have five minutes more (or ten), we have one more hit.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Jeffery Straker.
With warmth, wit, and a deep sense of reflection, Saskatchewan-born singer-songwriter Jeffery Straker shares “Never Too Old to Wish” – a piano-driven roots-folk Christmas song that celebrates the magic of memory, the joy of togetherness, and the beauty of growing older without losing your sense of wonder.
“It seems with each passing year that the meaning of Christmas has evolved or changed for me, bit by bit,” Straker shares. “When I was a kid, it was all about the gifts from Santa. Over time, the magic of Santa faded, but the magic of the season didn’t – it just shifted. It became about connection, gratitude, and joy.”
Blending tender storytelling with a timeless piano-driven melody, “Never Too Old to Wish” explores the emotional evolution of the holidays – from childlike excitement to nostalgic reflection. The song’s message, Straker explains, is one of celebration rather than sorrow: “It’s not a sad longing, rather almost kind of a celebration of reflections. I think that’s why the old Christmas songs never get old – they’re soundtracks and underscores to our past joy.”
Stream + share “Never Too Old to Wish” now:
Written in the wake of losing both of his parents, Straker‘s new single reflects on the ways memory deepens the meaning of Christmas. “Though the look of the season changes every year – the fancy LED lights, the giant inflatable snowmen, a few more grey hairs – there’s still plenty of magic,” he says. “When I was little, I used to dream about Santa arriving on his sleigh. Now I dream about having some of the people with me who are no longer here. I’m still wishing – just wishing about different things.”
Rooted in Straker‘s signature piano style and warm, narrative voice, “Never Too Old to Wish” feels both deeply personal and instantly familiar – a comforting reminder that the spirit of the holidays endures in our memories and the people we hold close.
Straker‘s upcoming holiday album A Very Prairie Christmas – out December 2nd – is inspired by his beloved annual seasonal shows. Blending nostalgic classics with new originals, the album evokes cozy nights, prairie warmth, and snow-covered landscapes through intimate arrangements including piano, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo.
Ten Minute Tea – Saskatchewan Style – Curated by Jeffery Straker
– one piece of music
River – Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell’s sad 1971 song ‘River’ with its opening line “It’s Comin’ on Christmas…” has become somewhat of a seasonal standard – despite not being a ‘Christmas song’ per se. As a testament to its emotional depth, it’s been recorded over 400 times. The song was released on the album ‘Blue’ that took much of its inspiration from relationships ending and having put her daughter up for adoption. “River” contains a desire to escape some of this pain as well. When you listen to the song knowing those events had happened to her it’s just so sad and you feel so deeply right along with her through her poetry. She never really says exactly where she wants to escape and skate away to, but since she’s dreaming about a frozen river one can only assume it’s somewhere in Canada. In my mind it’s always been Saskatoon or somewhere nearby in Saskatchewan since she spent 10 years of her life growing up there and it would certainly be in her memories. She’s so vulnerable in her regret and her loneliness in this song and the sentiment is delivered by just her solo voice and a perfect, jangly upright piano. It’s the ultimate sad Christmas song.
– one visual (poetry, art, a video, anything to look at)
Thelma Pepper – Untie the Spirit (Photo Collection)
I first observed the photography of Saskatchewan photographer Thelma Pepper at the Remai Modern Art Gallery in Saskatoon. Her exhibition “Ordinary Women” was riveting and was made up of black and white photos highlighting the extraordinary roles that women played on the prairies in their seemingly ordinary everyday environments. Then, I found her exhibition “untie the spirit” where she shone a light into long-term care homes. Her husband was at a long-term residence in Saskatoon and in it she saw him given respect and dignity, letting his true spirit shine. The exhibition of photos from that home seeks to capture that spirit of each individual she photographed. I think it’s wonderfully shot.
– one type of tea to pair with the post
Saskatoon Berry Tea with honey. For an added twist, crush some fresh mint leaves and add them to your cup.
Tea + Me 