I received a tracking number and realized it was for an air mail package from Japan - whoa!

I figured it would take forever to get through customs, but it flew through and landed on my doorstep this past Monday!

I opened the package and saw the note saying this is from my Secret Santa, along with a flat-packed paper crane and a piece of cardstock advertising a purveyor of "ceramics | vintage | etc". I folded out the crane and he played with my nearby stuffed elephant's nose.

I carefully unwrapped the four layers of bubble wrap to reveal a lovely wooden box with writing on it (can you understand it? I'd love to know what it says but my rudimentary Japanese is failing me!)

I slid open the top of the box to find, nestled safely in lots of packing paper, an entire Japanese ceramic tea set! * Hohin - a small ceramic tea pot with built-in strainer holes in the spout * 6 ceramic tea cups * Yuzamashi - A device that I needed to research a lot to find out about, it's apparently used to pour boiled water into in order to let it cool to the right temperature to brew delicate green and other teas with

I've never owned such a fancy tea making set before! I'll need to research what sorts of green teas to try which gives me a great excuse to go buy more tea and explore greens in more depth!

I really like the soft cream and green colors of the set - it reminds me of lichen on stone or snow.

This will be treasured and stored in its box, taken out to share tea with friends once I learn how to use it all properly (or probably even if I don't), and sipped from on many cozy evenings to come.

Thank you so much, Reddit Santa!