One of my favorite drinks to have around the holidays is a hot oat milk chai latte.
There’s something quietly comforting about wrapping your hands around a hot oat milk chai latte at Christmas time. It’s like a wool sweater for your soul—warm, slightly sweet, a little spicy, and it makes you feel absolutely convinced everything is going to be okay. The steam rises like a Christmas hymn you forgot the words to but still hum along with, and that first sip tastes like December itself: cinnamon memories, cardamom comfort, and the faint sense that somewhere a box of tangled lights is waiting to be dealt with later. Oat milk softens the edges, like grace tends to do—no judgment, just an open invitation to slow down while the world rushes past with shopping bags and Mariah Carey on repeat.
What makes the chai latte special isn’t just the flavor; it’s the way it holds space. It reminds me that Christmas didn’t arrive in a perfect, polished package—it showed up in the ordinary, the messy, the in-between. Much like choosing oat milk over dairy, faith keeps evolving, expanding to include more people at the table. The spices mingle instead of competing, a gentle reminder that difference doesn’t dilute the message—it deepens it. This cup feels like a progressive parable: love over rigidity, warmth over rules, compassion stirred generously into tradition.
By the time you reach the bottom of the cup, the cardboard sleeve slightly bent and the logo smudged, you realize this drink is less about caffeine and more about hope. Christmas faith, like this chai, doesn’t need to be loud or overly sweet to be powerful. It just needs to be present—showing up in small acts, shared warmth, and the belief that light still enters the world quietly, one humble sip at a time.
And if that light happens to come from a Starbucks cup on a cold December morning, well… God has used stranger vessels.
Oat Milk Chai Latte (if you want to make one at home)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups oat milk (barista edition)
- 2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea or 4-6 tea bags
- 2 cinnamon sticks, 5-8 cardamom pods (crushed), 5-10 whole cloves, and 1/2 inch of fresh sliced ginger
- 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey
Instructions:
Step 1: Simmer spices – Combine water, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors.
Step 2: Steep tea – Add the tea bags or loose tea to the spiced water. Simmer for an additional 3–5 minutes until the tea is very strong.
Step 3: Prepare oat milk – In a separate pan (or the microwave), heat the oat milk until steaming but not boiling.
Step 4: Froth (optional) – For a “latte” finish, use a handheld frother or whisk the heated oat milk vigorously until a thick foam forms.
Step 5: Combine and strain – Strain the tea/spice mixture into a mug. Stir in your sweetener, then pour the warm oat milk over the top, spooning the foam on last.
Aaron Waters has been married to the lovely Rhea Waters for 16 years. They have three boys who, like their dad, love basketball and video gaming. Aaron is a physical therapist who loves to do outdoorsy things. His three primary goals in life are: Faith, Family, & Fun.