It will come as no surprise that around Harney HQ, every day is a national tea holiday – and we suspect that for some of you, it’s the same in your home! But you may not know that there are several national tea holidays both here in the U.S. and around the world. We thought it’d be fun to highlight them and give you some tips for celebrating each in case you want to make a par-tea out of these tea holidays.
January 12: National Hot Tea Day
January is National Hot Tea Month, so it makes total sense to have National Hot Tea Day in January for so many reasons.
To celebrate: We suggest brewing a pot of our #1 bestseller, Hot Cinnamon Spice, for a total warm-you-up experience. It’s one of our Teas That Warm the Soul in our Wellness Collection for that very reason – warms you inside and out. Looking for a decaf version before bed? Here you go! We suggest adding in a Mariebelle Cacao Market Orange Peels chocolate bar. The orange flavor pairs perfectly with the orange peel in the Hot Cinnamon Spice tea. And everyone knows chocolate warms the soul too.
February 6: National Matcha Day (Japan)
Japan is, of course, where matcha first came into being and is synonymous with Japan and tea. National Matcha Day was established in 1992 by the Nishio Tea Trade Association to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Nishio Tea—Nishio, a city located in the Aichi Prefecture, is a region that is famous for their top-quality matcha production. The date was chosen because, in Japanese, the numbers 2/6 can be read as “fu-ro,” which can refer to the stove used for the traditional tea ceremony.
To celebrate: With a good cuppa matcha, of course! We’ve got everything you need to literally whip up a perfect cup, from various grades and blends of matcha to the proper tools. Add a couple of Matcha Shortbread Cookies, and you’ve got the green light to celebrate National Matcha Day!
Not sure how you feel about matcha or which one’s right for you? We got this: take our Matcha Quiz.
February 11: National Latte Day
Ok, so this isn’t actually a national tea day…but as our blog says, lattes aren’t just for coffee anymore! Check out some great ideas and recipes for tea lattes so when National Latte Day rolls around, you can celebrate the right way: with tea!
April 21: National Tea Day (UK)
This just in: tea’s a big deal in Britain! Of course, the country obsessed with tea has a legit big deal with National Tea Day. This popular holiday with a slogan of “Brew More Do More” celebrates tea drinkers, servers, and the tea industry. It’s celebrated in tea rooms, hotels, pubs, and cafés with tea parties, tastings, talks, blending experiences, and special events including Fes-Tea-Val at Chiswick House & Gardens in London. It’s such a special day that they founded it on the occasion of another big deal: Queen Elizabeth’s birthday is also April 21. With the Queen’s well-known devotion to tea, we’re sure she didn’t mind.
To celebrate: we suggest selecting one of the teas from our Historic Royal Palaces collection. These teas, packaged in jewel-toned tins in honor of the Crown Jewels kept in the Tower of London, were created specifically for the non-profit Historic Royal Palaces of England organization. Serve your HRP tea in our Historic Royal Palaces Teacup & Saucer set for an afternoon tea worthy of a National Tea Day celebration.
April 30: National Bubble Tea Day
National Bubble Tea Day came into being in 2018 as this sweet Taiwanese drink began sweeping the U.S. As delicious as it is fun to drink, bubble tea isn’t for those without a sweet tooth or a love of chewy things. Its popularity is widespread and doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.
To celebrate: the easiest way to get your bubble on is with our Bubble Tea Set, which includes everything you need: tea, tapioca pearls (they put the “bubble” in bubble tea), and reusable bubble tea straws, which are wider than regular straws to allow the tapioca pearls to pass through. Then, you’ll need some bubble tea recipes, which we’ve put together for you on our bubble tea recipe blog. You’ll be sippin’ and slurpin’ before you know it!
May 21 & December 15: International Tea Day
Yes, there really are two International Tea Days. The May 21 date came into being through a 2019 United Nations resolution that calls on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to lead observance of the day, which is meant to raise awareness of the long history and deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world. The December International Tea Day has been celebrated since 2005, mostly in tea-producing countries, and seeks to raise awareness on fair trade and justice issues.
To celebrate: brew up one of our Fair Trade teas, including Organic Earl Grey Supreme, Organic English Breakfast, Organic Green with Citrus & Ginkgo, Organic Green, or Organic Black.
June: National Iced Tea Month
Not to be outdone by hot tea, iced tea gets its own month too! We have Richard Blechynden to thank for this cool concoction. This tea plantation owner and the merchant was in attendance at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair which was excessively hot and humid, as St. Louis is wont to be in summer. So he wisely sold chilled tea instead of hot to fair visitors, and the rest is history.
To celebrate: drink iced tea all month long! Over 80% of the tea consumed in America is iced, so you won’t be alone.
June 10: National Iced Tea Day
Again just like hot tea in January, iced tea gets its own day to shine during National Iced Tea Month. Break out the ice cubes and chill music, it’s time to kick back and enjoy life!
To celebrate: iced tea slushies, anyone? Mix up your iced tea routine with these tasty iced tea slushie recipes, a fun way to celebrate tea and summer.
Last Friday in June: National Cream Tea Day (UK)
Yes, there are two national tea days in the UK, but this one is specifically about Cream Tea, which is tea served with scones, jam, and clotted cream. Once you’ve had a proper Cream Tea, you start to wonder why you’d have tea any other way.
To celebrate: with scones and jam, obviously. We’d suggest English Breakfast, Earl Grey Supreme, Victorian London Fog, or one of our Ceylon teas which are perfect for adding milk and sugar.
Second Full Week in August: Afternoon Tea Week
Oh wait…make that three official tea celebrations in the UK! Taking tea in Britain, while not as formal as it used to be, is still a big deal. Read all about British tea traditions on our Tea Like the Brits blog for inspiration.
To celebrate: round up your friends for afternoon tea, complete with little sandwiches, sweets, your fine china, and best manners. For heaven’s sake, don’t clink your spoon on the cup, and pinkies out is not a thing!
September 21: National Chai Day
It’s India’s time to have its national drink celebrated around the world. Chai is a staple in the lives of millions of Indians, and like matcha, this spicy tea has endeared itself to tea drinkers everywhere.
To celebrate: learn about the interesting history of chai in India in our All About Chai blog, where you’ll find recipes for Pumpkin Chai Latte and Chai Snickerdoodles, which would both be perfect to make and enjoy on National Chai Day. Or just brew up some Chocolate Chai Supreme to serve in this chai-themed mug.
October 31: Japanese Tea Day (Japan)
It is said that a Japanese monk named Eisai – regarded as the father of Japanese tea – brought back the tea seed from China on this day. That seems like a pretty big deal to us.
To celebrate: in addition to the Japanese matcha teas we referenced earlier, there are of course many wonderful Japanese green teas to sip and savor. You can also create your own Japanese tea ceremony – we’ve got all the info you need in our Japanese Tea Ceremony blog.
November 30: National Mate Day (Argentina)
Mate, or yerba mate, is the national drink of Argentina. The consumption of mate in Argentina is as much a part of their life as tea ceremonies are part of Japanese culture. Even though it’s an herbal tea, mate is a caffeinated beverage that comes from the ilex paraguariensis plant native to several South American countries. National Mate Day celebrates Argentina’s love of this beverage as part of its heritage and culture.
To celebrate: we offer several types of yerba mate for your enjoyment: straight up Yerba Mate, Yerba Mate Mint, AllNighter (named for when you need to pull one, this tea is extra loaded with caffeine), American Buzz (also packed with caffeine as you might have guessed) and Focus, from our sister company The Hemp Division, with CBD and other flavors.
