Let's be honest, gift giving can be daunting and challenging for most. If you're anything like me, tea seems to be the subject that swims through my thoughts most of the time. Nowadays, I almost exclusively give tea as gifts. That's because it's such a versatile indulgence, which is consumable and environmentally friendly, and it’s a small way to support my tea business brand and create brand awareness.
The reality is that not everyone you know is a tea drinker. I've found that most people I have gifted tea with have found the thought enjoyable. But to be unique, the thoughtfulness in one’s taste makes for a better experience. Here are my five go-to ideas when gifting tea for the holidays, for tea drinkers of any level.
Idea No. 1: Consider Shopping Your Personal Collection
You’re in the tea industry, so your personal tea collection is your badge of pride. More than likely, you have a little more than you probably should in your collection. On your next shopping trip, purchase some tea tins and approach it with a list of people in mind. Pick one or two teas that you would like to share. Break the stigma of re-gifting gifts that were not your taste. Give something that reminds them of you, and add a personal handwritten card or letter, to elaborate on why you chose those teas and/or how you like to prepare them.
Idea No. 2: Capture a Memory
Let's not take for granted that tea is an experience that uses all of our senses. Relive some memories with a tea that embodies some of your favorite experiences with that person. Consider teas that capture locations that you might have or dream to travel with that person. Find inspiration in colors, textures and smells from those memories. Dreaming of a sea vacation? Try an Autumnal second Flush Darjeeling with those ocean muscatel notes. Reminiscing over a summer festival? Sip a bright Sencha. Get a sticker label printed with a photo of that memory that you wish to capture with that blend. A printing store or your home printer should work perfectly. It's making those connections that will create that personable ambiance about your gift.
Idea No. 3: Pair It with a Holiday Indulgence
Desserts and decadent treats are in abundance this time of year. Try to pair your tea gift with baked goods from a local small business. Or, better yet, some freshly baked creations from your own kitchen. Consider a variety of teatime traditions: chocolate and tea flights, fika time inspired collection of cookies, or a rustic batch of scones with local honey or jam, the trending charcuterie board can also be tailored to the flavor notes of your tea of choice. This is my favorite approach to attending holiday parties. Bring your treats with a little bit of tea (even better if it’s from your own tea company) to be brewed for everyone. A little personal tin of the tea presented to the host is an endearing gesture. Your pairings are also a great conversation starter with your current or soon-to-be friends.
Idea No. 4: Leave Drinkware for Closer Relations
You might have been a victim of this yourself. Since you are a tea lover and in the tea industry, a tea cup or a mug is gifted to you. Unfortunately, more often than not, these mugs are holiday themed, kitschy, or just not something that will ever be used. As easy as it might be to create a set with your tea of choice and cup, leave this sort of gift only for the people that you know well. Mugs and drinkware are as personal as they come, and we all have our favorite preference. Consider for acquaintances or family barely seen instead pairings of your tea gift with some one-time use compostable tea sachets with their loose-leaf teas. A tea infuser is also a great choice, with so many varieties and styles available online. This can easily create a customized gift set and give them the joy of tea drinking, with room to add their personal elements to that moment.
Idea No. 5: Share Your Piece of Happiness
Tea, in the end, is an experience, and the time spent with the ones that we care about will be the real gift. When in doubt, nothing says special quality time like booking a reservation at a local tea room. It’s a wonderful excuse to dress up, capture memories with lots of photos, and, most importantly, bask in the ambiance. This will give you a great opportunity to share your love of tea and express why you would want to share your love of it with them. Nothing gets a good engaging conversation to flow quite like the ones over a good cuppa.
Stefanie Warner is a tea blender and tea sommelier based in Los Angeles. She started with a blog in 2012, to share her love of tea. Around that time, she could also be found practicing her craft as she created blends for local events and tea shops. Later, in the spring of 2018, Warner launched her own business, Tea Spectral. To learn more about Tea Spectral, visit TeaSpectral.com.
Plan to Attend or Participate in the
World Tea Conference + Expo, March 21-23, 2022
To learn about key trends, issues and hot topics within the global tea community, plan to attend the World Tea Conference + Expo, March 21-23, 2022, celebrating its 20th anniversary.
World Tea Conference + Expo will take place alongside Bar & Restaurant Expo, creating unique opportunities and synergy. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space, contact:
Veronica Gonnello
Companies A-L
e: [email protected]
p: 1 (212) 895-8244
Fadi Alsayegh
Companies M-Z
e: [email protected]
p: 1 (917) 258-5174
Also, be sure to stay connected with the World Tea Conference + Expo on social media, for details and insights about the event. Follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.