'Tis the season, Teahearts, and what a great season for sharing warmth, joy and love through tea! 2021's holiday season is a heckuva time for us all, with supply lines and shipping times and health and safety all to be considered simultaneously. We know a lot of you are feeling a lack of inspiration, and our crew is here to help! Check out our roundup for every Thirsty Nerd in your life.
We all have that person in our lives, ya know? Tragically sniffly and always fighting something off? Grandma Annie's herbalist wisdom comes to the rescue here with our Lemon Ginger Echinacea! Not only is this a popular immune-boosting combo, it's also the coziest and tastiest cuppa. A deeply warming winter cuppa For best effect, Grandma says "brew it so strong the ginger bites you back."
Who comes to mind when you think of sunshine through green leaves? Your dear acorn-collecting, scone-baking, long-trail-walking lover of all things natural and autumnal? Gift this arboreal sweet our Forest Guardian (inspired by Studio Ghibli's My Neighbor Totoro) for maximum oohs and aahs. Mulberry leaf meets burdock root and olive leaf for a glowy-soft cup of herbal goodness.
Darker twin to our previous suggestion, the Nightwalker (inspired by Princess Mononoke from Studio Ghibli) evokes the mysteries and magic of a deep forest. A highly caffeinated, deep blue brew with edible silver glitter and rich black walnut flavor is just the thing for late night meanderings through hidden natural places. Which witch friend did you just think of and smile?
Cottagecore is peak aesthetic this year and we are one thousand percent here for it. While our Pumpkin Chai is only in stock through December 3rd, we had to throw it on the holiday gift roundup anyway. Warming cardamom and ginger meld with real pumpkin pieces, elegant black tea and cinnamon for a cozy cuppa to get your favorite hobbit, farmer, or cottage fae through the winter. Our Seattle store manager Bree says "throw it in a crock pot with milk and let it simmer all day!"
Remember that movie, Land Before Time? We can't help but think that our brilliant tearista Greg really channeled it when creating this blend! BronTEAsaurus tastes exactly how we imagined that tree star tasting as kids. This is the pick for dino-loving, plant-snacking green tea nerds. Matcha dusted Colombian green tea meets refreshing ginkgo biloba leaf and dandelion root for an elegant earthy delicacy.
Our most popular gift for tea & book nerds is hands-down a membership to our CommuniTea Book Club! This hybrid subscription box and zoom meetup has sold out nearly every month since we launched it last year, and the "season pass" option has been especially popular. For those who love books, tea, and talking about books & tea with friends, there is no comparison.
Spooky goth tea friends, represent! Your horror nerds and creepy cuties will immediately be obsessed with Mistress of the Dark. Think rich inky black-blue brew with electric pomegranate and bergamot zip and earthy cave funk. Elvira herself would be tickled by this tantalizing tea, created by our own Empress of Darkness, tearista Megan!
Here's one for the fancy bitches. The purists and aesthetes. The ones who like their tea rare, ethical, and elegant. Enshi Yu Lu, also known as "Jade Dew," is a deep steamed green leaf from a small farm in Fujian China. The Changsha Wufeng Estate specializes in exquisite, complex pure teas, and this green is exceptionally without exception. Fruity notes? Check. Floral notes? Check. Gentle tannins and high resteepability? Double check. One of our most exciting fancypants picks this year!
Need even more weirdly specific tea gift ideas? Check out our previous Holiday Gift Guide, and remember to order your gifts before December 10th, as shipping delays are still a factor for us all!
xoxo, Friday & co.