Shining A Spotlight On Tea Days Throughout The Year

How do you celebrate your love for tea? Tea is the world’s most popular drink, so it may come as no surprise that there’s a National Tea Day. There are also tons of other tea holidays that take place all year round. You can take your pick! 

Are you a fan of matcha? There’s a holiday for that! There are also holidays for chai, boba, maté, and so much more. Get ready to explore some of the most popular tea days celebrated around the world. 

National Tea Day

In 2016, the United Kingdom officially declared April 21st National Tea Day. It’s the birthday of the late Queen Elizabeth II. National Tea Day is all about celebrating British tea culture. 

Special events take place all over pubs, cafes, tea rooms, and dining rooms to proudly celebrate all things British during this tea holiday. In 2023, one of the main events was a 12-course tea paring that featured rare quality teas from around the world. These teas were paired with delectable dishes made by the culinary team at The Dorchester. 

Guests not only enjoyed teas from around Europe, but also from China, Japan, and Sri Lanka. Japanese and Chinese ceremonies were hosted alongside traditional British afternoon tea. 

International Tea Day

Exactly one month after National Tea Day in the UK — on May 21st — the United Nations takes its turn and celebrates with International Tea Day. 

For a long time, tea-producing countries like Sri Lanka, Kenya, and India celebrated International Tea Day on December 15th. But in 2005, the UN decided to officially declare the tea holiday and move it to the 21st of May. Why? It’s the peak of the tea industry when tea production is at its height. 

The holiday is less a celebration and more about taking action. It’s a day to reflect on the cultural and economic impact of tea, but also a day to change course and take action in the tea industry. Common themes that are addressed and promoted are tea sustainability, tea consumption, and the awareness of poverty and hunger in relation to the tea industry. 

The request for Fair Trade and price support are revisited. The tea industry still has a long way to go when it comes to social justice and sustainability practices. This holiday is a reminder of our global responsibility in relation to the planet and the tea industry as a whole. 

National Hot Tea Day

If you’re an avid hot tea drinker living in the US, you might feel like the odd man out, and for good reason. It’s no secret that coffee is more popular in America than tea — and it might be linked to the Revolutionary War if you can believe it. But, National Hot Tea Day isn’t just about drinking hot tea during cold winter months — in the US the holiday is about deeper reflection. 

While sweetened iced tea is all the rage in the South, the Tea Council of the USA wanted to bring awareness to the benefits of hot tea with a special tea holiday. In 2016, National Hot Tea Day was declared on January 12th. The idea? To bring awareness of the consumption of hot tea for better health and wellness. 

It’s no secret that the studies on green tea have risen to the top of people’s minds when it comes to wellness. Now, black tea is also being studied for its many health benefits including its potential anti-cancer properties. 

National Iced Tea Month and Iced Tea Day

June is National Iced Tea Month and for good reason: It’s so hot in the south and iced tea is a summer southern staple in America.

Rumor has it that iced tea was “accidentally” invented at the 1904 World Fair in St. Louis. On a blistering Summer afternoon, a merchant found it nearly impossible to sell or even give away his hot tea to passersby. To remedy the situation he iced the tea, and tada: Iced tea was born. 

This is one popular version of the story, but it turns out iced tea and tea punch had been around for centuries before this. No matter, we are fans of iced tea all year round. You can explore some seasonal iced tea recipes or combine fruits and spices to create your own signature spring or winter iced tea. 

If you want a more specific tea holiday to celebrate all things iced tea, Iced Tea Day takes place on June 10th. But we like the idea of celebrating all month long. 

National Bubble Tea Day

This bubbly sweet treat is a Taiwanese spin on iced tea complete with chewy honey tapioca pearls. Boba has spread rampantly and gloriously from Taiwan to almost every corner of the earth. 

It’s so popular today, that it makes sense to celebrate bubble tea with its very own tea holiday. In 2018 National Bubble Tea Day was declared by Kung Fu Tea in New York https://www.teabloom.com/blog/great-scone-debate-what-happens-when-people-talk-scones/ the largest bubble tea company in the US. It’s celebrated on April 30th in the US.

The beginnings of boba tea might date back to the 17th Century. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that bubble tea took the form that we know and love today. Now, it’s an explosive global phenomenon and has changed the tea industry forever.  

National Chai Day

September 21st is National Chai Day. This historical drink might be about 5,000 years old and comes from India. Today, masala chai is one of the most popular recipes. But chai comes in a plethora of combinations and flavors. 

It wasn’t until the 90s that chai lattes started to make their way into mainstream coffee shops in the US. Traditional chai is heavily spiced, milky, and full of fragrant and sweet flavors. Chai is certainly a tea that deserves its own tea holiday.

National Matcha Day

In the United States, National Matcha Day is celebrated on May 2nd. It’s a new holiday that was established in 2021, and inspired by Japan’s Hachiju Hachiya. It marks the start of the spring tea harvest. 

In Japan, National Matcha Day falls on February 6th and was established in 1992 by the Nishio Tea Trade Association. It was the 120th anniversary of Nishio tea which was one of the top producers of quality matcha. The date, 2/6 was chosen for this tea holiday because it reads “fu-ro”. This translates to a type of “portable wind hearth” used to heat the water for Japanese tea ceremonies. 

Japanese Tea Day

It said that October 31st was the day that tea was brought to Japan from China around the year 805. It’s a Japanese monk named Eisai who is credited with bringing green tea and cultivating tea in Japan. He’s also recognized for bringing Renzai the School of Zen Buddhism to Japan.

National Caffeine Awareness Month

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month in the United States. Take some time to reflect on the amount of caffeine you consume and think about how you can take steps to cut back or regulate your caffeine intake. 

Tea is a big part of this awareness, but so is soda, energy drinks, chocolate, and America’s favorite: coffee. March is all about health when it comes to caffeine. How can you improve your caffeine consumption for your health and longevity? 

National Maté Day

In 2015, Argentina established National Maté Day on November 30th. This caffeine-packed herbal tea certainly deserves its own tea holiday. 

Maté is the national drink of Argentina. It’s the birthday of the only indigenous-origin governor of Argentina, Guaraní Andresito Guazurarí. He promoted the production of maté during his governance of Northern Argentina from 1815 to 1819.

Afternoon Tea Week

If you’re a fan of all things afternoon tea, you’ll love this tea holiday week. During the second full week of August, fans of tea all over Britain take a moment to pause and appreciate afternoon tea. 

Hotels, tea parlors, and cafes put on their tea-time-best across Britain to celebrate afternoon tea in all its scone and finger sandwich glory. Awards are even given out to the best tea houses in London. 

National Cream Tea Day

The last Friday of June is when we celebrate the delicious decadence of cream tea. National Cream Tea Day is all about scones, cream, jam, and a pot of tea. There are no finger sandwiches here during this tea holiday! 

Cream tea is a staple in South West England. Everyone is in agreement that the only way to eat a scone is with jam and cream. But do you put your cream on first or your jam on first? 

The people of Devon and Cornwall have been in a Great Scone Debate for a long time. Does how you eat your scone really matter? — Absolutely, it does! You can read more about the Great Scone Debate, here. 

Celebrate Tea Day With Teabloom

Which tea holiday do you want to celebrate first? Get ready for tea day with teaware that is as beautiful as it is functional and sustainable. 

Teabloom’s mission from day one has been to clean up the tea industry. Their handcrafted teaware is made of sustainable and revolutionary borosilicate glass. It’s a healthier, pure, and chemical-free material that’s ideal for teaware. 

With borosilicate glass teapots, kettles, and teacups, you’ll taste the difference in your tea. You’ll also enjoy your tea with peace of mind, knowing that your glassware is free of toxins, unlike a lot of porcelain and metallic teaware. 

Explore classic and modern teaware styles that fit your personal aesthetic. Find your new teaware collection at Teabloom today and experience the superior difference.

www.Teabloom.com