Tea is used to stay well, delight the senses, keep warm or cool, and bring people together, both in the spirit of the holidays and every day.
How is it that every time, the year-end holidays creep up on us so quickly? By the time each trip around the sun is complete, we’ve all indulged in fresh and floral springtime treats, the sweet and citrusy tastes of summer, and the warming and spicy flavors of Halloween and Thanksgiving. And now, the final countdown is upon us—the Christmas season followed by New Year’s Eve.
Not that we’re into stereotypes, but...we’re a little into stereotypes. The particular indulgences of mid-winter have us singing Mariah Carey ballads on repeat and donning our favorite ugly sweaters anywhere and everywhere. They also have us thinking about the traditional foods and flavors of the Christmas season and beyond (sans eggnog, certainly).
How this seasonal palate translates to tea is really what’s of interest around here. The idea of mint and cranberries transformed into a drinkable treat is something to say yes to 100% of the wintertime. In order to spare tea lovers the legwork of deciding how to channel the best flavors into a sumptuous brew, we’ve rounded up some of our top festive, savor-worthy picks in terms of tea blends to wrap up 2023.
Turmeric Ginger, Inspired by Gingerbread Cookies
Like all of our organic tea blends, this one’s made from clean, ayurveda-forward ingredients, with jazzy ginger at the forefront. This elixir’s peppery kick, balanced by the tartness of tangerine, is reminiscent of the delicious gingerbread cookies that get us through the dreariest of snow-season days. Cheers to that!
Minty Morning, Inspired by Candy Canes
Nothing says fa-la-la quite like a sweet-and-minty candy cane. The common flavor here is peppermint, which, in addition to being delectable, is also known for its stomach settling properties, which really shine through in the Minty Morning blend. Combined with spearmint, black tea, and lemongrass, it provides a gently caffeinated balance to deliver zesty flavor and a gentle energy boost for the whole day.
Hibiscus, Inspired by Cranberry Sauce
Our team is particularly into wellness-forward and naturally caffeine-free blends for the new year. And although this one’s not made from cranberries per se, its ruby-red color and tartness are definitely reminiscent of the popular tart fruit, fresh or dried. Hibiscus is actually a flower and consumed in tea form all over the world. Bonus: it’s versatile—drink it hot in the winter and iced in the summer so your taste buds can do a little dance all year round.
Slim Down, Inspired by Cider
Characterized by velvety, floral, and tart notes, the Slim Down blend made the list not only because it features real apple pieces as well as apple flavor, which remind us of the soul-enveloping warmth of cider… We also selected it because—yep—it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions, folks. And reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is always at the top of that list for many. So if you love tea and you love cider too, why not kill three birds with one stone?
Organic French Breakfast, Inspired by Sticky Toffee Pudding
This tea is full-bodied with prominent notes of vanilla and caramel, making our top choice for bringing about those cozy by-the-fire vibes. A fresh brew of this black tea–based variety is sure to gently awaken all the senses on Christmas morning and beyond. How about a slice of leftover panettone to go with it?
Instead of dreading the new year (hey, who isn’t scared of change?), we at Heavenly Tea Leaves choose to take a different approach: embrace what’s happened and what’s coming, tea and all. More than just a drink, tea is a philosophy. It’s used to stay well, delight the senses, keep warm or cool, and bring people together, both in the spirit of the holidays and every day. Surely, the transportive flavors of these gourmet brews make them holiday-season go-tos.