There are tea people and there are coffee people. It’s not that I don’t enjoy them both, but when I sit down with a cup of tea, it’s so much more than just a cup of tea. It’s 6-year-old me staying up late, drinking sweet milky tea with my dad and sticking my pinky up in the air like a real lady. It’s curled up on the couch with my best friend drinking chai lattes and laughing together all evening. It’s garden parties in the backyard with Earl Grey tea and cute little sandwiches.
I have my personal favourites, but I like to keep a broad variety of teas in my home for all my different moods and for visitors, especially with the holidays on the way. A cup of hot tea while we watch the kids opening their Christmas presents, and a cup of tea for guests after Christmas dinner are traditions in my house – practically a must!
Tea aficianados are likely already familiar with master tea blenders Harney & Sons. They’ve been blending unique and distinctive teas since 1983. With over 300 blends to their name, this is a tea lover’s dream! But with that many varieties, how do you pick? I’ve pored over all of them for you and put together my personal shortlist of teas and tea sets for gift giving this holiday season.
When I buy tea for myself, I don’t mind utilitarian cardboard boxes, but when I’m giving gifts to friends and family, I love the fancy tins that Harney & Sons teas come in. I know that once the tea is done, those tins will get a second life storing other tea bags or trinkets.
Read on for my roundup of premium teas perfect for holiday entertaining and gift giving, and don’t forget to enter for a delicious tea and chocolate gift set down at the bottom of the post.
Black Teas
When in doubt, black teas are the most popular tea and a safe bet for gift giving. Harney & Sons’ classic Holiday Tea is spiced with citrus, almond, clove, and cinnamon. Its warm spicy aroma and flavour are perfect for cold winter mornings or that after Christmas dinner cup. For gift giving, pick the pretty red reusable tin with 20 sachets for $7.95.
Sweet and fruity and tart at the same time, Cranberry Autumn is premium black tea blended with cranberry and orange flavors, reminiscent of crisp autumn days. This tea comes in a fancy Historic Royal Palaces Collection tin with 30 sachets for $10.95.
Hot Cinnamon Spice is Harney & Sons’ most popular flavoured tea. This unique black tea blend is flavoured with three varieties of cinnamon, orange peel, and sweet cloves. It tastes spicy and sweet without any added sugar, just like a hot cinnamon heart! Pick from the Classic tin (seen below) with 20 sachets for $8.50 or an Historic Royal Palaces Collection tin with 30 sachets for $10.95.
I love a pot of hot, spicy, creamy chai tea. Now I could make my own by grinding and simmering spices on the stove top then mixing in the tea, brown sugar, and milk, but it’s so much easier to enjoy the taste with this tin of Chai loose tea. Made from Indian black tea and flavoured with cardamom seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and natural cardamom and vanilla flavors, the 4 ounce tin of loose tea makes 30-40 cups for $7.50.
Not sure how to make a cup of authentic chai? Not to worry, full instructions are on a folded piece of paper tucked away inside the tin.
Green Teas
Dragon Pearl Jasmine green tea comes from Fuan, China. Each beautiful tea “pearl” is hand rolled and gently infused with the essence of jasmine flowers. The 4 ounce tin of loose tea pearls retails for $10.00.
Tropical Green is a fresh twist on traditional green tea, infused with pineapple flavour. It comes in an Historic Royal Palaces Collection tin with 30 sachets for $10.95.
White Teas
White tea is made from young tea buds plucked just before the leaf opens on the stem and air-dried. Its pale colour comes from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds. Flavoured with almond and vanilla, a sip from this White Christmas warm and nutty blend completes the perfect winter wonderland. The classic tin of 20 sachets is $10.00.
Herbal & Fruit Infusions
Organic Passion Plum herbal tea blends the sweetness of plums with the spiciness of cinnamon and the benefits of American ginseng. This deep red, caffeine-free infusion is one of my favourites with its strong, rich flavour. No need to add any sugar! The 4 ounce tin makes 30-40 cups for $7.50.
Or for a caffeine-free version of Harney & Sons’ Holiday Tea, try their Holiday Herbal Tea made with rooibos (red bush) instead of black tea. Like the black tea version, it’s flavoured with citrus and holidays spices. A 4 ounce tin retails for $8.00.
Peppermint is known for soothing indigestion, gas, and upset tummies, which makes this the perfect tea to keep around during all the holiday feasting. Harney & Sons’ caffeine-free Peppermint Tea is sourced from Oregon and certified Organic by the USDA Organic Program. A 3 ounce tin of loose leaf tea is $10.00.
Orange Passion Fruit Tea blends rosehips, hibiscus, dried oranges, and other fruit pieces with orange and tropical passion fruit flavors. This kid-friendly and caffeine-free combination produces a brilliant ruby red brew loaded with great flavor. Pick up a 4 ounce tin for $7.00.
Gift Sets
The Harney & Sons signature Brown Linen Tea Chest ($34.95) is an elegant hostess gift and a wonderful way to sample 8 different flavours of Harney & Sons teas. My tea chest contained 4 individually wrapped sachets of these 8 teas: Chamomile, Japanese Sencha, Hot Cinnamon Spice, Mint Verbena, Organic Bangkok, Organic Assam, Dragon Pearl Jasmine, and Earl Grey Supreme for a total of 32 sachets. Your selection isn’t guaranteed to be the same, so there’s a fun element of mystery to every box.
The tea chest comes in a beautiful box for gift giving, wrapped up in a pretty bow. And when all the tea is gone, refill it for your next dinner party or keep jewelry or other trinkets in there. (As of today, the Brown Linen Tea Chest is on sale for $19.99!)
The Happiest of Holidays Gift Set ($34.95) includes 30 sachets of Holiday black tea spiced with citrus & cloves, delicious White Chocolate Chip & Macadamia cookies from Tate’s Bake shop, and Chocolate Peppermint marshmallows from Saxon Chocolates. A festive Red Tartan 100% cotton tea towel completes the gift.
The Winter Blues Gift Box ($44.95) is sure to chase away those winter blues with Harney & Sons’ bestselling Classic Paris black tea, Winter White Earl Grey, Blueberry Green, and Seasonal Celebration. And what goes better with tea than chocolate? This set comes with two chocolate bars from Lake Champlain Chocolates: Almonds & Sea Salt (70% cocoa) and Creamy Coconut (57% cocoa).
Gift It!
Give the gift of flavour this Christmas with a selection of fine teas or a specialty gift set! Visit Harney & Sons and order before December 15th to ensure delivery in the US before Christmas. (December 5th for Canada.)
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Win a Harney & Sons Winter Blues Gift Box!
Harney & Sons is generously giving one of my readers a Winter Blues Gift Box with 4 delicious teas and and 2 chocolate bars! Enter in the giveaway widget below. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only, 18+. All winner’s entries will be verified. Prize delivery is not guaranteed by Christmas, so please plan accordingly.
Click here to check out my other open giveaways and be sure to follow me on Facebook!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation. Nevertheless all opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. Your experience may differ.
I would love to try the POMEGRANATE OOLONG!! Sounds delicious!!
i think my husband would like this as a gift
WINTER WHITE EARL GREY
I checked out the site and I think I would like to try the Angiogenesis Foundation Green Tea.
I would love to try the Hot Cinnamon Spice. Love anything with cinnamon!
I would love to try the organic peppermint – peppermint is my go to.
I would like to try the hot cinnamon spice.
I would love to try the organic passion plum tea!
I would like to try their Hot Cinnamon Spice. It sounds delicious!
I would love to try the cranberry autumn tea. I love tea so any would do though. 🙂
I most want to try the Hot Cinnamon Spice.
the NAMRING UPPER 1ST FLUSH DARJEELING
I would like to try any of the white tea. That is my favorite and for this time of the year the Christmas white tea sound like the perfect one,
The cranberry autumn sounds delightful. I want to try that one, and know a couple people who would love it as a gift as well.
I’d like to try the decaf peaches & ginger.
I would love to try the Hot Cinnamon Spice, my boss is a huge tea fan and I think he would love it!
I first had Christmas/holiday tea in Germany and fell in love. I’d want to try that one from Harney and Sons!
I would like to try the CHOCOLATE MINT tea.
I would love to get my tea loving sister the Winter Blues Gift set, it has her favorite Earl Gray and is a beautiful group of assorted teas.
I would give Holiday Tea as a gift.
I would II would give the Hot Cinnamon Spice tea 🙂 Thank you!
My daughter is the big tea drinker in the family but I would like to try the creamy coconut.
I would most like to try the Chai tea from Harney & Sons. Another one that sounds very appealing is the Apricot tea. I would gift one of the boxed tea collections to my best friend who loves tea as much as I do.
I would like to try the ANJI BAICHA Green Tea. I bet it’s really good for your health.
I would like the Holiday tea.
I’m giving my sister a tin of Winter White Earl Grey 🙂
GOOD LUCK my US neighbors !!
My daughter is a tea drinker…she loved to visit grannie and drink tea and have little sandwiches. For Christmas one year I bought her a delicate tea cup and saucer (we still have) from Value Village. She used it all the time and took great care with it. As she got older I also went to David’s Tea to get her items. She’s living at home again and we have out nightly tea (which I’m enjoying right now)
I’d love the Chamomile, Bag of 50 Sachets.
I would like to try hot cinnamon spice thanks for the chance
I would like to try the Big Red Sun blend.
I would love to try the cranberry autumn tea.
I would like to try the CHOCOLATE MINT tea.
I would love to try most the organic peppermint because I think it would give me a non caffeine pick me up for my evening!
my two favorite teas.of all time are.hot cinnamon spice (at target!) and the tropical green..which tastes.of.pineapple. seriously everyone should try this brand
I’d really like to try the Hot Cinnamon Spice… I’m drinking a very spicy tea right now and I LOVE it, so I think I’d love that too 🙂
absolutely love earl grey! so comforting!
I’d love to try their hot cinnamon spice tea, yum! 🙂
I would both love to try and give the Diamond Jubilee tea!
I would love to try the creamy coconut, I love the taste of coconut so much!
The green tea with coconut, ginger and vanilla looks lovely!
My English dad is all about a good Earl Grey. I’m picking up some Earl Grey Supreme for him.
I most want to try Apricot, Bag of 50 Sachets. I normally just drink jasmine tea or english breakfast.
I would love to try some of this tea MASTER’S MARK SENCHA,
@tisonllyme143
I want to try the Mountain White tea.
I would love to try Harney & Sons Organic Passion Plum tea, mmmm.
My daughter loves tea and I know she would love The Tower Of London Blend. She is a college student and doesn’t often get the better quality of teas.
I would love to give the EARL GREY IMPERIAL Tea to my son.
I would love to try the Holiday Tea, because spice and Chain teas are my favorites
I would like to give my mother-in-law the Tower of London Blend. I know that she would share it with me as we both love tea.
I would get my best friend the Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset Black Tea
I’d like to try the chocolate mint tea liked and shared thanks for the chance