The best present for a tea lover is something they'd never buy themselves: a tea they haven't tried, something lovely to drink it from, and a little treat on the side. Here's my list, from stocking fillers to the big one.
Every tea lover I know has a cupboard full of the same three boxes and a favourite mug they'd defend with their life. Buying for them is harder than it looks. So, as someone who has cooked Christmas for other people for twenty years, here's what I'd wrap.
Key facts
| Everything Bundle | One box of each of our four blends, 56 bags, £44, free UK delivery |
| Single box | 14 bags, £14. A good Secret Santa or stocking filler |
| Packaging | Every bag in its own sealed envelope; recyclable boxes |
| Caffeine-free options | Four Twentea's Tranquilitea and Mintea |
1. A tea set they can't get in the supermarket
Four Twentea's Everything Bundle is the gift set I'd want to open: a full box of all four blends, so they can find their favourite. There's Normalitea for the morning, Naughtea for a gingery afternoon, Mintea after a big dinner and Tranquilitea for the end of the evening. That's 56 plump little bags, eight weeks of tea at one a day, for £44 with free delivery.
2. A proper mug
Tea tastes better from a mug you love. Skip the novelty slogans and go handmade. My local favourite is EOT Ceramics: Emily Tapp throws every mug on the wheel in her studio just outside Falmouth, in soft coastal glazes. Most towns have a maker or two at the Christmas markets too, so have a look closer to home.
3. Good honey
A jar from a local beekeeper is cheap, lovely and makes any herbal tea feel like a treat. Closer to home, I love the Cornish wildflower honey from the Eden Project, made by bees that forage within a few miles of their hives in West Cornwall. Tranquilitea with a teaspoon of honey is my favourite way to finish the day.
4. Something to dunk
Homemade biscuits beat anything in a tin. My trick: add a pinch of ground ginger and a little orange zest to your usual shortbread, and wrap it with a box of Naughtea. The ginger in the biscuit picks up the ginger in the tea. Very smug-making. No time to bake? Furniss Original Cornish Fairings are crisp, gingery and £3.99 a packet. Same trick, no washing up.
5. A stocking filler for the morning after Christmas dinner
A single box of Four Twentea's Mintea at £14. Peppermint has been used to help digestion for centuries, which is exactly why so many of us reach for it on Boxing Day. It's caffeine-free too, so it works at any hour.
6. For the one who's always away
Every bag comes in its own sealed envelope, so a box slips into a suitcase, a desk drawer or a campervan without a caddy or teapot in sight. Good for the friend who works away, or the one who won't drink hotel tea. Add a KeepCup Brew Cork glass cup (£24 for the 12oz) and they've got a proper cuppa on the train: bag in, hot water on, done.
7. An evening kit for the person who can't switch off
Put together a box of Tranquilitea, a proper wool hot water bottle (I like this herringbone one from Tweedmill, £34, with a cover made in Wales) and a book they've been meaning to read. Tranquilitea is Four Twentea's best seller by a mile: honeybush, lemon balm, valerian, camomile and passion flower, with 10 mg of CBD in every bag. It's a small present that says "go to bed, you've done enough".
8. A cuppa out, on you
Make your own voucher. A handwritten "IOU one afternoon tea" tucked in a card, then take them somewhere lovely and let someone else put the kettle on for once. If you're anywhere near Leeds, our pick is Mill Kitchen in Farsley: cracking bakes, a lovely spot, and they stock our teas, so they can try a blend before committing to a whole box.
A quick word on who to buy for
CBD tea makes a great present for most adults, but it isn't for everyone. Skip it for anyone under 18, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone taking medication. For them, a lovely mug and a jar of honey will go down just as well.
FAQs
What do you buy someone who loves tea? Something they wouldn't buy themselves: a tea they haven't tried, a handmade mug, local honey or homemade biscuits. A gift set with several blends is a safe bet because they can find a new favourite.
What's a good herbal tea gift set for Christmas? Our Everything Bundle has a full box of all four Four Twentea blends, including two caffeine-free herbal teas, Mintea and Tranquilitea. It's 56 bags for £44 with free UK delivery.
Is CBD tea a good present? For most adults, yes, especially tea lovers who like trying something new. There's 10 mg of CBD in every bag, so they know exactly what's in their cup.
Who shouldn't drink CBD tea? CBD is not recommended for under-18s, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone taking medication. For those people, choose a non-CBD tea gift instead.
What's a good Secret Santa gift for a tea lover under £15? A single box of Four Twentea at £14. Mintea suits the after-dinner crowd and Tranquilitea suits anyone who needs an early night.
Wrap it up
The Everything Bundle: four boxes, four moods, one very happy tea lover. £44 with free UK delivery.
The FSA advises healthy adults to limit CBD from all food sources to 10 mg a day. That's one bag of our tea. CBD is not recommended for under-18s, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone taking medication.