- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- BeverageDrinking
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every January 12
- Holiday emoji:
- ☕
National Hot Tea Day warms up the calendar every January 12, inviting everyone to enjoy a comforting cup. Originating in China, tea has become the world’s second most consumed beverage, offering energy, relaxation, and detoxification. Brew your favorite blend, explore new varieties, and share your tea moments with friends.
Want to sponsor National Hot Tea Day? Learn how
Expected National Hot Tea Day Deals
While we wait for official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that National Hot Tea Day often brings cozy deals from major beverage retailers and tea brands. Expect discounts on tea bags, loose-leaf varieties, and brewing accessories from companies like Teavana, Tazo, and Celestial Seasonings. Many coffee shops, including Starbucks and local cafes, typically offer specials on their hot tea selections, from classic black teas to herbal infusions. Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s might feature sales on gourmet tea blends. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as January 12 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Hot Tea Day
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalHotTeaDay. Film a creative video showcasing your favorite tea-making ritual or a unique tea recipe.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalHotTeaDay. Share aesthetically pleasing photos of your tea setup, favorite mug, or a cozy tea moment.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #NationalHotTeaDay. Share interesting tea facts, ask followers about their favorite blends, or host a quick poll.
National Hot Tea Day Hero
Lu Yu
History of National Hot Tea Day
Tea has been consumed for almost 5,000 years. In 2737 B.C., during the Tang Dynasty, legend has it that some tea leaves fell into a pot of water that was being boiled for Chinese emperor Shen Nung. He drank the brew and found it delicious and relaxing.
In 2016, the earliest known physical evidence of tea was discovered in the mausoleum of Emperor Jing of Han in Xi’an, indicating that tea, from the genus Camellia, was drunk by Han dynasty emperors, as early as the 2nd century B.C. The Han dynasty work, “the Contract for a Youth,” written in 59 B.C., contains the first known reference to boiling tea. The first record of tea cultivation is also dated to this period, during which tea was cultivated on Meng Mountain.
Tea was first introduced to Western priests and merchants in China during the 16th century. The first recorded shipment of tea by a European nation was in 1607, when the Dutch East India Company moved a cargo of tea from Macao to Java. Tea was sold in a coffee house in London in 1657, Samuel Pepys tasted tea in 1660, and Catherine of Braganza took the tea-drinking habit to the English court when she married Charles II in 1662.
Tea smuggling during the 18th century made tea accessible to the public. The British government removed the tax on tea, thereby eliminating the smuggling trade, in 1785. The popularity of tea played a role in historical events — the Tea Act of 1773 provoked the Boston Tea Party that escalated into the American Revolution. By the late 19th century, tea had become an everyday beverage for every social society.
The Tea Council of the U.S.A. was founded in 1950, and National Hot Tea Day was created by the council in 2016.
National Hot Tea Day timeline
Tea leaves fall into a pot of water being boiled for Chinese emperor Shen Nung.
The Han dynasty work, "The Contract for a Youth," contains the first known reference to boiling tea.
The first shipment of tea to Europe is recorded by the Dutch East India Company.
The Sons of Liberty destroy an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company, in opposition to the violation of rights in the Townshend Act.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Hot Tea Day
Local businesses can embrace National Hot Tea Day by offering special promotions on their tea selections. Cafes and restaurants might feature a ‘Tea of the Day’ with a unique blend or offer a discount on all hot tea purchases. Retail stores selling mugs, kettles, or tea sets could run a flash sale. Consider hosting a cozy tea-tasting event or collaborating with a local tea supplier to introduce new varieties to your customers, fostering warmth and community spirit.
National Hot Tea Day FAQs
When is National Hot Tea Day?
In 2027, National Hot Tea Day is observed on Tuesday, January 12, marking a mid-week opportunity to pause and enjoy the world’s second most popular beverage. Many use the day to discover tea’s diverse cultural traditions.
How much tea is consumed globally?
With approximately 3 billion cups of tea enjoyed worldwide every day, the beverage’s popularity remains immense. For 2027, experts anticipate sustained growth in specialty tea markets, reflecting evolving consumer tastes.
What are the main types of tea?
Beyond the primary categories, a vast world of herbal infusions and specialty blends exists, though true tea always comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. In 2027, many tea enthusiasts are exploring rare varietals and single-origin leaves.
Is tea good for your health?
While not a cure-all, tea is widely recognized for its potential wellness properties, including boosting immunity and aiding digestion. As of 2027, research continues to uncover new advantages of incorporating tea into a balanced diet.
How to Celebrate National Hot Tea Day
Brew a cup of tea
There is no other way to celebrate National Hot Tea Day besides brewing yourself a nice warm cup of tea. There's tea for literally any and every time of day, so don’t hold back. Have as many cups of tea as you want throughout the day, in celebration.
Celebrate on social media
Sip some tea and post a beautiful photo of it on social media. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #NationalHotTeaDay, #HotTeaMonth, or #TeaTime in your posts.
Host a tea party
Today is the perfect day to gather family and friends around for a good, old-fashioned tea party. Pull out your best table cloths, biscuits, and finest tea sets to celebrate the day.
5 Interesting Facts About Tea
There are 3,000 different types
The flavor of teas depends on where they grow as well as the type of bush, and are sometimes made up of different blends.
It’s great for your health
Among other things, it contains polyphenols, which help our bodies fight off cardiovascular diseases, cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, and other maladies.
Don’t use boiling water to make it
You should never use boiling water for tea because you'll burn the leaf.
They weren’t always in bags
Teabags were invented in the early 1900s.
There used to be a tea auction
The London Tea Auction ran for 300 years, and according to the B.B.C., by the 1950s a third of all the world's tea was bought through the auction.
Why We Love National Hot Tea Day
There’s no such thing as too much
National Hot Tea Day is the perfect opportunity to drink as much tea as you want. With tea, there is no such thing as too much.
There’s a tea for everything
With the variations of tea, such as green tea, black tea, tea has become more than just medicinal. If you need to relax, there's tea for that; if you need a detox, there's also tea for that. There’s pretty much tea for anything you want.
The flavor palette is wide
Just like the blend, the method of cultivation also varies. This leads to different types of tea variations, and ultimately different flavors as well.
National Hot Tea Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | January 12 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | January 12 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | January 12 | Friday |
| 2030 | January 12 | Saturday |
| 2031 | January 12 | Sunday |
Social Media Tips for National Hot Tea Day
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