National Tea Day 🍵

Overview

National Tea Day, celebrated annually on April 21st in the United Kingdom, is a dedicated occasion to honor the nation's deep-rooted affection for tea. It encourages people to explore the vast world of tea, appreciate its cultural significance, diverse varieties, and the simple joy of sharing a warming brew with others.

Origin and story

All true teas – black, green, oolong, white, and pu-erh – originate from the same plant, *Camellia sinensis*.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage globally, only surpassed by water.

Quick facts

• DateApril 21
• TypeFood / Dessert
• Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers

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Ways to celebrate

Legend says tea was discovered by accident, blown into a pot of boiling water by the wind — nobody set out to invent it.

Know the legend behind tea's discovery

Chinese tradition credits Emperor Shen Nung with discovering tea around 2737 BC, when leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis tree blew into water his servant was boiling; Shen Nung, a scholar and herbalist who required his subjects to boil water for hygiene, tried the resulting infusion and found it had real medicinal properties.

Know what the drink was originally for

The earliest tea was boiled into a bitter beverage consumed specifically for its perceived healing properties, called "ch'a" — a far cry from a comforting daily habit, and centuries away from becoming the casual drink enjoyed worldwide today.

Read the fuller legend

Helpful resources:

• The Legend of Tea's Origin and the Accident That Changed the World (Food Republic)

Did you know?

There's no way to verify whether Shen Nung's story is literally true, but tea drinking was firmly established in China many centuries before anyone in the West had even heard of the drink.

Fun facts

• All true teas – black, green, oolong, white, and pu-erh – originate from the same plant, *Camellia sinensis*.
• Tea is the second most consumed beverage globally, only surpassed by water.
• The ritual of afternoon tea, a quintessential British tradition, was popularized in the mid-1800s by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford.

Sources and attribution

The Legend of Tea's Origin and the Accident That Changed the World (Food Republic)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is National Tea Day?

It is observed on April 21 each year.

What is National Tea Day?

National Tea Day, celebrated annually on April 21st in the United Kingdom, is a dedicated occasion to honor the nation's deep-rooted affection for tea. It encourages people to explore the vast world of tea, appreciate its cultural significance, diverse varieties, and the simple joy of sharing a warming brew with others.

How do people celebrate National Tea Day?

Brew a cup of tea and consider the legend of its discovery — Chinese Emperor Shen Nung reportedly found it by accident around 2737 BC, when tree leaves blew into his servant's boiling water.

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