Have trouble deciding which mooncakes to gift your friends and family this Mid-Autumn Festival? You could, of course, make your decision based on luxurious packaging or even adorably whimsical designs, or you could take the safe route and gift something else entirely — like tea.
Tea is often the understated accompaniment to the ritual of enjoying mooncakes, but a valued one nonetheless. Quietly fragrant, the right tea will balance out the sticky-sweet flavour and texture of mooncakes, letting you savour each bite with relish.
Tea’s also a very practical gift to give during this time of social distancing, since it’s light enough to send by mail without incurring high delivery fees, can be stored by the gift recipient for a far longer time than mooncakes, and they’re not as delicate so they can afford to be jostled a bit during delivery compared to mooncakes (where presentation is everything).
It’s also a universal favourite — who doesn’t enjoy a fragrant steaming cup of tea? To help you decide, we’ve rounded up our picks for tea gifting this season.
You can’t go wrong with the gorgeous tins and wide array of flavours that Ette Tea Company offers. If you’re looking for something local, the Singapore Taste range is ideal — it’s got flavours like Orh Nee, Seri Kaya, and Pandan Chiffon. For the adventurous, there’s also savoury ones like Nasi Lemak, Bak Kwa, and even Chicken Rice. Our personal favourite? The Kebaya Blue, for its beautiful SIA-uniform-inspired packaging design.
Samplers start from $9, and caddies from $28. Use code LIBAI for 15% off.
Check out the Ette Tea Company here.
Known for their tea blooms, which magically blossom into a flower when dropped into hot water, Kindred Teas was inspired by the founder’s travels all over the world from London to Sri Lanka, and the moments shared on the journey. Their tea flavours include classics like Earl Grey and Chrysanthemum Pu Erh (which will go beautifully with mooncakes), as well as their own blends like Endearment and Blessings, each featuring a selection of delicately-fragranced ingredients threaded by hand into tea blooms. Did we also mention we’re in love with their minimalist packaging?
Teas start from $18 for a tin of 18 pyramid bags.
Check out Kindred Teas here.
The luxury brand’s just launched two tea gift boxes for this Mid-Autumn festival, each featuring a pop-up diorama made of delicately-crafted paper sculptures. We like the Tea Aroma Gift Set Tea Cup and Saucer, which includes two tea canisters — one filled with Yunnan Pu-erh tea leaves and the other with Yunnan black tea leaves. It also comes with a white porcelain Arhat teacup featuring a “Chinese Luck Knot”, an auspicious symbol of good fortune, wellness, and peace.
The Tea Gift Sets start from $118.
Check out Shang Xia’s tea gift sets here.
This article was first published in Home and Decor.