How Chinese New Year Ends: Lantern Festival Traditions and Teas
Chinese New Year preparations begin before the annual holiday even gets started. In the days leading up to Chinese New Year, on February 17 this year, people cleaned their houses, to symbolize “sweep out the old bad luck.” They picked up snacks and new clothes, gifts and red decorations. On midnight of the first day, fireworks decorated night skies, television stations in China broadcasted festivities and people held lots and lots of toasts.
Now, however, the annual spectacle of family, friendship and fun is drawing to a close; on Tuesday, March 3, this year’s two-week-long festival ends. Lanterns will figure largely into the last day’s celebrations. People will scarf down sweet rice balls, symbolizing reunions and wholeness. The final day’s festivities can rival the kick-off. It’s never a dull send off!
For this final week of Chinese New Year, it’s time to focus on teas that feel settling, grounding and complete. These teas offer everything from relaxation benefits to wellness ingredients and digestive aids.
Sip them across these final days of Chinese New Year. And on Tuesday, light a lantern. Head to an Asian grocery store—they’re sure to have sweet rice balls. And have some fun! Make the final evening a party.
We hope you all experience prosperity and peace across this Year of the Horse. Next year, it’s the Year of the Goat!
Teas for Chinese New Year: Ginger Refresh Herbal Tea (Organic)
According to traditional Chinese medicine, people can use ginger to vanquish those dreaded afternoon doldrums. For this final week of Chinese New Year, brew a pot our organic Ginger Refresh and experience renewed vigor! This caffeine-free beauty also can soothe the stomach; after days of New Year feasting, you will appreciate it’s tummy-calming superpowers! In addition, ginger can relieve some symptoms of the common cold. This house blend contains lemongrass, peppermint, ginger, licorice and lemon peel.
Teas for Chinese New Year: CHA Relax (Organic)
This rooibos-anchored organic blend serves as just the thing you’ll want for all-day Chinese New Year sipping. CHA Relax stands as a powerhouse of wellness, flavor and serious tea artisanship. The caffeine-free blend, created in collaboration with the University of Colorado’s Center for the Humanities and the Arts (CHA—which also happens to mean tea in Chinese), offers a strong punch of vitamins and electrolytes, thanks in part to the rooibos. Brewed leaves from the South African bush have been thrilling South Africans for generations—we’re so glad rooibos’s popularity has migrated to the rest of the world. This blend also contains ginkgo (potent for brain health) elder flower, chamomile and spearmint.
Teas for Chinese New Year: Ku Cha Renewal Oolong
As themes of renewal play a starring role in Chinese New Year, we can’t resist adding this oolong blend to the last days of the big party. Our Ku Cha Renewal Oolong, a bespoke blend created to mark Ku Cha’s 20th anniversary in 2025, leads with outstanding oolong and black teas. With that double-punch of traditional Camellia sinensis, it’s off to a grand start. To that we add osmanthus flower and cornflower. Sip your weight in renewal as Chinese New Year reaches its finale this year!
Teas for Chinese New Year: Monkey Bread Pu-erh
This isn’t the Year of the Monkey—that won’t arrive until 2028. But Chinese New Year invites loads of celebrating and feasting, and we think this tea sparks quite a bit of conviviality. We crafted it to capture the signature flavor of the American bakery classic, monkey bread. Cinnamon and allspice bring the monkey bread vibes to the tea. But it’s also got three (!) variations of traditional Camellia sinensis: green pu-erh, oolong and black tea. Need energy and rich flavor for Chinese New Year? Of course you do! And this one delivers!
Teas for Chinese New Year: Chrysanthemum Green
Most people include calls for health across Chinese New Year’s two weeks of festivities. After all, health shines as one of the most—the most?—important factors of our lives. So our Chrysanthemum Green fits squarely into Chinese New Year. The peppermint and rose petals bring complex flavors. The Japanese sencha, a traditional Camellia sinensis tea, shepherds grassy notes and caffeine zip. But the chrysanthemum floods the tea with health advantages, including lung support, vision vigor and the reduction of internal inflammations. Important benefits!
Happy Chinese New Year!
