What tea do Vietnamese people give at Tet, and why? The answer is usually the best green tea the giver can afford, often from Thai Nguyen, or a scented tea such as lotus tea, packed in a red or gold box. Tea is part of Tet in a way that goes back centuries: a 14th-century chronicle already describes tea and wine offered to the ancestors on New Year’s Eve, and families still begin the year with a shared pot of tea. Because Tet falls at the same time as the Chinese Spring Festival, the same gifting season matters for buyers on both sides of the border. The next Tet, the Year of the Goat, begins on 6 February 2027.
Tea at Tet at a glance
| Moment | Role of tea | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Eve | Tea and wine offered to the ancestors | An Nam Chi Luoc, about 1335 |
| The ancestral altar | The host brews tea and places it on the altar; the altar to heaven and earth holds three cups of tea and three of water | SGGP, February 2019 |
| First morning of the year | The family drinks the first pot of tea together while wishing grandparents long life and giving lucky money to children | SGGP, February 2019 |
| Visiting and gifting | Fine tea is a standard New Year gift for parents, teachers, partners and clients; lotus tea is especially popular at Tet | VOV via Vietnam Tourism, 2012 |
| Engagements in the new year | The groom’s family brings tea and cakes; a pair of fine teas wrapped in red paper stands on each family’s altar | SGGP, February 2021 |
Why tea is the classic Tet gift
Tea fits Tet for practical and symbolic reasons. Every household serves tea to the stream of visitors who come to wish them a happy new year, so good tea will always be used. It keeps well in a sealed box. It is respectful without being extravagant, which makes it suitable for elders, teachers and business partners alike. And it carries meaning: tea is what the family offers to its ancestors, so giving fine tea is a way of honouring the recipient’s household as well as the recipient.
What people give
- Thai Nguyen green tea, in a higher grade than usual. Bud teas and needle teas are the classic choice for important recipients.
- Lotus tea. VOV notes that lotus-scented tea is especially favoured at Tet. Traditional West Lake lotus tea needs about a thousand flowers per kilo, so it is a prestige gift.
- Tea with a teapot or cups. Sets that include a small pot or cups are popular for families and offices.
- Company gift boxes. Businesses order hundreds of identical boxes for staff, partners and customers, often with their own logo on a sleeve.
A shared season with the Spring Festival
Vietnam’s Tet and China’s Spring Festival fall on the same lunar new year. For importers in China, this means Vietnamese tea gifts compete in the same weeks as Chinese ones, and shipments must arrive well before the holiday. For Vietnamese communities abroad, it means a strong demand for familiar Vietnamese teas in the run-up to Tet. In 2027 the first day of the new year is 6 February, so gift stock should be on shelves by mid-January.
Planning a Tet tea order: a simple timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| October–November | Taste samples, choose grades and box design, agree quantities |
| November | Confirm order; for custom sleeves or logos, approve artwork |
| December | Packing and dispatch; allow time for export documents and shipping |
| Early to mid-January 2027 | Stock on shelves or delivered to recipients |
| 6 February 2027 | First day of the lunar new year |
Our gardens stop picking from November to February, so Tet tea comes from the year’s spring to autumn harvests. Ask your supplier which harvest a gift lot comes from.
TRAVINA gift sets
We pack our own tea boxes and gift sets in our own workshop. The range includes lotus tea boxes, needle and bud tea boxes and sets with a teapot; contents can be adjusted for corporate orders. See Tea Boxes and Gift Sets, or read about the lotus and needle teas in which Vietnamese teas cost the most.
Frequently asked questions
Why do Vietnamese people give tea at Tet?
Because tea is served to every New Year visitor, offered to the ancestors and seen as a respectful, lasting gift for elders, teachers and partners.
What is the best tea to give for Tet?
Traditionally a high grade of Thai Nguyen green tea or a lotus-scented tea. The right choice depends on the recipient and the budget.
When is Tet in 2027?
The first day of the lunar new year is 6 February 2027, the same day as the Chinese Spring Festival.
Can TRAVINA make corporate Tet gift boxes?
Yes. Contact us with your quantity, budget and delivery date; please allow time for samples and artwork approval.
Sources
- Le Tac, An Nam Chi Luoc, Vietnamese translation, Hue University 1961 (digital edition 2001): quangduc.com
- SGGP, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, tea at Tet, 3 February 2019: sggp.org.vn
- SGGP, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, the place of tea in Vietnamese rituals, 11 February 2021: sggp.org.vn
- VOV via Vietnam Tourism, scented teas, 20 November 2012: vietnamtourism.vn
- Nhân Dân (special report), West Lake lotus tea, 2 July 2024: special.nhandan.vn
Planning Tet or Spring Festival gifts? Contact TRAVINA now for samples and lead times.
