How we picked these Christmas teas
Every tea house has a Christmas blend, and most of them reach for the same handful of spices. That makes the shelf look crowded and the choice look harder than it is.
What separates them is the base (black, green, white, rooibos or hibiscus), how much real spice and peel is in the leaf, and whether the box is pretty enough to give on its own.
Nordqvist comes first. The Finnish house makes the calendar we rate highest, and its winter range is the most complete we found: eleven teas covering black, green, rooibos and glögi, in bags and loose leaf.
After that come the tea houses from Britain, North America and continental Europe, from a small stocking filler to a gift set with biscuits and a strainer.
These are not tasting notes. For each tea we read the shop's own product page and ingredient list, and we checked price and stock on 9 October 2026.
Prices shift and Christmas editions sell out, so the shop page is the final word.
Some buy buttons are affiliate links; that never changes the order or what we say.
Nordqvist: the Finnish Christmas shelf
Eleven winter teas from the Finnish tea house, from the signature spiced black tea to a hibiscus glögi. The international store ships to most of Europe, Canada and Japan.
Nordqvist
Traditional Christmas Tea
Nordqvist's Christmas signature: black tea with cinnamon and cardamom, the two spices a Finnish kitchen smells of all December.
- 20 tea bags on a black tea base
- Cinnamon and cardamom flavours
- Rainforest Alliance black tea
What is inside
Black tea with cinnamon and cardamom flavours. Twenty bags of 1.75 g.
Nordqvist
Glögi Tea
Glögi is the Nordic mulled wine. This is the alcohol-free version in a cup: deep red hibiscus with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.
- Hibiscus base, no caffeine
- Cardamom, ginger and cinnamon
- Vegan, made in Finland
What is inside
Hibiscus, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, orange peel, rose petals and mulled wine flavour. The shop notes that ginger is not suitable during pregnancy.
Nordqvist
Gingerbread Rooibos
Rooibos that tastes like the gingerbread tin has just been opened. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and a little vanilla, with nothing to keep anyone awake.
- Rooibos, naturally caffeine-free
- Gingerbread spices with vanilla
- Rainforest Alliance rooibos
What is inside
Rooibos, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, with vanilla and gingerbread flavours. The shop notes that ginger is not suitable during pregnancy.
Nordqvist
Green Christmas Tea
For anyone who finds spiced black tea too heavy by the third cup. The same cinnamon and cardamom, on green tea, softened with strawberry.
- Green tea base
- Cinnamon, cardamom and strawberry
- Rainforest Alliance green tea
What is inside
Green tea with cinnamon, cardamom and strawberry flavours. Twenty bags of 1.5 g.
Nordqvist
Plum & Cinnamon Tea
Black tea with plum and cinnamon, close to the prune jam folded into joulutorttu, the star-shaped pastries on every Finnish Christmas table.
- Black tea base
- Plum and cinnamon flavours
- Vegan
What is inside
Black tea and flavourings. The plum and cinnamon come from the flavouring; the shop does not list fruit or spice pieces.
Nordqvist
Cranberry-Salted Caramel
The newest tea in the winter range. Hibiscus and rooibos meet cranberry and salted caramel: sweet first, then a pleasant sharpness.
- Hibiscus and rooibos, no caffeine
- Cranberry and salted caramel flavours
- Made at the Nurmijärvi factory
What is inside
Hibiscus and rooibos with cranberry and salted caramel flavours. Twenty bags of 1.75 g.
Nordqvist
Traditional Black Christmas Tea 80 g
The signature blend loose, with real cinnamon, cardamom and dried orange peel in among the leaf. Made for a teapot that keeps being refilled.
- 80 g loose leaf black tea
- Cinnamon, cardamom and orange peel
- A shop best seller, vegan
What is inside
Black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, dried orange peel, and cinnamon and cardamom flavours.
Nordqvist
Gingerbread Rooibos 80 g
The loose rooibos takes the gingerbread recipe a step further, with safflower and chamomile petals among the spices. Another shop best seller.
- 80 g loose leaf rooibos
- Cinnamon, cardamom and ginger
- Safflower and chamomile petals
What is inside
Rooibos, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, safflower and chamomile petals, and flavourings. The shop notes that ginger is not suitable during pregnancy.
Nordqvist
Green Christmas Tea 80 g
Green Christmas Tea in loose leaf, with strawberry pieces you can see through the leaf. Pretty in a glass jar, and easy to give alongside an infuser.
- 80 g loose leaf green tea
- Strawberry pieces, cinnamon, cardamom
- Rainforest Alliance green tea
What is inside
Green tea, cinnamon, cardamom and strawberry pieces, with strawberry, cinnamon and cardamom flavours.
Nordqvist
Season Tastes the Moomin Way Tea Assortment
Six flavoured black teas in a licensed Moomin box. The flavours lean towards dessert, baked apple and cookies and cream among them, so it suits a sweet tooth.
- 36 bags, six of each flavour
- Officially licensed Moomin packaging
- Vegan, Rainforest Alliance
What is inside
Six flavoured black teas: Wonders of the World (truffle and chocolate), Cool Story (baked apple), Rosy Dreams (French vanilla and red berries), Longing For Adventure (cookies and cream), It's Play Time (bergamot and orange) and Magic Storm (vanilla and pear).
British Christmas teas
Clove, orange and a little vanilla: the British Christmas cup, from a supermarket favourite to a Piccadilly tin. New English Teas says it cannot currently ship to the United States or the EU.
Twinings
Christmas Tea
Twinings' festive black tea, flavoured with cinnamon and clove. Every bag sits in its own envelope, so the box is easy to share round at a party.
- 20 individually enveloped bags
- Black tea with cinnamon and clove
- Vegan
What is inside
Black tea and natural flavouring, which Twinings describes as cinnamon and clove.
Twinings
Gingerbread Joy
Black tea with real ginger and cinnamon in the bag and a gingerbread flavour on top. Warmer and sweeter than the plain Christmas Tea.
- 20 individually enveloped bags
- Ginger root and cinnamon pieces
- Vegan
What is inside
Black tea, ginger, cinnamon, natural ginger flavour and other natural flavours.
Twinings
Season's Greetings Christmas Tea 125 g
Twinings' loose leaf Christmas tea: black tea with orange peel, festive spice and safflower petals. A 125 g pouch lasts well into January.
- 125 g loose leaf black tea
- Orange peel and festive spice
- Vegan
What is inside
Black tea, orange peel (5%), festive spice flavouring (2.5%) and safflower petals (1%).
Twinings
Tea Time Delights Gift Bag
The Twinings page titles this listing Tea Time Delights Gift Bag. Inside: Season's Greetings loose tea, a steel strainer, a scoop and a tin of orange and chocolate shortbread.
- 125 g loose leaf Christmas tea
- Strainer and scoop included
- Cartwright & Butler shortbread tin
What is inside
Season's Greetings Christmas Tea 125 g (black tea, orange peel, festive spice flavouring, safflower), a stainless steel strainer, a loose tea scoop and a Cartwright & Butler Festive Gold Orange & Chocolate Shortbread tin.
Whittard of Chelsea
Christmas Tea Teabags
Whittard's Christmas Tea in bags: black tea with cloves, vanilla and citrus, in this year's new box. Every bag is wrapped, so it travels well to the office.
- 25 individually wrapped bags
- Cloves, vanilla and citrus
- Vegan
What is inside
Black tea (98%) and natural flavouring, which Whittard describes as cloves, vanilla and citrus.
Whittard of Chelsea
Christmas Tea Cliptop Tin
The same blend loose, with real orange peel, cloves and safflower petals, in a clip-top tin that ends up holding biscuits or buttons long after December.
- 75 g loose leaf black tea
- Orange peel, cloves and bourbon vanilla
- Keepsake clip-top tin
What is inside
Black tea (91%), orange peel (4%), natural flavouring, cloves (2%), safflower petals and bourbon vanilla extract.
Whittard of Chelsea
Mulled Wine Teabags
A fruit infusion made to taste like mulled wine: apple, hibiscus and blackberry leaves with cinnamon and clove. There is no tea in it, so it suits a late evening.
- 25 individually wrapped bags
- Apple, hibiscus, cinnamon and clove
- No tea leaves in the blend
What is inside
Apple pomace (41%), hibiscus, sweet blackberry leaves, roasted chicory root, cinnamon (5%), clove (3%), citric acid and natural flavouring.
Whittard of Chelsea
A Feast of Tea
Forty bags across eight teas, from Christmas Tea and Festive Breakfast to Darjeeling and Mango & Bergamot. For a household that cannot agree on one tea.
- 40 wrapped bags, eight blends
- Christmas Tea and Festive Breakfast inside
- Vegan
What is inside
Five bags each of Christmas Tea, Festive Breakfast, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, English Rose, Darling Grey and Mango & Bergamot.
Fortnum & Mason
Christmas Black Tea Tin, 30 Silky Tea Bags
Piccadilly's Christmas black tea, with cocoa nibs, clementine and Christmas spices, in this year's printed tin. A present that needs no wrapping.
- 30 silky tea bags
- Cocoa nibs, clementine and spice
- Christmas 2026 tin
What is inside
Black tea with cocoa nibs, clementine and Christmas spices, as Fortnum describes it. The shop does not publish a full ingredient list for the tin.
Fortnum & Mason
Christmas Green Tea, 20 Silky Tea Bags
Green tea with star anise, liquorice, coconut and a touch of vanilla. Lighter than the black, and a nice surprise for someone who thinks Christmas tea means cinnamon.
- 20 silky tea bags in a tin
- Star anise, liquorice and coconut
- A hint of vanilla
What is inside
Green tea with star anise, liquorice, coconut and vanilla, as Fortnum describes it.
Fortnum & Mason
Christmas Tea Selection, 40 Silky Tea Bags
Ten bags each of the Christmas Black, the Christmas Green, a Plum, Apple & Cinnamon infusion and a Black Tea with Fig, in a box made for the gift table.
- 40 silky tea bags, four blends
- One caffeine-free infusion
- Christmas 2026 box
What is inside
Ten each of Christmas Black Tea, Christmas Green Tea, Plum, Apple & Cinnamon Infusion and Black Tea with Fig.
Bird & Blend
Magical Christmas Market 150 g Tea Tin
Kenyan black tea with cinnamon, cloves, cassia and whole coffee beans, for a cup that smells of caramel, smoke and a market stall at dusk.
- 150 g loose leaf, about 75 cups
- Cinnamon, cloves and coffee beans
- Christmas 2026 print caddy, vegan
What is inside
Kenyan black tea (70%), sweet blackberry leaves, cinnamon (6%), coffee beans (5%), flavouring, cloves (4%) and cassia bark. Packed where nuts are handled.
Bird & Blend
Mulled Cider Tea 150 g Gift Tin
Apple, ginger and a heavy hand of cinnamon and cloves, with rosehip and hibiscus for colour. Brew it strong and it passes for mulled cider without the hangover.
- 150 g loose fruit infusion
- Apple, ginger, cinnamon and cloves
- Christmas 2026 print caddy, vegan
What is inside
Apple pieces (21%), ginger (20%), rosehip, hibiscus, cinnamon (12%), cloves (8%), lemon peel (4%) and natural flavouring. Packed where nuts are handled.
Bird & Blend
Christmas Tea Bag Selection Gift Box
Four Christmas blends, fifteen bags each: Gingerbread Chai, Hazelnut Praline, Mulled Cider and Magical Christmas Market. Two of the four have no caffeine.
- 60 biodegradable bags, four blends
- Two caffeine-free blends
- Limited edition, vegan
What is inside
Gingerbread Chai (rooibos, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon), Hazelnut Praline (Sri Lankan black tea, cocoa nibs, cocoa shells, fenugreek), Mulled Cider (apple, ginger, rosehip, hibiscus, cinnamon, cloves) and Magical Christmas Market (Kenyan black tea, blackberry leaves, cinnamon, coffee beans, cloves).
New English Teas
Nutcracker Classic Tea Tin
Forty English Breakfast bags in a red Nutcracker tin. The tea is plain Ceylon black tea; the tin is the Christmas part, and it gets reused for years.
- 40 English Breakfast tea bags
- Keepsake Nutcracker tin
- Vegan
What is inside
English Breakfast, a Ceylon black tea, in 40 traditional bags. The tin also comes in Winter White.
New English Teas
Winter Selection Triple Gift Pack
Three small Christmas-print boxes of ten bags, two English Breakfast and one English Afternoon, together in a clear gift box. Easy to split into three little presents.
- 30 tea bags in three boxes
- Assam and Nilgiri black teas
- Vegan
What is inside
Two boxes of English Breakfast and one of English Afternoon, ten string and tag bags each, made with Assam and Nilgiri black teas.
North American and Indian Christmas teas
Organic botanicals, pyramid infusers, candy cane and chai. Most of these ship from US stores.
Rishi Tea
Winter Sachet Collection
Three boxes of Rishi's seasonal sachets: Cranberry Yuzu, Poached Pear and a Vanilla Mint black tea. This is last winter's edition, still on sale.
- 30 sachets in three boxes
- Two of the three blends are caffeine-free
- Certified organic
What is inside
Cranberry Yuzu (hibiscus, cranberry, yuzu, schisandra), Poached Pear (pear, apple, linden, warming spices, sage) and Vanilla Mint (organic black tea, peppermint, licorice root, roasted dandelion root, cinnamon, cocoa shells, vanilla). The shop notes a peanut cross-contact precaution for the hibiscus.
Rishi Tea
Poached Pear
Apple, pear, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon with linden flowers and a pinch of sage. Soft and spiced, like fruit poached for pudding.
- 10 sachets, certified organic
- Pear, apple, ginger and cardamom
- Direct trade botanicals
What is inside
Organic apples, ginger root, lemon, cardamom, lemon verbena, cinnamon, pear, cloves, organic pear flavour, linden flowers and leaves, black pepper and sage.
Rishi Tea
Cranberry Yuzu
Hibiscus and cranberries brightened with yuzu peel and tangerine oil. A tart, ruby-red cup for anyone who has had enough cinnamon by mid-December.
- 10 sachets, certified organic
- Hibiscus, cranberry and yuzu
- Direct trade botanicals
What is inside
Organic hibiscus, cranberries, cinnamon, yuzu peel, lemon verbena, schisandra berries, rosemary, tangerine oil and organic lemon oil. The shop notes a peanut cross-contact precaution for the hibiscus.
DAVIDsTEA
Santa's Secret Tea
Black tea and peppermint with candy cane sprinkles and a vanilla cream flavour. It is sweet, it is pink-flecked, and the children will want some.
- 50 g loose leaf black tea
- Peppermint and candy cane sprinkles
- Vegan, contains soy
What is inside
Black tea, peppermint, candy cane sprinkles (sugar, rice flour, palm oil, flavouring, colour, soy lecithin), and vanilla and cream flavouring. Contains soy.
DAVIDsTEA
Teas the Season Sachet Tea Wheel
A round box painted like a bauble, holding six holiday teas in sachets: Sleigh Ride, Santa's Secret, Silent Night, Apple Cider, Hazelnut Chocolate and Cream of Earl Grey.
- Six holiday blends in sachets
- Bauble-shaped gift box
- Plant-based sachets
What is inside
Sleigh Ride, Organic Cream of Earl Grey, Apple Cider, Hazelnut Chocolate, Silent Night and Santa's Secret, in plant-based sachets. The shop does not state the sachet count.
Adagio Teas
Christmas Tea
Ceylon black tea with cinnamon, orange, cardamom, cloves and ginger. More than two thousand customer reviews on the shop, which says something about how many kitchens it ends up in.
- 85 g loose leaf black tea
- Cinnamon, orange, cardamom and ginger
- Also sold as pyramid bags
What is inside
Black tea, cinnamon, orange, natural spice flavour, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and natural cinnamon and ginger flavours.
Adagio Teas
Winter Teas Gift Sampler
Four small pouches of loose winter tea, Christmas, Yuletide Toddy, Pomegranate Grove and Rooibos Nutcracker, for about 35 cups. A good way to find a favourite before buying big.
- Four loose tea samples, about 35 cups
- Three of the four are caffeine-free
- Snowy cabin gift box
What is inside
Christmas (Ceylon black tea, spices, orange), Pomegranate Grove, Yuletide Toddy (apple, hibiscus, rose hips, orange, cinnamon, ginger, cherries) and Rooibos Nutcracker.
Vahdam
Christmas Tea Gift Set
Nine different teas, one bag each, from Cinnamon Chai to Hibiscus Rose. A tiny tasting flight to tuck into a card or the toe of a stocking.
- 9 individually wrapped pyramid bags
- Black, green and herbal teas
- Plant-based biodegradable bags
What is inside
One bag each of English Breakfast, Chamomile Mint Citrus Green, Hibiscus Rose, Turmeric Spiced, Pumpkin Spiced, Ginger Mint Green, Vanilla Spiced Chai, Cinnamon Chai and Earl Grey Citrus.
Vahdam
Christmas Breakfast Gift Set
Nine small tins of loose leaf in a Christmas box, from Vanilla Spice Masala Chai to High Mountain Oolong. Vahdam reckons on about 90 cups.
- 9 loose leaf tins
- Chai, black, green, oolong and herbal
- Needs an infuser or strainer
What is inside
Vanilla Spice Masala Chai, Chocolate Vanilla Herbal, Turmeric Ginger Herbal, Earl Grey Citrus, Lemon Ginger Green, Cinnamon Chai, Citrus Ginger Herbal, Turmeric Spiced Herbal and High Mountain Oolong.
French and German Christmas teas
Rose and almond from Paris, cocoa and speculoos from Berlin, and the Weihnachtstee a German tea shop sells only from October to January.
Palais des Thés
Organic Holiday Black Tea N°25
The Paris tea house's Christmas recipe, called Thé Noir de Noël on the box: organic black tea with orange peel, rose petals, almond, clove and vanilla.
- 20 tea bags, certified organic
- Orange, rose, almond and spices
- Also sold loose and in a tin
What is inside
Black tea from Sri Lanka and India (87%), orange peel, rose petals, flavourings, almond, clove, vanilla and cardamom. Contains almond.
Palais des Thés
Organic Holiday Rooibos N°25
The N°25 recipe on rooibos, with more cinnamon and a little ginger and pepper. The same festive character for evenings.
- 20 tea bags, certified organic
- Cinnamon, orange peel, ginger and clove
- Contains almond
What is inside
Rooibos from South Africa (66%), cinnamon (11%), orange peel (8%), ginger, pepper, clove, cardamom, star anise, rose petals, almond, flavourings and vanilla.
Palais des Thés
Organic Céleste Tea
This year's holiday edition: organic green tea with date, coconut, cocoa husk and roasted chestnut. It smells like a pâtisserie window in December.
- 20 tea bags, certified organic
- Chestnut, date, coconut and vanilla
- Holiday limited edition 2026
What is inside
Green tea from China (51%), date (with rice flour), coconut flakes, cocoa husks, chestnut flakes, cinnamon, natural roasted chestnut, vanilla and fig flavours, rose petals and cornflowers. Contains coconut.
Palais des Thés
Festive Teas Holiday Gift Set
Fifty-four whole-leaf bags across nine teas, among them the whole N°25 family, Céleste and Blue of London, in an illustrated box with Thés des Fêtes on the lid.
- 54 tea bags, nine blends
- Black, green and caffeine-free teas
- New for 2026
What is inside
Six bags each of Organic Céleste Tea, Organic Green, Black, Herbal and Rooibos N°25, Hammam Tea, Grand Jasmin Chun Feng, Tibetan Monks Tea and Blue of London.
Kusmi Tea
Tsarevna Organic
Kusmi's Christmas classic: organic black tea with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, orange peel and vanilla. Rich, sweet-spiced and very Parisian about it.
- 100 g tin of loose tea
- Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and orange
- Certified organic
What is inside
Organic black tea (46%), organic spices (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom) (35%), organic orange peel (8%), organic licorice and natural flavours (vanilla, orange, spice).
Paper & Tea
Winter Light
Organic black tea with cocoa beans, cardamom, cloves and pink pepper, meant to taste of chocolate and speculoos. The Berlin house's striped box does the wrapping.
- 100 g loose leaf, about 25 cups
- Cocoa, cardamom and cloves
- Certified organic, limited edition
What is inside
Organic black tea (34%), cocoa beans (26%), cocoa husk (10%), cardamom (9%), cloves (6%), cinnamon, pink pepper, safflower blossoms and anise.
Paper & Tea
Winter Glow
Elderberry and hibiscus with ginger, orange peel and a natural rum flavour: a deep red, caffeine-free cup that tastes like punch by the fire.
- 100 g loose fruit tea, about 25 cups
- Elderberry, hibiscus and ginger
- Certified organic, limited edition
What is inside
Organic elderberries (38%), hibiscus (34%), ginger (15%), orange peel, beetroot, cinnamon, rose petals, black currants, strawberries, cloves, cardamom, natural rum flavour and natural spice flavours.
Paper & Tea
Winter Tales Set
Paper & Tea's three winter teas in one long box: a white tea with apple and cinnamon, the chocolatey Winter Light and the berry-red Winter Glow.
- Three loose winter teas
- White, black and caffeine-free fruit
- Certified organic, new for 2026
What is inside
Winter Snow (white tea, apple, cinnamon, cardamom), Winter Light (black tea, cocoa, speculoos spices) and Winter Glow (wild berries, spices, orange; caffeine-free).
TeeGschwendner
Christmas Tea No. 999
The house blend Germans know as Weihnachtstee: black tea with orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla, plus popped amaranth for a little crunch in the leaf.
- 100 g loose leaf black tea
- Orange peel, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla
- Sold only October to January
What is inside
Black tea, popped amaranth, orange peel, flavouring, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla pieces. May contain traces of nuts.
TeeGschwendner
White Christmas No. 998
Flavoured white tea that smells of vanilla pastry with a hint of lemon, scattered with puffed rice and cornflowers. Gentle, pale and very pretty in the cup.
- 100 g loose leaf white tea
- Vanilla pastry and lemon notes
- Sold only October to January
What is inside
White tea, puffed rice, flavouring and cornflower blossoms.
Christmas tea gifts we have reviewed in full
Want something we have looked at closely? These boxes have full reviews, with the verdict, the contents and the drawbacks.
Six winter teas in one box
Nordqvist
Nordqvist Winter Tea Collection
The hexagonal Arctic Flavors box: 24 Nordqvist bags across six of the winter teas above, Glögi and Gingerbread Rooibos among them. Half the box is caffeine-free.
If you would rather count down
Nordqvist
Nordqvist Tea Advent Calendar
Nordqvist's advent calendar: 25 doors and 27 cups of tea, with three bags behind the Christmas Eve door. The calendar we rate highest overall.
Superblends for the whole family
Twinings
Twinings Festive Favourites Collection Gift Box
Forty enveloped Twinings bags in eight Superblends, six of them caffeine-free. Easy to leave out for guests to help themselves.
One Christmas recipe, four ways
Palais des Thés
Palais des Thés Organic Holiday Teas N°25 Mini Tins
Palais des Thés' N°25 in black, green, rooibos and herbal versions, in four mini tins. A lovely way to compare one recipe side by side.
The tin is the present
New English Teas
New English Teas Nutcracker Tea Selection Tin
Seventy-two English Breakfast, Afternoon and Earl Grey bags in a Nutcracker tin. Simple tea, very festive packaging. New English Teas says it cannot currently ship to the United States or the EU.
Which Christmas tea for whom
| Who it is for | Look for | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Loves a proper cup of black tea | Spiced black tea, bags or loose | Nordqvist Traditional Christmas Tea |
| Avoids caffeine in the evening | Rooibos or hibiscus base | Nordqvist Gingerbread Rooibos |
| Misses mulled wine | Glögi or mulled spice infusion | Nordqvist Glögi Tea |
| Owns an infuser and a good teapot | Loose leaf with visible spice | Whittard Christmas Tea Cliptop Tin |
| Reads every label | Certified organic blends | Palais des Thés Holiday Black Tea N°25 |
| A whole household | A selection box with several blends | Bird & Blend Christmas Tea Bag Selection |
| A colleague or neighbour | Small, festive and easy to share | New English Teas Nutcracker Classic Tin |
Prices are approximate USD. Follow the retailer link for what it costs today.
Before you wrap it
- Check the base: black and green teas have caffeine, rooibos, hibiscus and fruit do not.
- Look for allergens. Several Christmas blends contain almond, coconut, soy or licorice root.
- Loose leaf needs an infuser or a teapot with a filter. Add one if you are unsure.
- Check that the shop delivers to the recipient, and when its last Christmas posting date is.
- Limited editions sell out. Order from late October if one particular tin matters.
- Pair a single tea with a mug or a tin of biscuits, and it becomes a whole present.
More gift ideas
A single Christmas tea makes a small, thoughtful present. If you want something bigger, our gift set guide covers boxes with several teas, and the gifts by recipient guide matches calendars to the people on your list.
Tea gift sets → Gifts by recipient → All tea gift sets → Secret Santa ideas →
Common questions
What makes a tea a Christmas tea?
Mostly the spice cupboard. Cinnamon, clove, cardamom and orange peel turn up again and again, often on black tea, sometimes with vanilla, almond or ginger. In the Nordic countries the glögi style, hibiscus with mulled wine spices, is just as common. There is no fixed recipe, so two Christmas teas from different houses can taste nothing alike.
Which Christmas teas are caffeine-free?
Anything built on rooibos, hibiscus or fruit. From this list: Nordqvist Glögi Tea, Gingerbread Rooibos and Cranberry-Salted Caramel, Whittard Mulled Wine, Bird & Blend Mulled Cider, Palais des Thés Holiday Rooibos N°25, Paper & Tea Winter Glow and both Rishi botanical blends. Each card flags it.
Tea bags or loose leaf for a Christmas gift?
Bags if you are not sure the person owns an infuser, or if the tea is going to an office. Loose leaf if they already brew properly: the spices and peel are usually visible in the leaf, which makes the tea look as festive as it tastes. Several teas here come in both formats.
Does Nordqvist ship to the US?
Not from its international store. When we checked, nordqvisttea.com shipped to most of Europe, including the UK, Norway, Denmark and Germany, plus Canada and Japan, but not to the US or Sweden. Finland has its own store. US readers will find more choice from Twinings, Rishi, Palais des Thés, DAVIDsTEA and Adagio.
Did you taste every tea on this list?
No. This is a buying guide, not a set of reviews. We read each shop's own product page and ingredient list and checked price and stock on 9 October 2026. The gift boxes and calendars with a Full review button have been reviewed in full; our methodology page explains how.
Keep comparing
This guide is a shortlist. Open the full catalog or the comparison table when you are ready to weigh day counts and prices side by side.
A caddy and a bag assortment
Seasons Greetings in a caddy, and Adagio's Holiday Cheer bags. Both prices are from 25 October 2026.
Adagio Teas
Holiday Cheer
Six varieties of Adagio tea bags in one holiday assortment, listed at $19.
Twinings
Seasons Greetings Loose Tea Caddy
Seasons Greetings as loose tea in a caddy. This is a different tin from the 125 g pouch. The UK shop lists the caddy at £17.
Editorial guide for 2026. Ratings and prices can change with seasonal stock. Affiliate disclosure. Methodology.
