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International Tea Day is an annual feast celebrated on December 15. Is there anything that will make the snowy chill winter season into a warmer climate other than a cup of tea? Of course, nothing can stand before tea, and no other beverage can make you feel the warmth. Tea is the most popular drink from all over the world and is usually served hot. A tea kettle in hand and sipping it would never be compensated by any other drink. International Tea Day is observed to draw the attention of the government and public to the problems besetting tea production and how tea plantations, small tea growers, and consumers are affected by the global tea trade. Hence, it is not yet another Day to excuse yourself from having a cup of tea. Rather, it is a Day to think about the problems faced by the tea plantation and the impacts of the global tea trade.
“Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities will always be the favorite beverage of the intellectual.” – Thomas de Quincey
History of International Tea Day
In 2005, International Tea Day was first observed. Since then, the Day has been celebrated in tea-producing countries from all over the world. It includes Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam. Although the idea for establishing this Day existed for many years, it was not made into action earlier than 2004. After the initial discussions held at the World Social Forum in 2004, the first observance of International Tea Day was celebrated in New Delhi in 2005. It was organized in Sri Lanka in the following year and 2008. The trade union movements have jointly organized the celebration Day and the related Global Tea Conferences.
International Tea Day aims to raise the global attention of governments and citizens about the impacts of the global tea trade. The Day also brings out the problems faced by the workers and growers. With the observance, the Day also aims to link the requests for price support and fair trade. The impact of the global tea trade falls on the workers of the tea plantations, small producers, and consumers. The Indian government in 2015 had proposed expanding the observance of this Day through the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. With the World Trade Organization commodity policies, world trade in tea is beholding some significant changes. Under the compulsions of WTO, the structure of the global tea trade commodity provides an absolute advantage to both the transnational brands and the retailers in the trade.
With WTO compulsions, eliminating tariffs and importing tea from other countries would largely diminish the commodity rates of tea in the producing countries. All these have created a situation where without increasing the demand for tea, global commodity prices have been pushed further downwards. As a result, tea gardens get abandoned. Thus enabling global brands to purchase tea at the lowest possible prices. It is a perfect day for anyone who loves tea to show their gratitude and appreciation to those involved in planting, processing, and delivering this excellent beverage to everyone globally.
Other Celebrations on December 15
December 15 is also celebrated as
- National Cat Herders Day
- National Lemon Cupcake Day
- National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
- National Underdog Day
How to Celebrate International Tea Day
Celebrating International Tea Day is quite simple. Firstly you have to drink a cup of tea with your friends and family. You can add some ginger and cinnamon to make it tastier. Next, you can discuss the problems faced by tea plantations, producers, and consumers. Participate in various exhibitions conducted by the ITD as a form of dedication to tea and gather useful information. You can even visit the nearest hill station where tea is grown. Ask the people who are working there about their problems. Tell people around you about your visit to the tea plantation and the information you have gathered. You can even share it on social media this Day using the hashtag #InternationalTeaDay.
Thank you for reading the post. You can celebrate every day with Happydays365.org and Happy International Tea Day 2023.