Taking place between the 13th and 14th of April, Sinhala and Tamil New Year is one of Sri Lanka’s most important cultural holidays. Known as Aluth Avurudu in Sinhala and Puthandu in Tamil, the holiday marks the end of the harvest season, with the sun moving from Pisces to Aries. Sinhala and Tamil New Year is steeped in tradition and rituals, but at its core, the holiday represents spending time with your family and loved ones.
There are a few things many people look forward to during this holiday; the traditional Avurudu games, new clothes in the auspicious colours, visits to relatives’ homes, and of course the delicious Avurudu spread. Plates piled high with various delicacies cover the table. From milk rice and an assortment of curries to traditional sweet treats like aasmi, kavum, kokis; enjoy a spectacle of colour and flavour.
However, in the midst of all this, you are almost guaranteed to spot a humble cup of Ceylon tea. A cup of tea is not only incredibly flavourful, but it is also undeniably comforting– perfectly capturing the essence of the holiday. Here are 5 teas to gift your loved ones that make wonderful new year gifts.
Black Tea
You can never go wrong with gifting a box of black tea. It comes as no surprise that black tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, a close second after water. From full-bodied English Breakfast tea to the crimson-hued Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings tea, there is an endless variety of black teas for you to enjoy!
On Avurudu it is customary to offer your visitors a cup of tea and something to eat for the occasion. Having a tin of black tea will always be beneficial. If you’re thinking of gifting a loved one some tea, we suggest the Premium BOPF tea or Zesta Real Ceylon Tea.
An Assortment of Teas
Or perhaps, you can’t choose from the wide variety of teas and herbal infusions available. In these instances, an assortment of teas is the perfect gift as it allows the recipient of the gift to try several new flavours and types of tea. An excellent gift option is this assortment of flavoured teas, which contains six fruit and spice flavoured tea bags. Flavoured teas are made when essential oils from fruits, spices, herbs, and other aromatics are infused with the tea leaves, resulting in an endless list of fun tea flavours! From peach, ginger, cinnamon & apple. This is a wonderful gift for Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Green Tea
Another tea-lightful gift option is green tea. Nowadays green tea has become a household name and is almost surpassing the popularity of black tea! Made from the unoxidised leaves of the Camellia Sinensis, this tea has a delicate flavour and has a more herbaceous aroma. This is one of the best teas to gift someone for the new year as green tea contains a myriad of health benefits. Similar to black tea, there are quite a few variants of green tea. Choose from a tin of classic green tea or be adventurous with a flavoured green tea. Infused with aromatics such as jasmine flowers or peppermint and lemon, gives the tea a refreshing twist.
Also, drinking green tea helps boost metabolism– ideal after gorging on the new year feast!
Earl Grey
Earl Grey tea is undoubtedly one of the world’s most popular teas and is a lovely gift option if the recipient is an avid tea drinker. Despite its popularity, the tea is often mistaken for being its own category of tea, when in reality it is a flavoured tea! Named after the second Earl of Grey, a former British Prime Minister, this tea is a black tea infused with the oil of bergamot, a vibrant citrus fruit. A full-bodied tea with a dark orange hue, Earl Grey has a unique flavour with a malty aftertaste combined with the faintest notes of citrus. If you are entertaining your relatives for Avurudu, serve them this Mahagama Earl Grey Martini, which is a refreshing Earl Grey based iced tea served with orange and lime juice. While the recipe calls for gin, you can omit the alcohol for a more child-friendly option.
Zesta Wellness Range
What better gift is there to give this new year other than the gift of health? Our Wellness Range consists of a collection of the very best herbal teas, each crafted for a specific function. From helping your sleep better to burning fat, this range can help you achieve just about anything. Other options include this Refresh wellness infusion is made from peppermint leaves and is a great morning pick-me-up, especially the day after the festivities, and our Immune Boost infusion made from a variety of spices.
Fun Fact: Did you know that it is incorrect to call these blends herbal tea or infusion tea? Yes, the term tea is exclusively used for products that originate from the Camellia Sinensis tea bush. Instead, these herbal infusions are made from various aromatic herbs and flowers such as peppermint and chamomile.
Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a time for spreading love and spending time with loved ones. There is truly no better way to spread the cheer and set the mood than gathering with your loved ones around a pot of Zesta Ceylon tea. Get gif-tea-ing today!
