Why tea is the perfect Valentine gift Saint Valentine of Rome may have died in the 3rd century but his legacy of love lives on… in tea, explains Adeline Teoh. Whether you believe Saint Valentine was a martyr because he performed outlawed marriages in secret, helped separated lovers exchange messages or simply died at the right time – around the Feast of Lupercalia, the pagan festival of love – it’s undeniable that the 14th of February has become a day to celebrate love. But there’s more to Valentine’s Day than roses and chocolate and heart-shaped everything. The most Valentine of all gifts is tea – and here’s why. While roses steal the spotlight as the flower of love, camellias are no less deserving of the title. Throughout the ages, camellias have been used to represent everything from desire to steadfast love across different cultures. In Victorian England, receiving a camellia meant the sender thought you were adorable, whereas in Korea, camellias are wedding flowers that symbolise faithfulness and longevity. Pink camellias are supposed to indicate longing and red camellias passion or desire, whereas a combination of red and pink camellias expresses romantic love. Enough about the flower, what about the leaves we all brew and love? Some of you may have heard of the five languages of love, which can all be expressed through tea: - Words of affirmation: Instead of ‘going for coffee’, ask someone on a date by saying “Let’s share some tea”. Or, if you’re happily partnered, offering tea or praising a good cuppa is just as loving.
- Acts of service: Making someone a cup of tea, need I say more?
- Gifting: Give tea or teaware. You can go the extra mile by finding something personal – a rare tea, a custom blend, a special accessory.
- Quality time: Tea up an extra long sipping session with your loved one. You know it’s not just about the tea but time you share.
- Physical touch: They say a cup of tea is like a hug so if your love is long distance, tea is a potential substitute. (If you’re hugging in real life though, don’t do it with a hot cup of tea in your hands.)
If all else fails, you could always send Hunan dark rose tea and cover all your bases? (Below: Hunan dark tea blended with roses. Photo credit: www.teasource.com) |
|
|
FAQs Where and when is AUSTCS 2019?
AUSTCS 2019 will be held at The Old Woolstore in Hobart over 7-8 September 2019. Are there earlybird discounts to AUSTCS 2019?
Yes – until 31 March 2019 or for the first 25 tickets sold (whichever comes first). Please note the regular price is $250. You must first log in as a member and then head to the Buy Tickets page for the member discount to activate. If you are a member but have not received your login details, you can request them. Who is an AUSTCS member?
AUSTCS members are those delegates who attended the seminar in 2018, as well as anyone who has signed up and paid for membership on our website. If you attended AUSTCS 2017 but not AUSTCS 2018, your membership has expired. You can renew it on our membership page. |
|
|
Above: Statue of Shennong in Hunan province, China. Photo by David Lyons. |
|
|
AUSTCS lauded at international seminar In October 2018, AUSTCS founding director David Lyons represented Australia at the 15th International Tea Culture Seminar. The International Tea Culture Seminar is a biennial event hosted by the China International Tea Cultural Institute (CITCI) that attracts thousands of delegates from around China and the world. The event is a great opportunity for delegates to engage in conversation around tea culture, form relationships with like-minded organisations and develop a greater understanding of the global tea community. Hosted by Hunan province and held in Chaling County in the city of Zhuzhou, the 2018 seminar featured a series of events, from small group tea-drinking sessions to the first Tea Ancestors Festival, which took place on the top of a mountain home to an enormous statue of Shennong, the ‘father of tea’ himself. CITCI President Zhou Guofu shone a spotlight on us when he congratulated new countries engaging with tea culture, singling out Australia and AUSTCS for recognition. David reports that many conversations he had with other delegates centred on Australia as an up-and-coming market for tea, a place of innovation and a country which could potentially grow more tea than it presently does. At the CITCI Members Meeting, similar in form to an Annual General Meeting, President Zhou outlined the following as future areas of focus for the organisation. - Innovation in tea culture to be developed through tertiary institutions, with potential connection with tourism, cuisine and ceramics.
- How tea culture could be introduced into workplaces and schools/universities.
- Social media and its far-reaching opportunities.
- For tea businesses and cultural advocates to investigate opportunities with the food industry, in particular researchers and businesses, to find ways in which tea can be utilised by this sector.
- To consider ways in which tea and tea culture can be taken into households through video production, for example tea craft competitions and Tea 101 segments on platforms like YouTube.
While Australia has a vastly different tea-drinking market to China, it is interesting to see how similar some of our issues are. We look forward to connecting with other cultures around the world to exchange ideas and try different solutions. |
|
|
|
|
