The Chinese New Year is Monday, February 8 and the Chinese New Year is always festive. On February 8, this will be the year of the Monkey. In keeping with the theme, I recommend having a tea party. The tea selection for the party: Monkey picked Oolong in celebration of the Year of the Monkey. The legend is that centuries ago, Buddhist monks trained monkeys to gather tea leaves from the tops of wild tea plants for the Chinese Emperor. Since the legend still exits, the term “Monkey Picked” tea refers to very high quality tea. My favorite tea blend is Monkey Picked Oolong/Golden Monkey Black Tea/Dragon Fruit Devotion herbal tea . This tea is great for a celebratory moment and a happy New Year! The broad leaves explode with flavor and aroma. Yes, a quality tea should have an extraordinary aroma. Delight your friends and family with this fun tea service and don’t forget to tuck a little surprise gift money into the red Chinese New Year envelopes! © Kelly McBride Loft