· By Improper Co.
Funny Tea Gifts That Are Actually Good to Drink
A funny tea gift that is actually good is a real tea with a rude name: something you can laugh at when it is unwrapped and still want to drink on a Tuesday. At Improper Co. every one of our 20 teas has a cheeky or sweary name and a listed set of ingredients, and most come with tasting notes, at $12.95 a pouch. Add one of our incense boxes at $10.99 and you have a funny tea and incense gift for $23.94, well under $30.
Below: how to tell a gag from a tea worth drinking, which names are safe for the office, the pairings we would give, and the practical bits (caffeine, cups per pouch, brewing, shipping).
What is a funny tea gift that is actually good to drink?
It is a tea where the joke lives on the label and the flavour lives in the cup. Our line, in our own words: life is too short to take anything too seriously. The teas themselves are black, green, herbal, herb and fruit, and rooibos blends, with tasting notes on most product pages. A few to start with:
- 50 Shades of Earl Grey: black tea, malt and vanilla.
- Chai Me A River: black tea with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, clove and nutmeg; tasting notes read "chai sugar cookie".
- Adulting Sucks: black tea with candy ginger and peach notes.
- Cozy AF: rooibos with ginger and cinnamon, caffeine-free, tasting like a cinnamon bun.
- Fuck Off!: black tea with strawberry and lemon notes.
What makes a joke tea worth drinking and not just a gag?
Three things to check before you buy any novelty tea, ours included:
- The ingredients are listed. If a product page will not tell you what is in the pouch, the name is doing all the work. Every Improper Co. tea page lists its ingredients.
- There are tasting notes, not just a punchline. "Malt, vanilla" or "lemon, sage" tells the person what they will actually taste.
- You can tell whether it has caffeine. Each of our teas is tagged caffeine or caffeine-free, so you can match it to someone who drinks tea at night or only in the morning.
We source teas from highly reputable suppliers around the world, all part of the Ethical Tea Partnership, and all of our teas are packaged and shipped from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Is a sweary tea OK to give a coworker?
It depends on the office, so pick the name for the room. Our names range from mild to fully uncensored. A rough guide:
| Office-safe names | Better for after hours |
|---|---|
| Inbox Insanity (herbal, caffeine-free) | Wake the Fuck Up (black, caffeine) |
| Adulting Sucks (black, caffeine) | Fuck Off! (black, caffeine) |
| Shut Up & Zen (green, caffeine; refreshing watermelon) | Fuckin' Hot Mess (green, caffeine; juicy raspberries) |
| Chai Me A River (black, caffeine) | Calm the F Down (green, caffeine; lemon and sage) |
| Pucker Up, Buttercup! (herb and fruit, caffeine-free; zesty lemon, sweet mango) | B*tch, Be Balanced (green, caffeine; floral, earthy) |
Inbox Insanity is the obvious desk gift: the name is the joke, and the name has no swear word in it. If you know the person well and the team swears freely, the right-hand column lands harder.
What is a funny tea and incense gift for under $30?
One tea pouch and one incense box. Our Japanese-style incense comes as a box of 20 sticks (15 cm) with a holder, and each stick burns for 20 to 25 minutes. Prices below are in CAD as listed on improperco.com.
| Pairing | What is in it | Total |
|---|---|---|
| The cozy one | Cozy AF tea + Chai Scented Laziness incense (sandalwood) | $23.94 |
| The desk one | Inbox Insanity tea + Aromatic Ass-Kicker incense (jasmine) | $23.94 |
| The date-night one | Single AF tea (sweet strawberries) + Light Up, Get Down incense (rose) | $23.94 |
| Add a sticker | Any pairing above + a sassy sticker pack | $27.93 |
Sticker packs are $3.99 and the stickers are waterproof, glossy and dishwasher safe, so they go on a mug or water bottle. One honest limit: incense is something people burn at home, so if the gift is for a shared office, the tea is the part they will use at their desk.
Shopping for more than one person? Two teas, one incense box and a sticker pack come to $40.88, which passes the $40 mark for free shipping.
Which funny teas are caffeine-free?
Seven of our 20 teas are tagged caffeine-free: the herbal, herb and fruit, and rooibos blends.
- Sleepy As Sh*t (herbal; citrus, cooling)
- Inbox Insanity (herbal; earthy, citrus, cooling)
- Sick As Shit (herbal)
- Shitty Day (herbal; tart berries)
- Pucker Up, Buttercup! (herb and fruit; zesty lemon, sweet mango)
- Cozy AF (rooibos; cinnamon bun)
- Hungover As Hell (rooibos; smooth, fresh, creamy)
Note that Ray Of F'in Sunshine is herbal but contains mate and is tagged caffeine. The whole list is on our caffeine-free collection.
How many cups are in one pouch, and how do you brew it?
One pouch makes about 20 to 24 cups, depending on the tea. To brew, heat water to 208 to 212 F, scoop one portion of the tea leaves into a tea filter or infuser, and steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
If the person has nothing to brew with, our 32 oz Tea Infusion/Water Bottle ($19.99) has a detachable tea strainer and keeps drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12.
Does Improper Co. ship to Canada and the US?
Yes. The store sells in Canada (CAD) and the United States (USD), and shipping is free on orders past $40.
FAQ
Are funny teas just a gag gift?
Ours are not meant to be. Each Improper Co. tea lists its ingredients, most list tasting notes, and one pouch makes about 20 to 24 cups, so the joke lasts a few weeks of mornings.
What is a good funny tea gift for a coworker?
Inbox Insanity or Adulting Sucks are funny without a swear word in the name. Pair either with an incense box for $23.94, or add a sticker pack for $27.93.
How much is an Improper Co. tea?
Every tea is $12.95 a pouch. Incense boxes are $10.99, sticker packs $3.99, and the 32 oz infusion bottle is $19.99.
Do you have a caffeine-free funny tea?
Yes, seven of them, including Cozy AF, Pucker Up, Buttercup! and Inbox Insanity. Each tea is tagged caffeine or caffeine-free on its product page.
Where can I see all the teas?
The full range is on our tea collection, with ingredients on each product page.