Tea party facts for kids
A tea party is a fun social event that usually happens in the afternoon. For hundreds of years, people all over the world have enjoyed drinking tea with friends and family. Tea parties can be for important business meetings, special celebrations, or just a nice way to relax in the afternoon.
In the past, tea parties served loose leaf tea in a teapot, along with milk and sugar. Many tasty foods were offered too! These included sandwiches, scones, cakes, pastries, and biscuits. They were often arranged on a special tiered stand. The food sometimes changed with the seasons. People might eat more solid foods in winter, and fresh fruits or berries in summer and spring.
Fancy tea parties often use special dishes and silverware. You might see beautiful porcelain or silver cups and plates. Tables are usually set with nice napkins and matching dishes.
Long ago, afternoon tea parties happened very often. Today, they are more like special events. You might find them in restaurants that serve "high tea" in a traditional way.
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A Look Back in Time
Royal Tea Parties
Even queens loved tea parties! It is said that Queen Victoria once ordered lots of treats for a tea party at Buckingham Palace. She asked for 16 chocolate sponges, 12 plain sponges, and 16 fondant biscuits, plus other sweets.
Afternoon tea parties became very popular in big houses during the Victorian and Edwardian times in the United Kingdom. They were also popular in the United States during the Gilded Age, and across Europe. Today, formal tea parties still happen, like the "debutante" teas for young women in some wealthy American communities.
Private Conversations
In the past, servants usually stayed out of the room during tea parties. This was because of strict social rules. It also made the tea party a more private time. An author from the 1700s, Henry Fielding, once joked that "love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea." Not having servants around meant guests could talk freely and share secrets!
Many of the old rules have changed, especially after World War II. It became less common for families to have servants. But afternoon tea is still a great chance for close friends to chat and enjoy a light meal.
Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed certain treats at her tea parties. Her favorite tea cakes were honey and cream sponge and chocolate biscuit cake. Tea sandwiches might have fillings like smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise, or ham and mustard. Sometimes, people served tuna sandwiches without crusts, cut into triangles, with thin slices of cucumber.
"Kettle Drums"
"Kettle drums" were a type of informal tea party that started in the 1700s and 1800s. These were large afternoon gatherings where guests came and went as they pleased. People would mix, chat, and enjoy tea, chocolate, lemonade, cakes, and sandwiches. Guests were expected to dress nicely, but not too formally.
Some people thought the name "kettle drum" came from British army officers' wives in India. They supposedly used kettle drums as tables for their tea parties in army camps. Another idea is that "kettle drum" was a mix of "drum" (old slang for a lively party) and "kettle" for the tea.
Tea Party Manners
The rules for tea party manners have changed over time and in different places. In the early 1900s, manners were very important. There were strict rules for how men and women should behave at tea parties.
Some of the manners noted in the 1800s and 1900s included:
- Be patient.
- Control your temper.
- Do not speak when you are angry.
- Sometimes, being quiet is better than speaking.
Kids' Tea Parties
Young children often host their own tea parties! Their guests might be stuffed animals, dolls, real friends, imaginary friends, and family members. These parties are all about fun and imagination.
Alice's Mad Tea-Party
In Lewis Carroll's famous book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice goes to a very strange tea party. Her hosts are the March Hare, the Hatter, and a sleepy Dormouse. The Dormouse stays asleep for most of the party!
The other characters ask Alice many riddles and tell her stories. One famous riddle is 'Why is a raven like a writing desk?' The Hatter explains that they have tea all day long. This is because Time has punished him, so it is always 6 pm (tea time) for them. Alice gets annoyed and tired of all the riddles. She leaves, saying it was the silliest tea party she had ever been to.
Tea Parties Around the World
- Yum cha is like a Chinese tea party. It usually happens in a restaurant. People drink tea and eat small dishes called dim sum.
- In Germany, they have "Kaffeeklatsch." This means "coffee gossip." It's an afternoon get-together, often for friends, where they drink coffee or tea, eat cakes, and chat.
