Tea Etiquette

Etiquette when attending a tea party

• Greeting/handshake

• After sitting down - put purse on lap or behind you against chair back

• Napkin placement - unfold napkin on your lap, if you must leave temporarily place napkin on chair.

• Sugar/lemon - sugar is placed in cup first, then thinly sliced lemon and never milk and lemon together.

• Milk goes in after tea - much debate over it, but according to Washington School of Protocol, milk goes in last. The habit of putting milk in tea came from the French. “To put milk in your tea before sugar is to cross the path of love, perhaps never to marry.” (Tea superstition)

• The correct order when eating on a tea tray is to eat savories first, scones next and sweets last. 

• Scones - split horizontally with knife, curd and cream is placed on plate. Use the knife to put cream/curd on each bite. Eat with fingers neatly.

• Proper placement of spoon -  the spoon always goes behind cup, also don’t leave the spoon in the cup.

• Proper holding of cup - do not put your pinky “up”, this is not correct. A guest should look into the teacup when drinking — never over it.