Tea time: then and now
As we travel further down the historical road of tea, we discover the traditions and delights that tea has offered humanity. Not only was it a medicinal beverage known to heal ailments of all kinds, but it has long been at the center of gatherings and community. Most widely known in England as the time of day to sit and chat with family and friends, “tea time” is a sacred daily ritual that has been adopted by so many cultures around the world. Now, let’s pause to acknowledge that the spread of “tea time” was also partially due to colonization. Tea has its dark history as well, you see. But it was a chance to gather and revive ones’ self in the presence of friends in its earliest form.
During the 1880s upper-class and society women would wear their finest clothes for tea time which was between 4 and 5 o’clock.
Tea time originated in the 1800’s in England and quickly spread across the globe. Its roots can be traced back to the Duchess of Bedford, Anna, who found herself experiencing a "sinking feeling" in the late afternoon. To combat this, she began indulging in a light meal with tea. What began as a simple private indulgence soon caught the attention of the high society in England, who adopted the ritual as a fashionable social gathering. As tea became more accessible and affordable, the concept of afternoon tea spread to a wider audience and eventually became a part of the English identity.
Today, tea time is an elegant and leisurely practice, providing an opportunity for relaxation, intimate conversations, and a delightful assortment of pastries, scones, and sandwiches. It remains a beloved custom that transcends cultures and continues to be a symbol of refinement and hospitality.
I don’t have time for all this, but I want a meaningful pause in my day regardless. What can we do?
But how can we possibly translate that into the modern human’s busy schedule that still needs an energy boost and relationship-enriching break in the middle of the day? The pomp and splendor of tea-times of old are not practical as most of us don’t have time to gather with our besties in our prom dresses over pastries in normal life. If it involves invitations and handmade doilies, it’s inaccessible to the rest of us.
I propose that meaningful breaks with besties must be more practical. Personally, I carry a sachet or two of black tea in every purse. Hot water isn’t that hard to come by, and while I’ve had to get creative, it’s worth it for the moment that tea creates. You really can’t drink hot tea while running and I find that one tiny element of something small and sweet can change it from just a hot cup of tea to “tea time” so I like to add a little shortbread to my tea time. I’m not British so this is just me, but when I lived in China and missed the college tea times I would have with my roommate, I would hit the international grocery stores which usually carried a Walker shortbread cookie or some form of LornaDoones. Or learn to make your own shortbread cookies here.
These days, tea keeps me from over-caffeinating in the afternoon. With every passing year, I’ve realized I can’t do the cup of coffee after dinner without sacrificing sleep till 2am. So I switched to tea in the evening for a long while. Then, as I was doing tests for sleep apnea to figure out why I was so tired all the time, I realized that evening cup of black tea might be the culprit. So, for me, tea time is truly the last hours of the day that I can drink a good black tea. Any later than 5pm and I’m up past midnight.
Whether it’s a mug at your desk, a cuppa on your porch, a bubble tea with friends in the park, or an iced tea in the car on the way to pick up the kids; let tea time into your life. It’s the ritual you’ve been missing.
