afternoon tea: is it still done?

[piperdbh]

Does the custom of afternoon tea (with a few light refreshments) still happen in the UK, or is it a relic of the past? There are some traditions which people continue, and some get left behind, and I'm wondering which category tea-time falls into. Thanks for your replies.

[sydnie7]

I kow that when checking into a B&B in the afternoon, we were almost always offered tea and biscuits (cookies to us). It was a very pleasant way to relax after a day's driving, sightseeing, etc. Of course, the 5-liter box of wine we pulled from our luggage didn't hurt, either

[English Bloke]

In the working world there is usually a ten to fifteen minute tea break around three-ish. It's hardly cream scones, doilies and bone china though. Now-a-days outside of this, I'd say no. Most people are too busy in their own time sorting admin and running families to stop for formal tea. It's still guite big in Germany though.

[English Bloke]

In the North, "Tea time" is dinner time everywhere else. Families sit down for "tea" which is not tea at all but a proper hot meal for everybody in the evening. It's either eaten on laps in front of the tele (god forbid, but it is... ) or eaten as a family sitting at the table where discussion covers everybody's antics during the day. It is served anytime between 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock, although 7 o'clock is pushing it away from "tea" and towards "dinner", if you know what I mean. Allegedly posh folks eat later than working folks.

Incidentally, also in the North, "dinner" is lunch, ie the mid-day meal. Confused yet?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I think afternoon tea is something of a relic left over from a more elegant and well-mannered age. At home (here in Virginia, or "back home" in Ireland) tea could range from a few McVitties Biscuits and some Berry's Tea poured from a big brown tea pot into thick mugs, to dragging out the silver, making loads of finger sandwiches and sipping Earl Gray from grannies china. No mater what the degree of formality, however, our tiny household comes to a complete stop every afternoon at "tea time".

[piperdbh]

Incidentally, also in the North, "dinner" is lunch, ie the mid-day meal. Confused yet?

Coincidentally, in the southern Appalachians, some folks refer to the midday meal as "dinner" and the evening meal as "supper", while just a few miles away other folks eat "lunch" at noon and have "dinner" after work in the evening. So, if somebody invites you over for "dinner", you might ought to find out what time they expect you.

Thanks for the replies so far.

[Bugbear]

I know some people, living out here, from the UK who have tea in the afternoon.

I wasn't raised with that tradition, we had ice tea at no particular time in the afternoon. I can still hear the ice rattling in glasses.

[BoldHighlander]

Coincidentally, in the southern Appalachians, some folks refer to the midday meal as "dinner" and the evening meal as "supper", while just a few miles away other folks eat "lunch" at noon and have "dinner" after work in the evening. So, if somebody invites you over for "dinner", you might ought to find out what time they expect you.

Having been raised by transplanted Missourian's (SW Ozarks), I tend to amuse folks around here when I refer to dinner as "supper" (I guess I'm viewed as quaint ).
We did/do still use the term "lunch" for the noon day meal however

We don't necessarily do "tea" around here, but there is a "formal"/traditional tea shop here in Old Fairhaven that I have been planning to visit in the near future.

[Galician]

Coincidentally, in the southern Appalachians, some folks refer to the midday meal as "dinner" and the evening meal as "supper", while just a few miles away other folks eat "lunch" at noon and have "dinner" after work in the evening. So, if somebody invites you over for "dinner", you might ought to find out what time they expect you.

I was taught that dinner is the main meal of the day. That's why we in the U.S.A. have it in the evening, while in the Old World it is traditionally eaten at midday. This accounts for various things like the custom of the siesta and the Last Supper.

[highland mafia]

I was raised by Northern Irish parents. All be it in Canada. We always called "dinner" Tea. I remember as a kid my friends thought that was pretty funny stuff. Then again when I first started school all the kids at school used to make me say "How now brown cow". All to great amusement!.

But now a days I have followed suit and call it dinner.. My wife and I do try to have a cuppa around 3 or 4 on weekends..She is English and only moved when we were married.