How to Follow Tea Party Etiquette
It is imperative to follow good manners while doing anything, be it attending a function, sitting down for dinner, meeting your partner’s family for the first or fiftieth time, etc. Tea party is no different when it comes to etiquettes. There are certain things that you need to keep in mind and adhere to while you are attending or hosting a tea party. There are manners for nearly everything at a tea party, which range from navigating a table setting to drinking tea, participating in a conversation, or even using the napkin on the table, which a lot of us simply use to wipe our hands clean.
Instructions
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1
One of the most important things for you to learn while attending a tea party is the table setting. While it does not really matter where the dinner table, spoon, forks and knives are positioned when you are eating at home, the positioning of all these items is really specific at a tea party. The dinner plate is always placed in the middle, with two forks placed on its right, whereas two spoons and a knife are placed on the right of the plate. Proper etiquettes suggest that for each course, you should work from the outside in.
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2
Remember to place the tea cup above the knife and spoons on the top right of the dinner plate. Depending on the other dishes that are served, you have some additional crockery on the table as well. Keep in mind that the larger dish is used for sandwiches at a tea party, whereas the smaller dish or a quarter plate is used for desserts.
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3
Do not use the napkin to wipe your hands clean. Do not confuse its purpose with that of a tissue paper. Instead, place it neatly on your lap and unfold it before you start eating. It is there to protect your clothes from getting dirty. Keep in mind that it is not 100 percent effective, so try not to drop anything while eating.
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4
If the tea is not already brewed and you are supplied tea bags instead, remember to dispose of the tea bags properly instead of simply leaving them on the table. A good tea party host will always provide you a small plate for the purpose of putting your used tea bags in.
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5
If the tea party has a serving table set up, wait for your turn instead of reaching over or in front of other guests to help yourself to something.
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6
While conversing with the guests, remember to maintain eye-contact. Talk when it is your turn and listen when others are speaking. Remember that conversation is a two-way process.
