The Rules of Etiquette Regarding an Afternoon Tea

One of the newest ways of entertaining for showers, parties, business meetings, and just friendly gatherings is to have an Afternoon Tea.  Many people find themselves at a loss to know exactly what the proper etiquette or attire is to attend one of these events.  Naturally the reason for the event will dictate attire, but the rules regarding the etiquette should be the same no matter what the reason for the Tea.  

The first rule is dependent upon the situation. If it is a gathering where everyone knows each other, this rule is irrelevant.  That is because the first rule is to introduce yourself to other attendees.  Tea is a communal experience and therefore it requires that you meet at least some of the other people in attendance.  In a large gathering that is obviously not practical, but you should go up to people, introduce yourself, and unless they have their hands full of teacups and plates, you should shake hands.  If you do not know what to use as a conversation starter, you can always talk about the Tea party itself as an ice breaker.  Some subjects to avoid are the usual politics, religion, and controversial subjects.  You should also never ask a person what they "do."  Nor should you ask personal questions.  You can ask about hobbies, what books they have recently read, what movies they have seen, what sports they may enjoy or follow - things of that nature. A helpful hint to remembering someone's name is to try to repeat it a few times by inserting it into your conversation as you are speaking to the person.  Another memory device is to associate something about the person with the name.  It may take a couple of steps to make the association, but you will be surprised how helpful it will be.