The Different Types of Tea Parties

The art of having tea, and it is an art if done properly, is something that is common and understood in places like Great Britain, but here in America we have lost the knowledge of what that means.  One of the things that is completely misunderstood, is the different types of Tea "Parties" that one can have.  Many hotels are now offering what they call "Afternoon Tea" at lunch time, and they offer a full course luncheon menu replete with soup, entrees, etc.  This is not an Afternoon Tea.  It is what I term a "Luncheon Tea", for lack of a better title, as it is really luncheon with tea as the beverage.  Some call what is really an "Afternoon Tea" by the name of "High Tea", which is really a full meal, not a light repast.  To alleviate these common misnomers, I am going to list some commonly known Teas (meaning parties as opposed to the beverage) and what they encompass in the way of food. Naturally tea is the preferred beverage of choice, however a good hostess always offers an alternative beverage such as coffee or hot chocolate, or with iced tea the companion beverage tends to be lemonade. To the established Teas, I have included some new Teas which are making their way into American Tea Rooms or people's homes. These new Teas have no established name, therefore I am giving them my own name for ease of communication.  I will designate the Teas that I have named with asterisks to differentiate them from the well-known types.