High Tea is an English custom dating back to a few years before Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne in 1837. Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, felt a “sinking” feeling around four o’clock each afternoon, and supper was not served until eight o’clock in the evening. She devised an elegant and hospitable way to stave off hunger and entertain guests by serving tea, small sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream, cakes, biscuits, and more. After Lady Anna became one of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting and shared her afternoon repast, women all over the nation began to serve high (meaning substantial or “meaty”) tea. From poor farmers all the way up to the residents of Buckingham Palace, English people everywhere stopped their labors at a set hour in the afternoon for a brief, refreshing teatime, which truly became the most popular meal for many families.
During the retreat we host a beautiful Queen’s Tea in the ballroom at Callaway Gardens, complete with Darjeeling tea, double cream,
scones, tarts, sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and china teacups each attendee can take home. We encourage you to come dressed beautifully for this delightful occasion, which is also an old Southern tradition. Tea hats are optional (we do love our hats in the South!), but take the time to have fun preparing for this lovely, old-fashioned event designed to foster hospitality and friendship.
We always look forward to gathering for tea, sharing timeless traditions, and learning together what it means to serve others with delight!
For more information on teatime traditions, be sure to visit the links below: