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Is Tea Time still observed in Britian?
Question
#18141. Asked by Socrates. (Apr 09 02 11:02 PM)
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Jeeves
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In the normal week most people tend to have dinner when they get home from work in the early evening. In my family we still try to have high tea at the weekend or during holidays, though I suspect it is far less common than it was.
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mk2norwich
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High Tea, once a popular mid-afternoon ritual among the upper classes here in Britain, is virtually extinct now.
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Jeeves
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Tea time was not limited to the upper classes (though their's was probably higher). Working class people had tea which consisted of sandwiches and cake (and tea, of course) with thick bread for the sandwiches to make them more filling. The cakes were usually home made and much better than modern bought ones. The era I am referring to is the 1950s when far fewer women had full-time jobs and the main meal of the day was eaten around one o'clock, either at home or in the school/factory canteen.
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mibmob
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A friend took me to the Savoy for tea for my birthday. It was a smaishing experience, with comfy chairs and a pianist playing songs form the shows. A waiter brought as many sandwiches (no crusts and traditional fillings like ham and english mustard) as you wanted, and then there were very dinky cakes - an eclair the size of my little finger! You could also have had a cream tea instead which is clotted cream, scones and jam. There were lashings of good hot tea - and the place was full of tourists!
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Jack Flash
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I have a feeling that High Tea still exists in Scotland. It certainly did when I was in lodgings in Edinburgh in the mid-1970s. As far as tea time itself is concerned, this has not altogether died out in England. I have friends in Somerset who still indulge (if that's the right term) in the practice, and my mother and her circle of friends in North Dorset were certainly still having tea time in the 1980s. But with the passing of that generation, and the pressure of work nowadays, I suspect most people now have their main meal of the day in the evening and tea time has largely disappeared.
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Socrates
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This is one area I think you Brits have us Yanks beat. Tea Time must be Wonderful!!! It's a real shame if its dying out.
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mk2norwich
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Growing up as one of the lower class in Britain, an average day would include Breakfast, Dinner, which was actually a midday lunch break, and Tea, the evening meal. This was different from the afternoon 'high tea' that we've discussed so far.
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Socrates
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Oh...what you call Dinner in Britian we call Lunch.
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Son of The Household Cavalry
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We Brits call it lunch as well but at school we had lunch in the canteen 'manned' by 'dinner ladies'. No wonder we get confused
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Lily
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Many people here in the north of England still refer to breakfast, dinner and tea, and food eaten later in the evening is sometimes called supper,although this is not common now as people are eating their main meal later, as more wives are working.'lunch' and 'dinner' in that order is much more middle class usage around here. There's a thought for you Socrates, ask about class here in Britain if you want a real debate!
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cocomojoe
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I agree with you 100 percent about the shame of Brittain losing tea time. It was a definite advantage you had over us yanks.
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