I think I understand why everyone loves going out for Afternoon Tea.  It’s not the food, tea, the friends gathered around the table with the latest gossip.    Dinner gatherings, cocktail parties, brunch dates all have delicious sweets and savories; trendy and delicious drinks; and family and friends to enjoy them with.  I believe, without a doubt, it’s the elegant, yet relaxed, loveliness of the event.  And the feeling of being spoiled.  We seemed to have lost that in our lives.

Hear me out.  We have become so casual that we dress the same whether we are picking up fast food through a drive through or enjoying fine dining in a classy restaurant.   And in between, our lives are filled with throw away plates, cups, napkins, and flatware.    Bring out the best dishes for meals?  Can’t be bothered.  Too much work.  And yet we humans crave beauty, order, and whimsy.

Afternoon tea seems to fill this void.  It is an oasis – a step out of the whirlwind into a more elegant time.   It is a chance to dress up.   I think it is the one social occasion that you can’t overdress for!  Real china, cloth napkins, and teapots filled with real tea.  Dainty sandwiches and scrumptious pastries decorated with flowers.  And of course, scones lusciously topped with jam and clotted cream.

Still don’t see it?   The next time you entertain, put out a plate of little cupcakes and next to them the same cupcakes with a flower piped on top.  I guarantee that almost everyone will reach for the cupcake with the flower!   We can’t help it.  The magpie in us finds joy in the prettiness of the flower.

I try to make a magpie moment every day for myself.  It is early morning before the day starts.  My favorite little china tea pot covered in pink rose buds filled with my favorite loose leaf tea.  Served in a matching cup and saucer with a piece of toast to nibble on.  A mug and tea bag could not feel this luxurious!  Before emails, phone calls, requests on my time, work (yes, vey early) – this is my oasis.