An Afternoon Tea Party is suitable for many celebrations. When you'd like to host a party that isn't as involved as a dinner party, a tea party can be the answer. It's an ideal format for a bridal or baby shower, a retirement party, a birthday celebration, or time to catch up with good friends. The food is prepared before your guests arrive, and is either presented buffet style, or by passing plates of goodies at the table. The only thing you need to serve is the tea itself, leaving you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your guests. Your guest list can include dozens of people or only one good friend with whom you'd like to share an intimate conversation. It can be a very formal affair as you'll find at some of the more elegant hotels, or it can be as casual as a pot of tea and some cookies.

The modern high tea is more closely related to afternoon tea. Light sandwiches, likewatercress or fish paste may be offered. Even bread and butter sandwiches are quite popular.Scones and clotted cream are common in today’s high tea, and cakes, pastries, petit fours, or a number of other dessert items, even cookies, can make up a high tea. When scones and clotted cream are served, high tea might also be called cream tea.

Even in England, where having afternoon tea was traditional, an elaborate cream tea is usually for special events only. Sometimes afternoon tea is a weekend meal, or one might go to a hightea or afternoon tea at a restaurant, teashop, or hotel. When restaurants outside of the UK feature high tea, they are usually referring to afternoon or cream tea, and will feature many fancy cakes or pastries in addition to finger sandwiches.

In the UK, it still may be common to have a quick snack and a cup of tea at 4pm as a little restorative. Especially with children arriving home from school at about this time, an afternoon snack is usually fairly desirable. High tea, as it is now used, would not be regularly served and might only occur on weekends, at parties, or on special occasions

Whatever your reason for hosting your next tea party, enjoy a cup for me!