Our English High Tea
On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, we hosted our High Tea event. It was a wonderful time where 25 of our patrons attended in all their finery.
This was a joint fundraising event for the Seba Curling Club and Seba Seniors, with members from both groups making and baking lovely treats for the tea. Everyone indulged in scones with jam and clotted cream, delicate finger sandwiches, and an assortment of sweet and savory delights, all served alongside a fine selection of teas.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE PAGE TO SEE THE VIDEO
The tea cups for our event were donated to Seba seniors and were lovely and added that extra touch to a beautiful afternoon, so much so we have decided to host an annual High Tea event.
We had 3 little girls who attended the event with their mom and we heard how they all made their own Facincators to attend the event. We hosted a fun contest for the best Facinator and they were all so gorgeous, it made it hard for everyone to pick out the nicest ones. We were happy to hear that many of the votes went to the young girls.
What people said about the event
” This was something a bit different, it was fancy and fun!”
“It was so fun to see everyone dressed up and with their fascinators! The tiered plates, vintage table cloths, and finger sandwiches really just added to make it a wonderful time”
Thank you to everyone who made this event a success. And if you missed the event, watch for it next year because we are sure it will be back! Here is a video that we think captures what a great event it was!
A History Lesson: First High Tea
Tired of sitting at home waiting for men to return from their extended lunch meetings, ladies decided to start hosting their lunchtime affairs. The Huffington Post gives Duchess Anna of Bedford credit for being the first to dream up high tea suffering from hunger pangs as she waited for her evening meal. As any rich lady would do, she began requesting a tray of tea, cake, and bread and butter from her servants.
Eventually, Duchess Anna either got bored of feasting on her own, or realized she was sitting on a goldmine tradition just waiting to happen. So she started sharing her new habit with her friends, inviting them over for a cuppa and some sweet snacks. The afternoon tea habit quickly caught on amongst the English aristocracy and grew to become a huge social event.
By the 1920s, afternoon tea had started to look like the high tea we see today, with elaborately designed teacups, silverware, fine linens, and the best tea money could buy. Of course, at the time, it was also about inviting plenty of guests and showing off all your servants (i.e. your wealth!)”
