May21

have a cup on international tea day.

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(not me, or my people, and I wasn’t invited to the tea party)

“In Ireland, you go to someone’s house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you’re really just fine. She asks if you’re sure. You say of course you’re sure, really, you don’t need a thing. Except they pronounce it ting. You don’t need a ting. Well, she says then, I was going to get myself some anyway, so it would be no trouble. Ah, you say, well, if you were going to get yourself some, I wouldn’t mind a spot of tea, at that, so long as it’s no trouble and I can give you a hand in the kitchen. Then you go through the whole thing all over again until you both end up in the kitchen drinking tea and chatting. 

In America, someone asks you if you want a cup of tea, you say no, and then you don’t get any damned tea. I liked the Irish way better.” 

― C.E. Murphy

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International Tea Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea, while working to make its production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for people, cultures and the environment continue for generations.

 

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photo credit: Irish Tea Party early 1900s, Valentine’s of Dundee, Scotland

 

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85 responses »

  3. oh I so know this custom…. having lived for 8 yrs in England and visited ‘up north’ too, i had to learn how ‘to do tea’! I’ve also found a way to get around drinking wahaaayy more tea than i could possibly get down, by asking: or, unless you really need a cuppa now, we could open my bottle of wine i brought with me and we could drink to our health with that?! it worked a treat – and HH and i are now known to always turn up with a great bottle and a smile….

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  7. Indeed, when we get guests, the first thing is asking them if they like some tea. You don’t have to accept but it is always there. This is also the British way. I love it that way.
    I yet have to go to Ireland. :-)

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  9. Great I was wondering what to embroider today. We had friends drop in and we had a pot of tea.i am doing an embroided daily diary for the year 😁

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  13. I always looked forward to our tea breaks at work (plumbing), especially if our clients were elderly and old-fashioned. Then we would get hot scones, jam, and cream with our cuppa.

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  19. Oh, I love this. I prefer the Irish way, too. I am no longer a huge tea drinker (my late friend was so I drank way more back then…) but something nice about having a comfy cuppa…

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  20. The only tea I drink is iced, when at a restaurant. Otherwise I have a habit of one cup of coffee first thing in the morning. A habit from my working years. If I think of it, rare guests may be offered a soda. But you tea drinkers, enjoy your day!

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