The Art of the Perfect Afternoon Tea Party: A Storybook Ritual to Slow Down
- Yulia Potts
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
In the times of quick coffees and meals over a phone, or Netflix series, the idea of an afternoon tea feels almost revolutionary.
The Afternoon tea is so much more, in its essence, than just a nourishment, enriched with a gossip session and an excessive consumption of sugar.
You may turn it into a gift like no other - time travel, aesthetic refuel and a chance to bring some storybook feel into your day.
It stops the fast techno trance rhythm of “fit in as much as possible” and replaces it with with an indulgent melody of “blue Danube waltz”.
It does not mention the fashionable mindfulness, or right breathing, or being present as well as any other important puzzle pieces to mindful living. But all these elements are present in it. At the same time it offers a careless enjoyment of carefully chosen setting, treats and anticipation of a miracle. It suggests a slowed time and working feelings.
A romanticized alternative to a modern day snack shared with the screen. This is what it is!
You might say that no-one cares of quality of gatherings in style any more. You might say: “it is pretentious and out of contexts of the problems, people have these days.”
But, hey! Do you think there were no problems in Victorian times? I bet they were! And guess, what was one of the ways to reset the mind and recalibrate the feelings? - Thats right! A cup of tea!
Especially if it is not just a cup but a ritual of mindfulness and aesthetics - an Afternoon tea.
As any good thing, the perfect afternoon tea has its key elements.
table
tea
treats
ambiance
When I just moved to the land, I had a crash of personality after a while. My love to luxury things, like beautiful china or silk dresses was contradicting with the land living. Most people see it as gumboots, veggie garden, cleaning the chicken coops etc. So I had a bit of a difficult time with the self image and self value.
I felt like a fraud because I did not see the problem in both. I could not just choose one or another until I wrote down all the things I love. I looked at the list and laughed, because it was a collection of eclectic activities: from reading the roman philosophers at 5 am, to running, tending new born chicks and choosing the perfume for the day. All my life I was feeling like an outlier, trying to fit the box. That list was a perfect illustration why it never worked.
I sarcastically called the person, characterized by the list - a “Duchess in gumboots”. After a while I thought… why not? Especially when I came across the photo of an old duchess. She was wearing her pearls and beautiful dress while feeding the chickens.
So my new philosophy of living - Duchess in Gumboots way, was born at the veggie patch while I was weeding the strawberries, dwelling on all those thoughts.
Afternoon tea is a perfect fit to this lifestyle, symbolizing the ability to add the beauty and indulgence into an ordinary day which, possibly, started as a hard working morning.
Slowing down to enjoy a cup of tea wakes all the senses. Suddenly the aromas, the taste, the dreams, all step forward. Suddenly we start paying attention to the moment that becomes worth noticing. The tea restores the soul.. it relaxes the muscles… but if you have guests - it is also, a wonderful time, spent well, over the cups of tea.
The creative part of us gets the chance to jump out and decorate, choose the beautiful flowers, set up the table in a way, that pleases the desire for beauty… all these actions turn the afternoon tea process into a celebration of a day, in a cozy teatime way. Slow living at its best, right?
When I pause for a cup of tea it is a quiet time..the silent festival of senses; the one, that makes me smell, notice and find the inspiration for a new art or a story.
I gathered the key elements of how to host a smooth afternoon tea party cottage style (even just for yourself) inside The Perfect Afternoon Tea Guide.
It is filled with practical ideas and lots of illustrations, with the storytelling touches and even an added conversation guide - all in style. From the set up to my favorite recipes, it is yours and you can get it here
If you’d like to create your own afternoon tea ritual of storybook living, it is your best companion in planing it. And I would truly love to see your tea moments. Share it with me in the comments or tag me on Instagram (@myhoneyland_illustrations) so we can celebrate the slowing down together.
Have the beautiful sunsets and creative moments,
Yulia
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