How to host an afternoon tea in your office
Afternoon tea is one of those quintessentially British past times, and one that is a real treat. Especially as the temperature is dropping and the cold mornings leave your yearning for a cup of something hot and a nice slice of cake after lunch.
And if you are you bored of eating your lunch al-desko? Tired of the same soggy sandwich meal deal? Then swap all that for an office afternoon tea party. It’s time to boost the morale of the glum, tired faces in your office by hosting an afternoon tea party.
Our guide to having a top-notch tea party includes everything you need to know about hosting an afternoon tea that will feel as good as going to the Ritz!
First things first, the food:
Pre-order sandwich platters and tray bakes from your favourite local deli or sandwich bar or get them delivered to the office an hour before your party. This selection from Waitrose will have you covered for a variety of classic finger sandwiches, crustless of course! Accompany this with some sweet treats and wash down with loads of English Breakfast tea.
What more could you need besides tea, biscuits and cake?
Top tips:
- Prepare your tea ahead of time by boiling water and placing in a pump vacuum jug.
- If you want to keep the desserts simple but fun, how about some Jaffa Cakes and a selection of chocolates?
Decoration and location:
To get that quintessential English tea party vibe decoration is a must. Start by booking out a meeting room large enough to host your colleagues, (and yes, it’s only polite to invite the office villains along too). Alternatively, if you have a dedicated breakout area, use that space for a more relaxed feel instead.
To make your meeting room or breakout area feel more like a posh hotel dining room, why not project an image onto your whiteboard or interactive screen. Google some images of hotels and select your favourite or create a presentation with images of various sandwiches, scones and pastries to get taste buds tingling.
If you plan to have your tea just over the lunch hour, then juices and tea will suffice, however, if you’re hoping the tea runs from the mid-afternoon to close of business, then stock your fridge with some champagne or prosecco too.
A fresh floral look is always nice
Top tip:
- If the weather improves, head outside to a green space if you have one or to a local park.
Now that your scene is set, it’s time to lay the table:
Depending on what you have in your office kitchen, you can use various plates as serving platters for an eclectic, mix and match look. However, if you’d like something a little more uniform and trendy for your traditional tea, think white crockery. This fine white dinner set or colourful arrangement will look nice on a white banquet tablecloth for a crisp, clean feel and this will look more sophisticated than that tannin mug you have lying around at the back of the cupboard.
Posh tea cups for a glamorous touch
For messy colleagues and for a splash of colour on your table, place these red napkins on the table. You can choose to set out individual places, using a label maker is a great way to create place names or simply set some mugs out on a tray or set up a tea station, so your guests can help themselves.
Any excuse:
We’re quite sure you won’t need an excuse, but charity days and bake sales are a great way to get the whole office involved in a fun event like this. So we hope you’re feeling more inspired to lift those glum spirits around the office and bring some sunshine in whatever the weather.
You can find a range of these products on Euroffice.