Want to shake up your social life without feeling overwhelmed? Have a grown-up tea party!!

When you hear the words tea-party you might think of stuffy, formal teas, or the more festive and girly teas thrown for baby-showers, but the truth is that teas can be as cool and modern as you make them.

Tea-parties are the new cocktail party.

Look there are only so many let’s grab a coffee catch-ups, brunches, work- dinners, and cocktail parties that you can go or throw before you and your guests are begging for something different.

Why not surprise your friends with an informal tea-party?

People have been having tea parties for hundreds of years, if having tea parties wasn’t a satisfying thing to do, it would have disappeared a long time ago. Tea is having its moment, so why shouldn’t you take advantage of it?

8 Tea Party Ideas To Totally Keep In Mind

A tea party doesn’t have to be a high tea: No, high tea isn’t when you’ve had some hash tea in Amsterdam,, it’s the more formal kind of tea with scones, cucumber sandwiches, and petit-fours. These are fun if you’re into them, but they’re old-school and predictable. Modernize your tea by simplifying and getting rid of the formality; serve a few small bites, don’t have all the tea accessories out (unless you’re a tea-fanatic like me and want to show them off,) and leave the Queen off your guest-list.

You can keep it casual

There’s no need for things like extreme table-manners, hats with fascinators, formal place settings, or your mother’s china. Make sure that your guests know that they don’t have to be too dressed up and that they should wear whatever makes them feel comfortable. The emphasis should be on people connecting and having interesting conversations, not on flower-arrangements or dressing to impress.

Alcohol is allowed

For some people, it’s not a social event if there isn’t any booze. Luckily, it’s very common at teas (especially the formal ones) to serve champagne, white wine, or Prosecco. Some creative tea-party hosts serve tea-infused cocktails such as Earl Grey infused Anejo Tequila or Chamomile infused Rye at their teas. Serve what you like—you can even make up a theme such as a holiday tea or fall tea and use your theme as a guide to your decorations or menu. A Hot Toddy-Tea in the dead of winter might be exactly what everyone needs to warm up.

There are non-alcoholic options

Since I don’t drink wine, I sometimes get left out of social gatherings—especially those centered around wine-appreciation, but at a tea-party, there tends to be a good selection of drinks. I’m able to find something I like and still be able to party with those who are drinking alcohol.

It’s not for women only: Tea is something any gender can enjoy—especially if the tea you’re having isn’t too fussy or old-fashioned. These days even baby showers and wedding showers have all gender invitees. In some countries like the United Kingdom, Kuwait, and Ireland tea is more popular than coffee which means that everyone is drinking it in those countries, and the social gatherings revolving around tea aren’t only the domain of women.

The timing is right

If someone is still hung over from the night before, the last thing they’re going to want to do is to get up early and go to brunch. Tea usually happens late in the day—a little earlier than cocktail hour but not as late as dinner. It’s the time of the day when you might be dragging a little and need the pick-up that caffeinated tea can give you.

Extroverts can say ‘yes’ to multiple invitations

If you’re throwing the tea-party or attending, you can probably rsvp ‘yes’ to some additional soirees. A tea-party lasts approximately 2-3 hours and since you’re already out, go ahead and go to your friend’s birthday dinner or your work-holiday party.

The menu is up to you

The traditional kinds of tea-parties heavily feature carbs, but the menu can be whatever you want it to be. People won’t be starving as it’s between lunch and dinner and they won’t expect you to feed them a full meal. However, if you do have a lot of baked treats on the menu, be sure to also serve some protein like chicken strips or spicy cashews to counterbalance the sugar.

Drinking tea is good for you

There are black teas, green teas, red teas, herbal tea, and fermented tea. Tea can give you a jolt in the morning, can help calm you down, and certain teas have medicinal qualities. Some of the health benefits to tea are that it has been shown to help the digestive system, reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, help to boost the immune system, and help reduce stress.

Tea parties give you a chance to chill

Tea parties tend to not be rowdy or loud so that if you need to make a good impression on someone or make a low-key presentation to a business associate you can do this much easier than if you were having dinner in a noisy restaurant or cocktails in a trendy bar. Teas can be about business or they can just be an excuse to bond with your friends. There are many great reasons to have a tea-party.

So, the next time you want to throw a party, surprise your guests with a tea-party—it’s one party they won’t forget for a long time.