Barb...please dont even be tempted to follow......
the advice given on the page of Linda Stradley about holding the tea cup with the pinkie finger crooked and up!!!!!
I do happen to know that when one's little finger is raised it is purely a sign of affectation.
Never ever done by 'well-bred gentle-woman'. This along with stirring the tea, eating with the knife and fork in a certain manner and leaving said utensils correctly together on the plate when one has finished eating and a myriad other rules was what I was brought up with ('never say 'raised' my dear, that is what happens to cattle')
The final that was said to us was always "Look at the Queen, she never does...or 'she always'.....does what ever it is they were making a point of.
Actually one can tell a lot from table manners such as what kind of upbringing, type of schooling one had....very important fact in the Enlish way of things.
An American thing I learnt, very different to the English way and that is the crossing over of knife and fork to eat with and then when actually forking the food the other hand should rest quietly on one's lap.
Such different strokes for different folk.
By the bye tea....afternoon and high....is very much part of our lives. We always serve sweet and savoury every tea and also have a thermos of boiling water and coffee cups for those that drink coffee instead.
Enjoy your tea party,
)