Tea Routines in the UK

At a Homebrew Website Club meeting a few weeks ago, we discussed the tea culture in the UK. Mark and I, the co-hosts, live in the UK, so we spent some time talking about tea. A pattern emerged. We collectively named some times at which drinking tea was common after the hour of the day the tea was consumed. For instance, I noted that I was familiar with the ten o'clock and the three o'clock. Mark noted the elevenses, where you drink a cup of tea around 11am.

Tea can, of course, be consumed as part of breakfast -- a routine I follow every day -- or any other time of the day. I recall a comment was made about drinking tea later on in the day (the context for which I cannot recall), to which I responded that there is no time too late for a cup of tea. I really should get myself some decaf tea, however.

On an unrelated note, when I was growing up "dinner" was referred to as "tea time," even though we didn't consume tea at that time.

I left the call fascinated by how we refer to the times at which we drink tea in the UK, and the idea has been in my mind ever since. I have been telling myself "James, you need to write about this" for over a week.

What is the tea culture like in your country? If you are in the UK, how do you refer to the times you take to drink tea in the day?

Tagged in tea, life.