drinking etiquette?

Question

Why do some raise their little finger when drinking? I heard it was drinking etiquette. Is it effeminate?

Answer 1

And the REAL answer is...

back in the day when tea cups were very small and you had to pinch the handle because your finger wouldn't fit in it (many think you should still pinch the handle, not put your finger through it)
you needed to balance the cup. The way to do this was to stick your pinkie out.

Answer 2

lol im British and while the posh, older folk do raise a pinky while using their fine china...many of us do not.

It is an old form of drinking etiquette in Britain.

Answer 3

I think it's a way to put on airs about how sophisticated you are. I don't view it as effeminate.

Look about 1/2 way down the page on that link...

Answer 4

I think it's mocking British people who supposedly raise their pinky when drinking tea.

It's a tongue-in-cheek kind of thing.

Answer 5

That's the finger they picked their nose with and they don't want to get boogers on the glass