What is with stirring clockwise?

Question

Why is it considered "proper" to only stir your tea or coffee clockwise? It is something that was ingrained in me from childhood and it has always made me wonder why we must all stir our tea in one direction. Who the heck started this ridiculous rule? I am no longer going to conform to clockwise. Tea stirrers of the world unite!

One person asked where I am from. I am in the United States but this is a common practice among the English and all "properly" taught table manners.

Answer 1

I think if we all stirred our tea counterclockwise, either all our bums would fall off, or the planet would start turning the other way around.
Be careful, you're messing with a very old order of things . . .
You rebel!
(Truthfully: I think the folks who said you have to stir the tea that way are the same RightHanders who slapped LeftHanded kid's hands for using the 'wrong' hand - um?)

Answer 2

tea should never be stirred in a circular motion

Tea Etiquette

Pick up your cup and saucer together - holding the saucer in one hand and cup in the other. The best way to hold a tea cup is to slip your index finger through the handle, up to almost the first knuckle, then balance and secure the cup by placing your thumb on the top of the handle and allowing the bottom of the handle to rest on your middle finger. Hold the cup lightly, by the handle - your pinky doesn't have to be extended (Contrary to popular belief, the ring and pinkie fingers should not be extended, but should rest by curving gently back toward your wrist). Hold the saucer under your cup while you sip your tea (lest you should spill or dribble).


When stirring your tea, don't make noises by clinking the sides of the cup while stirring. Gently swish the tea back and forth being careful no to touch the sides of your cup if possible. Never leave your spoon in the cup and be sure not to sip your tea from the spoon either. After stirring, place your spoon quietly on the saucer, behind the cup, on the right hand side under the handle.
Milk is served with tea, not cream. Cream is too heavy and masks the taste of the tea. Although some pour their milk in the cup first, it is probably better to pour the milk in the tea after it is in the cup in order to get the correct amount.

When serving lemon with tea, use lemon slices, not wedges. Either provide a small fork or lemon fork for your guests, or have the tea server can neatly place a slice in the tea cup after the tea has been poured. Be sure never to add lemon with milk since the lemon's citric acid will cause the proteins in the milk to curdle.

Answer 3

I don;t know LOL At first I thought maybe it was a right-handedness thing, from when left-handed kids were taught it was wrong. BUT I'm right handed and stir counter-clockwise, my husband is left handed and goes clockwise. Maybe the real reason we do it has to do with which side of our brain we use more, creativity used to be shunned as well.

Answer 4

I read somewhere (it has been a while ago) that people who are right-handed generally feel more comfortable stirring clock-wise, making right hand turns, and when asked to walk around as they choose, will generally make right hand turns in the path over left-hand turns.

The opposite was found for left-handed folks.

Of course there will be exceptions to this.

Answer 5

My mom informed me to stir clockwise from the middle outwards (while mixing a cake or cookie batter or something) then not one of the batter would be unstirred. It hits all of it because it funnels it in. So clockwise. xo

Answer 6

It was believed that if you stirred it the other way it would, like, fall apart, or something, and just become water and tea leaves (but that' what it is already so I have no idea).

Answer 7

Its probably becuase we are all used to stirring that way. Its just a habbit. Its something we don't think about...we just do it.

Answer 8

speak for yourself. I stir both sides toward the middle.....