My daughter and I both often entertain. She lives in one of those close knit neighborhoods where everyone knows and helps out everyone else. Every year she hosts a Halloween Party for the kids, a Christmas Party for the adults, one or more BBQs, a soup buffet and/or a good old-fashioned tea party.
When I was a member of an international Woman’s sorority named Beta Sigma Phi, we held at least one tea party per year. It was one of my favorite events. I loved planning it as much as I enjoyed being in attendance.
There is something old world and sophisticated about a tea party. It offers a time for the ladies to get together and spend some real “girl” time, but with an ever so slightly structured theme.
Tea parties are perfect for bridal, wedding, or even baby showers. They can even be great for birthdays. But I like to hold them “just because.”
Although tea parties can be formal, they certainly don’t have to be. I generally prefer to keep them casual so that everyone feels comfortable and can relax and have fun. But some events simply call for a party that is more formal and that can be fun as well; complete with beautiful dresses and hats.
Occasionally, I feel it is important to include mothers, daughters, and/or sisters in the party. It gives family members a little extra time to spend together. Even little girls enjoy having tea with mommy and her friends. Many of them eagerly await the next event.
Although I typically supply the food for the party, I often invite my guests to bring a box of their favorite flavor of tea as well as their own mug or cup and saucer. That way, everyone can easily find her own cup and each person has the opportunity to try something new.
While tea parties generally involve serving of hot tea, some guests prefer iced tea; so I recommend making provisions for both types. It is also important to accommodate both loose tea as well as teabags.
Also make certain to have everyone’s favorite sweetener on hand. These generally include things like honey, sugar, Splenda, saccharin, Equal, Sweet ‘n Low, etc. Additionally, I offer cut lemons and orange slices along with cloves, cinnamon, mint and any other flavorings that I know my guests like to use.
Unless the party is for a shower or party, décor is usually kept simple and is geared toward the season. Spring tea parties often involve flowers cut out of the yard. Fall tea parties can be colorful with real or fake autumn leaf décor.
In the spring my daughter and I like to hold the tea party outside in my daughter’s yard. She has a patio with several seats under a huge umbrella as well as a deck with a table and chairs, loveseat, lounge chairs, and a bar. There is also a wonderful swing.
Parties held outside generally require less décor and can take maximum advantage of the natural beauty of Mother Nature. But inside parties don’t have to have a great deal of decoration either. I generally focus the décor around the food table and let everyone relax in the spot of their choice; either in the formal living room or the den.
When little ones are involved, I like to provide dress up hats, gloves, and boas for those who want to play dress-up. I also set up small tables for the children and decorate them the same way as the rest of the party.
Sometimes I like to invite both mom and daughter to bring their favorite teddy bears for a “Teddy Bear Tea Party.” Part of the fun of such an event is having everyone share a favorite story about an experience with her bear. It provides a wonderful time for moms to, once again, become a child and relate to their daughter on the same level. Someone in the group volunteers to tape the stories, which I eventually hope to put together in a book that the mothers can share with their children.
Food for a tea party should be kept simple. The gathering isn’t for the purpose of filling the stomach. It is meant to fill the soul.
I generally make light dishes like finger sandwiches, chicken wings, stuffed mushrooms, chili-grape meatballs, and/or salmon roses. For vegetarians, I always provide fruit and/or vegetable trays. And for those with a sweet tooth I add things like miniature turtle brownies, cheesecake samplers, cream puffs, ladyfingers, muffins, tarts, and mousses.
Again, when children are involved, I adjust the menu slightly to also provide items that children like. A favorite is peanut butter and jelly or marshmallow crème sandwiches. Another is Smores (graham crackers with marshmallow and chocolate in between). They also like cheese sticks, flavored yogurts, and fruits and vegetables with dressings and sauces (e.g., ranch dressing for veggies and caramel or chocolate sauces for fruits).
I recommend using paper goods or plastic ware for the food. I prefer the plastic type that can be washed and reused, but disposable obviously means less clean-up.
Tea parties don’t have to be stuffy. My daughters and mine never are. In fact, they represent the most fun we have all year long. Sometimes it is important to let the child inside each of us out to play. Other times we just need alone time with our girlfriends. Either way, a tea party can be the perfect solution as well as lots of fun.
