Tea Party Ideas

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: 4th Ed. c.2000. 
tea party
NOUN: An afternoon social gathering at which tea and light refreshments are served. 

tea time 
NOUN: The usual or traditional time for serving tea, as late afternoon. 

"The tea party is a spa for the soul. 
You leave your cares and work behind. 
Busy people forget their business. 
Your stress melts away, your senses awaken . . ." 
Alexandra Stoddard 

Brewing a pot of tea
I'm a little teapot short and stout, 
Here is my handle, here is my spout. 
--Nursery Rhyme 
1. Fill the kettle with fresh, cold tap water and set on the stove to boil. 
2. Meanwhile, fill the teapot with very hot water, put the lid on, and let it warm. 
3. Just before the water in the kettle reaches a full, rolling boil,
empty the water from the teapot and add one teaspoon of loose tea per person,
plus one for the pot. 
4. When the water reaches the boiling point, take the teapot to the kettle, 
pour the boiling water into the pot, and cover with the lid. 
Allow the tea to brew for between 3 and 5 minutes, depending on the tea type.
Large-leaf teas take longer to brew; small-leaf ones require less time. 
5. Stir the tea once before pouring. 
6. Pour through a tea strainer into cups. 

Steeping Tea information from the :
Indian Tea Garden
or
Read the Tea Steeping Instructions from Dream Ship: Coffees, Teas & Treasures

From The Tea Table.com August 2002 Newsletter
or
See: Tea Time Basics from the Elmwood Inn
A quick Serving tea - Etiquette Tip:
When serving lemon with tea, it is proper to use lemon slices, not wedges. Provide a lemon fork for your guests or the tea server can neatly place a slice in the tea cup after the tea has been poured. When your tea cup is empty, the pourer should remove the lemon slice, pour the tea, and add a fresh slice. Be sure never to add lemon with milk since the lemon's citric acid will cause the proteins in the milk to curdle. This is quite ugly!

Speaking of "Tea Tables"
Here is an example of a proper setup for a tea table buffet

Read - from this Victorian site
A planners guide - event planning - Tea Party setup
www.plannersguide.com/tea_party.htm

Another site with an example to view, of a proper tea party table setup
www.elvisstyleseasonings.com/Party/Misslorettas/tables.htm

See these general: Table Setting Ideas
includes "Afternoon Tea".

Setting a Pretty Table for a Valentine's Day Tea
homeschooling.about.com/library/weekly/aa021100c.htm

Eras of Elegance ~ Entertaining Etiquette

Read also Emily Post's *1922* Etiquette
for Teas and Other Afternoon Parties
- which includes
The Everyday Afternoon Tea Table
See too : Tea Table: picture - circa 1922

See too the many resources of Better Homes & Gardens web site:
For help with Table decorations and General Entertaining tips & ideas
Dining in Style
For an informal lunch or an all-out dinner party, 
we've got everything you need to prepare a lovely table.

Deciding on teas/menu to serve
Party planning, Entertaining
Websites with ideas, recipes & more

Also see these pages:

• Children's Tea Party Themes
• Seasonal Teas, Bridal & Baby Shower Tea parties
• Victorian Teas
• Mother - Daughter Celebrations
• Cookie Exchange Tea Parties

WEBSITES for the Party Planners

From Tea Concepts.Com
Read some wonderful articles
with ideas for Tea Parties
Some Complete with
Decorations & Recipes! 

TEA PARTY GAMES DIRECTORY
http://www.theteahousetimes.com/tea_party_games.htm

Book / Planning Guide to consider purchasing
for your personal "reference library"
Treasuring the Gift of Tea Time
by Julie L. Peterson
Excerpt quoted from website:
www.antiquiteaflair.com/
Treasuring the Gift of Tea Time, a resource book that helps make the planning
of birthday parties or any special occasion easy, elegant and unforgettable!
Sprinkled with treasures from the Victorian past, this tea party 
planning guide is brimming to the rim with all the right ingredients
and easy to follow directions needed to stir-up the perfect tea party!
www.antiquiteaflair.com/
To order *free shipping within US*
www.antiquiteaflair.com/order.html

All About Tea - (Scotland website)
How to give a Tea
www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tea_party.htm

Visit the Coffee, Tea & Thee site for wonderful Tea Party ideas
http://www.he-and-she.com/teaparty.html

Read the Tea Party Ideas at Mootz Run, Ltd.
www.herbs-teas.com/
Excerpt quoted from website:
Let Mootz Run, Ltd. help you escape the hurried pace of life.
Take time to invite friends over for tea. Try one of our recipes.
Set your table with beautiful things. Bake scones.
Decorate a special space in your house just for dreaming, visiting and contemplating. 

An Invitation To Tea
A Collection of Tea Party Ideas
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/8673/page2.html

Party planning ideas, decorating, for tea parties and more
from the DYI network
Such as a British Tea

So You Wanna...

SoYouWanna know how to prepare a pot of tea? 
So Ya Wanna Serve High Tea!
SoYouWanna make sandwiches for high tea? 

So Ya Wanna Read Tea Leaves
SoYouWanna brew tea for tea-leaf reading?
So Ya Wanna Improve Your Table Manners

Tea Traditions
http://www.geocities.com/teatraditions/

Tea Spots - Theme party ideas
http://www.teaspot.com/parties.html

From Epicurean.com - High Tea by Hardy Haberman
http://www.epicurean.com/articles/ie4.html
**Note: The Epicurean site lists some places to enjoy High or Afternoon Tea when Dining4Tea.**
Such as this Library Cafe! The Morgan Library 29 East 36th St,in New York City
Can't make it to NYC - Shop at the Libraries Store and purchase
Mr Morgan's Tea and Serve at your next Tea Celebration.
and use these Tea Towels

Events / Basics - this would be party planning ideas for Large Group Events
http://www.chaineus.org/resources/events_planning/bas_index.html

Epicurean also has an article detailing Tea at the Ritz! ..Enjoy the read.

Tea Time - A Cosmopolitan Tradition
http://www.teaconcepts.com/dTeaTime.asp

From HomeArts Celebrating to a TEA!
Ideas, Recipes, Entertaining Advice.

Tetley Tea Tips
http://www.tetley.ca/newsArchive.html
**Note: this is a archived version of the page from the Wayback Machine

Planning A Ladies Tea for Your Church - from Creative Ladies Ministry
http://www.creativeladiesministry.com/planningatea.html

What's brewing? Herbal tea parties!
http://www.cherryvalleyherbfarm.com/teaparties.htm

Tea with friends - Book Review
and price comparison
http://www.epinions.com/book-review-62FA-1C9818F-38C273C4-prod8

Tea, The Tea Ceremony And Related Subjects - A Bibliography
http://www.hurricane.net/~fairwater/tea/tea_biblio.html
This list covers the history of Tea and the Tea Ceremony. 
Also included are books on closely related subjects, 
(Zen, Japan, Asian Culture, etc),
that contain significant or interesting related material. 

Speaking of "Books" here's an Idea - NOT for a Tea "Party"
but for another sort of gathering of friends
See the informational link to:
How to Start a Book Club Tea Group
By Tamera Bastiaans
On my Books page on this site.
 

Hosting an Afternoon Tea Party 
 Perfect for so Many Occasions 

From : Swanns Classic Teas
Planning a Tea Party

The Rose Garden Tea Room
For ...Tiny Tots to Teens...
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/6804/tea4tots.html

Teas and Receptions
Tea Sandwiches, Cookies and Cakes
Table Settings and Menus
www.geocities.com/absolutefood/receptions.html

Hosting an Afternoon Tea Party

Entertaining with Style - Tea Time Tables

Girls First Tea 
http://www.teaconcepts.com/dGirlsFirstTea.asp

See too, all the other sites with ideas for Children's Tea parties
on the 4childteas.html page.

More ideas for Menus..with Complete Recipes
Visit: Renee's Tea Party

How to Host an English Tea
http://www.pippahunnechurch.com/tea.htm

Visit Lady Renee's Tea Room filled with Tea Decorating, Ideas and Recipes
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/6804/teatime.html

See too: the recipes pages on this site

Book suggestions: Less than $20 - good Gift Ideas for Tea Friends

Afternoon Tea: Making Memories with Friends
Brownlow Publishing Company
Format: Paperback, 90pp.
ISBN: 1570510490
Publisher: Brownlow Publishing Company
Pub. Date: December 1995

Tea With Friends
Elizabeth Knight Carolyn Bucha (Illustrator)

An Invitation to Tea: Special Celebrations with Treasured Friends
Emilie Barnes Sandy L. Clough (Illustrator) 

Country Tea Parties
Maggie Stuckey Carolyn Bucha (Illustrator)

Let's Have Tea Together: Recipes and Celebrations for Every Season
Susan Wheeler Paul F. Kortepeter

Taking Time for Tea
Diana Rosen

published by Delong Publishing
Deborah Long, Plublisher
July 16, 1999 Volume 1, Issue 5
ISSN 1521-1770
A Cup of Serenity
Copyright 1999 By Deborah Long

"I'm gonna treasure you, I'm gonna ask you to take some time
for tea"
Driver 8

"Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy
things."
Choim Potok: The Chosen

Tea is one of the simple pleasures in life that we have forgotten
in our quest to keep pace with the modern world. Like a good book,
or a trusted friend, a tea celebration enriches our day.

Tea time is about slowing down, about self reflection and
reacquainting ourselves with who we really are and what really
matters in our lives.
"The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort
and refinement"...

"Tea with us becomes more than an idealization of the form
of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life"...
Okakura

In Victorian times, because there were many types of tea
celebrations everyone could participate:young or old, rich
or poor and sick or healthy.

There were family affairs- hearty, lavish spreads to satisfy the
appetites of workers coming in from the fields and children
coming home from school hungry.

There were nursery teas-great enchantment with the nursury maid
preparing the feast and the nanny presiding over the teapot.
Children, usually had lunch with grown-ups and had to be on their
best behavior but at tea-time they could relax and dolls were
treated to a tea party too with miniature sets of china.

Tea served in drawing rooms or in the garden was always an
elegant affair. Then there were the tennis teas an essential
part of country life, as were croquet and cricket teas. The
emancipation of women led to the Tea Dance-a phenomenon of the
1920's which lasted until the early 1960's. Restaurants,
department stores and hotels were quick to cash in and Tea
Dances became a tremendous craze with fierce competition to
attract business. Tango Tea, Hungarian Teas and Charleston Teas
reflected passing fads and musicians were dressed to match the
decor and dance demonstrations were given.

Read about the history and tradition of tea:
http://www.epicurean.com/articles/ie4.html

The interesting thing about tea is that it is available to all
of us:rich or poor, old or young, sick or healthy.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour
dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Henry James(1843-1916) Portrait of a Lady

Having a tea party is an inexpensive way to entertain. The food
is usually light, and easy to pick up with the fingers. Tea time
can be a simple pause during the day or a multicourse meal. The
tea meal can be as flexible and reflective of mood or theme as
you wish.

For tea party themes go to:
http://fp.premier1.net/butler/jeanne/tea_parties.htm
http://home.kendra.com/victorianrituals/Victor/tea.htm

Read "Taking Tea with Alice:Looking Glass Tea Parties
and Fanciful Victorian Teas by Dawn Hylton Gottlieb. These
are Alice in wonderland teas for adults and children.

For tea party recipes, check out these websites:
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/Vineyard/4171/index2.html
http://www.lifetimetv.com/recipes/frameset.shtml/teasan.html

Lately the benefits of tea and health have been widely discussed.
www.teahealth.co.uk/

And what about tea pairing with food?
www.teacouncil.co.uk/pairings.htm
or
find Tea & Food pairing information at Windsor High Teas
www.create.org/tea/foodtea.htm

Bigelow Tea -Entertaining tips for Informal Afternoon Tea
www.bigelowtea.com/entertaining/ent_informal.cfm

Learn all about Tea at the UniversiTea
at: http://www.serendipitea.com/default.htm

Remember to have a tea celebration with yourself. I look forward
to my tea for one. I need it. I love it and I plan for it. It
makes me more content, and allows me time to meditate, reflect
and daydream. Having a tea ceremony alone once or twice a day
makes me feel more centered. I can then go about the rest of
the day unhurried and organized.

Do visit Lady Renee's tea room. Once there you'll find lots of
ideas, recipes, hobbies and a children's tea party.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/6804/teatime.html

"Tea pot is on, the cups are waiting,
Favorite chairs anticipating,
No matter what I have to do,
My friend there's always time for you".
Anonymous
Lastly, read Kristie's delightful article entitled "Etiquette"

Guest Columnist
Etiquette

I love to teach kids a bit of etiquette. I gave my 7 year old
daughter a tea party for her birthday. I made the invites on
my computer and included a note for each mother to please allow
their daughters to borrow a few things for dress-up. (pearls,
fancy hat etc.) I also invited the moms with their cameras.
All the girls came dressed up. It was adorable. Some came
in mom's fancy nighty, some came in their "church clothes" but
mostly borrowed a dress from mom and they wore make-up for the
day. My sister-in-law came and instructed them as to how a
"proper lady" behaves at a tea party. For example in England
an unmarried lady is called Lady Sue or Lady Elizabeth and a
married Lady is called by her last name like Lady Smith or
Lady Jones. We used these names for the tea. Some instruction
was given as far as not talking with our mouths full and using
our napkin from our laps etc. My daughter was taught that since
she invited the Ladies to her house then she must do the serving.
Real tea was used and we made little fancy chocolates and
mini-cakes, fruit on toothpicks and so on. My sister-in-law had
been collecting teapots for years and brought them all for
sharing. Each child received their own small teapot for use that
day. We used sugar cubes with the tongs of course and each of the
5 small tables had a small cream pitcher.

We used excuse me, please and thank you quite a bit and I was the
funny one that showed them what not to do. After all the tea and
table etiquette we played games. One was each girl had to bring
a doll and we held a pagent for the dolls. I made small pin- on
awards like the most beautiful the, the cutest smile for each doll
so they all would win. We played a game where a child sits in the
chair with a big spoon and a large bowl of cotton. She gets
blindfolded and tryes to put the cotton from the bowl in her lap
to the bowl she is holding on her head within a time limit. All
the girls thought this was funny. We had cake and ice cream and
opened presents. Each girl got a small goodie bag full of
personal etiquette items. Comb, brush and mirror bracelet etc.
to take home.

The parents got pictures, the girls had fun and hopefully will
remember their manners when necessary. I took pictures of each
girl in their dress-up clothes and when I got them developed I
sent each one a thank you note with their picture in it. My
daughter's present from her Aunt was her first teapot. Now
she is 10 years old and has already obtained a small
collection of about 10 teapots or so. I think she will have
that memory for a long time.

Kristie

Do unto others...
K.L. Foreman
http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/kris/

Book Review

"Teatime Celebrations" by Patricia Gentry is an excellent
selection with 18 themed menus for high tea and teatime meals.
There are seasonal teas, tea dansant(tea dance), southwest
tea, collectors high tea, wedding and bridal shower tea,
teddy bear tea and more. Each themed tea includes a color
photograph with recipes. The author also discusses the history
of teas, types of tea, information on tea processing and
instructions on how to brew a perfect cup of tea, tea accoutre-
ments, basic recipes and presentation ideas. There is a tea party
for any occaision you may wish to celebrate. 

***************************

Please note the menus mentioned are the menu's offered by Heidi's  Catering, and are only quoted here as 
suggestions for your own recipe or menu ideas for your personal tea parties.

Cream Tea
This Tea is Traditionally Served in the Late Morning.
A pot of Strong Breakfast Tea Accompanied by Scones with Fresh Berries, Jam, and Devonshire Cream 

Garden Tea 
An American version of its English cousin, this tea is popular in the spring. 
The tea was taken in the garden, hence a pitcher of iced tea with sugar rimmed glasses, 
assorted finger sandwiches, fresh seasonal fruit, and Italian cookies. 

Children's Tea 
This tea was traditionally taken in the nursery by children with their parents or nannies. 
A cup of cocoa or spot of tea with lots of cream raspberry jam and 
cream cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and marshmallow cream,
with gingersnap cookies and devonshire cream .

Afternoon Tea 
Also referred to as a Victorian or low tea, typically served in the late afternoon. 
Our variation includes, a pot of spinach and country pate with assorted crackers and bites of cheese.
Fresh fruit presentation, petite croissant sandwiches (tuna, or chicken salad) 
and a delightful finish of decadent sweets 

High Tea
Originally most popular among England's new "middle class". 
This tea was much heartier fair, distinctively different from the
delicate victuals of afternoon tea. This menu might include welsh rabbit, 
meat pies, heartily potatoes, soups, salads, pints of ale and of course dessert.

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Invitations to your party
You can purchase Invitations Online from these sites
Invitation to Tea from Davenport House.
Let's Have a Tea Party from Take Time to Play.

Tea and Cake
Afternoon Tea
http://www.party-creations.com/Invitations/

Start your very own dress up tea party business
http://www.aspecialtea.com/teapartybusiness.htm

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Please feel free to look at all the sites and recipes that this site links to, there are so many informational sites that you could spend a day or two just linking around. Many sites will also duplicate information and/or ideas and recipes. Since websites can come and go, if you see something that interests you, Please - Print it OUT, at the time you see it.