Page 50 - HTE_Spring2021

Establish a New
Family Tradition
Host an Elegant Children’s Tea
I experienced my first formal tea as a young child. I’m pretty sure I was wearing my best Easter dress, bonnet, and gloves. I can still picture the glorious array of miniature cakes and sandwiches on the beautiful tiered tea stand. I felt so grown up to be entrusted with such a fragile
china cup and saucer.
Many young children today have never experienced such an elegant and refined occasion. In a world of screens, texts, and take out, they’ve never had the opportunity to spend quiet time experiencing such opu- lance. Tea parties offer many positive values that may be used to entertain and educate children.
Captivate Their Hearts and Minds While They’re Young
I was an imaginative child. An early reader, I used to go on many grand adventures in my mind. I was drawn to the ritual of the tea party and the formal elegance of it all. Tea parties offer a unique avenue to engage young hearts and minds. To this
day, at 64 years of age, I still do not drink
coffee. I have an extensive collection of tea cups and saucers and large leaf teas. (What a surprise!)
Connect Them with the Past
Teas offer children the opportunity to learn to respect the past. Our most recent guests came dressed in their Sunday best and enjoyed wearing clip-on fascinators and child-size elbow gloves I purchased online. The china tea cups and saucers I use have been collected over my lifetime. Some were gifts; others were purchased. All have a history. Tiered tea trays, silver service pieces and cloth napkins com- plete my table setting, reminiscent of Victorian times. You may choose to use
a child-size tea set. You may use paper, plastic, metal or silverplate. Any way you approach it, you’re connecting with tradi- tions from days gone by.
46