Having afternoon tea in the garden is the quintessential “garden party” activity. It’s a sweet throwback to simpler times and pretend play. A tea party may be held on any outside place, including a balcony.
Both the most cultured of your female pals and your acquaintance’s gaggle of prepubescent girls would delight in a tea party.
The ingredients of a proper tea party. Take a look at these aspects.
Flowers
Schedule your tea party during the height of the flowering season in your yard, whether that is lilac season, June rose season, or peony season. Flowers for the tea party vases should be clipped. If you are lacking a garden, you can always stop by a rural ditch and pick some wild daisies and Princess Anne’s lace, or you may purchase an armful of blossoms at a farmers market.
Invitations
Mail some handwritten thank yous. Your visitors will know that you’re throwing a fancy party and will dress to impress. The typical time for tea is 4 p.m., which is great for flowers that bloom throughout the day. Make sure to tell the kids to bring in a stuffed animal or doll.
Preparing a Table
And the classier it is, the better. Put away the disposable tablecloth and cups till tomorrow. Put out your finest bone china and utilize a linen tablecloth, cloth napkins, and silverware. Small tea sets should be purchased if the celebration is for young girls.
Make sure there’s enough chairs for everyone. You may move your indoor dining chairs with straight backs outside. Whether you leave them plain or cover them with flowery chintz, they may be a classy addition to your home.
Hats
Everyone attending should wear a wide-brimmed, flower-adorned hat. Find vintage hats, scarves, and silk bouquets at a cheap store, yard sale, or thrift shop if you’re throwing a party for young female guests. Make it a party activity to decorate the hats. Add a box of surplus floral clothing for extra flair. Donate outdated jewelry and “grown-up” shoes so the kids may pretend they’re princesses. Tea time is a great opportunity to teach proper “elegant party” etiquette to children.
Food
At tea time, no utensils other than teaspoons should be used. All treats and sandwiches should be small enough to eat with your fingers. Cut the crusts off of several watercress, the cucumber, or egg sandwiches and serve them quartered. Petit fours and sugar biscuits are common desserts. You may use little tarts or cupcakes instead.
Tea
I learned how to make a good cup of hot tea in the seventh grade household economics class, but that was a long time ago. I fear the skill of preparing tea is fading away.
Tea comes from a single plant, Camillia sinesis. Different levels of oxidation in the tea leaves are responsible for the distinctive flavors of black, green, and oolong teas. All the other 3,000+ forms of tea in around the globe may be traced back to these three original variations.
Herbal teas, often called tisanes or infusions, may be flavored with many kinds of plants, including flowers, herbs, is barking, berries, fruits, and spices.
Provide your visitors with at least one classic tea as well as a caffeine-free herbal option. Provide sugar, fresh lemon slices, and milk (not cream!).