Tea Party Ideas

Developing tea party ideas includes thinking through every aspect of your event from the theme to the décor and from the invitations to the menu. Yet, this imaginative planning process can be quite enjoyable with a little organization and some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Whether young or old, tea parties represent a wonderful opportunity to socialize with friends and loved ones, while experiencing something new and different. As the host or hostess, consider the planning of your event as an extra bonus in anticipation of the fun you will share.

As you begin thinking about tea party ideas, consider the “Five W’s” of creating and planning any event. After reviewing the following, you will be better prepared to formulate your tea party ideas.

• Who do you want to invite? Is the tea party for adults or children and how many do you want to attend.

• What type of experience to you want your guests to have and how do you want your party to be remembered. For example, do you want the event to be experiential where everyone dresses up in a special way, such as wearing period clothing or a favorite hat? Or, do you want music or poetry shared at your tea to serve as a lasting memory? Special guests (or animated characters), speakers and other entertainment make for a magical event your guests will long remember.

• Where will it be held? The intimacy of hosting a tea in your home creates a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Having an outside event where tables are set up in a garden is another example of an alternative to consider. The location will also dictate how you decorate the place and serve your guests.

• When do you want to host the event? Any time of year is appropriate for a tea party. Yet you may want to use the season as part of your theme and have it be the guide for choosing decorations, flowers, and food selection.

• Why are you planning the party? Whether you have a specific purpose such as a birthday, anniversary, retirement, charity fundraiser or want to have a tea to simply enjoy quality time with friends, you can to create an experience as simple or as elaborate as you desire.

Once you have answered these questions, you should have a multitude of ideas to begin planning your event. Your tea party ideas are only limited by your imagination.

Above all, it is important to make the event your own – a party you will enjoy. Then you can feel confident that your guests will also have an experience they will treasure for years to come.

Tea Party Games

Tea party games have been around as long as there have been children to enjoy them.

Sitting at a small table, along with favorite dolls or stuffed animals, and serving each one tea from a tiny little tea set has always been among every little girl's favorite pastimes.

While “pretend” tea parties certainly tap the imagination, children enjoy planned tea parties where they can socialize and play tea party games with friends, family and neighbors, including little boys as well as girls.

The tea parties may be planned to celebrate birthdays or special events – or to give children a unique experience. The important ingredient to any great party is the opportunity for children to have fun and interact with others.

That’s why these events typically include simple and fun tea party games and activities such as:

• Musical chairs
• Guessing and word games
• Dress-up, make-up, face-painting and hair styling
• Playing with balloons
• Dancing and singing
• Play with dolls and stuffed animals
• Coin toss (into tea cups)
• Arts and crafts projects
• Visits from animated characters

When planning a tea party, be sure to involve your child in the preparation and execution of the event. It will serve as an excellent learning experience, along with being an enjoyable activity to do together.

Have your child write and mail the invitations, help choose party favors, select tea games, decorate the party area, and decide what foods to serve.

Tip: Include this memorable nursery rhyme in your party, either in the invitation or just having a sing along. You’ll be carrying on a tradition that has lasted for generations.

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my spout
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout
Just tip me over and pour me out!"

Victorian style Tea Parties

A Victorian tea party doesn't have to be elaborate or exactly mimic the nuances of that time. The main idea is to have a special experience, enjoy being with friends who share a common interest, and have a great time.

Get-togethers with friends over tea were commonplace in the Victorian era. Yet in today’s high-tech world, text messaging, emails, and music-on-the-go have replaced many opportunities for warm, engaging social interaction.

Hosting a Victorian tea party may be a way to recreate a bit of history and indulge in the comfort and warmth associated with face-to-face, uninterrupted conversation.

Here are some tips on how to host a Victorian tea party in your home.

Decorating: Creating the Environment

Think about England in the 1800s and decorate your entertaining area to reflect this rich time in history. If you own some Victorian era or vintage items in your home such as old photographs, lace handkerchiefs, mirrors, jewelry, or books, use them in your decorating motif.

Decorate with fresh flowers, ribbons and lace for touch of elegance. You may want to consider using yellow roses in your arrangements to signify friendship.

Select some classical music that you enjoy and decide where to put your equipment and speakers so they will subtly fill your room with music.

Use linen and lace table cloths and napkins if you have them. If not, a simple white lace trimmed cloth will create a beautiful table and serving area to show off your tea service and entertain guests.

A floral-designed tea set is an ideal choice for serving guests at a Victorian tea party. If you do not have this traditional-type design, a nice glass or ceramic tea set that has a matching creamer and sugar bowl will work well.

Tea Service and Table Setting

You will need to decide whether you will be serving your tea and food “buffet style” or while guests are seated at a table. The number of guests at your Victorian tea party will determine the most appropriate method.

If you have more than eight friends over for tea, a buffet style arrangement may work best. You will need to have a separate serving area or table for your tea and food – and another table at which they can sit.

If you have a smaller group, your tea and food can be attractively placed in the center of the table. Either way, for each guest, make sure you have a matching tea cup and saucer, spoon and fork, small plate, and cloth napkin.

Decide whether you will make the tea yourself or give your guests a selection from bags or loose tea. If you are using tea bags, have them arranged in a tea box or on an attractive tray (perhaps on a lace doily) next to your tea service.

If you want to offer loose tea choices, arrange them in class containers and label each blend. If you are providing loose tea, be sure you have ample tea brewing accessories for your guests to use.

In addition, you will want to have a plate for lemon wedges, a small container to hold packets of sweeteners, and a small pitcher or server for honey. Having lumps of sugar in instead of the standard white variety in your sugar bowl provides an extra touch.

Food and Fun

There are some wonderful and easy-to-make food choices to accompany tea. A tray of sweet finger foods that may include small cakes, tarts, cookies, scones and muffins are always appropriate.

In addition, you may want to have a platter of light sandwiches (without bread crust) such as cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon spread, pimento cheese, olives and cheese, or other choices. Providing crackers adorned with specialty cheese or other toppings is another food choice for your guests.

Invitations and Extras

As part of your Victorian tea party planning, you will want to select invitations that have a design theme from the era. Hand address and mail them 10 to 14 days in advance of your party date. Request that guests RSVP 5 days before your tea party so you will have enough time to plan your food, table setting requirements and other details.

You may opt to give small gifts or party favors to your guests. Special tea, nuts, candies, small poetry books, Victorian-designed fans or picture frames will give them a memento they can keep that will serve as a reminder of your special get-together.

The most important aspect of your Victorian tea party is remembering the purpose of the event, which is to share time with good friends and have an enjoyable, memorable experience.

Teddy Bear Tea Parties

Children of all ages love stuffed teddy bears -- and for good reason. They're cuddly, warm, and great fun! in addition, they don't make a mess on your living room floor before guests arrive.

The joy a stuffed animal can bring to a child is a wonderful and amazing thing. Now, combine this great love of all things fluffy with a little girl's tea party and you have the makings of the grandest event of the year for your daughter.

There are several ways you can create a memory-filled Teddy Bear Tea Party for your little one. Obviously the two main elements must be accounted for... the tea and the teddy bears. So let's look at both in just a little more detail.

The Tea

Choose a blend with some added flavor. Blackberry, apple or vanilla brews are often favorites at a tea party for children. You can go with the varieties from the tea aisle in the grocery store or find some fine teas at various tea shops or online.

Don't make the brew too strong and remember to have plenty of sugar (get the cubes... little girls love the cubes) and cream for those who have not yet acquired the taste for afternoon tea. Of course, more sugar is required in the form of cookies, chocolates and other tea fancies to complete the tea table.

The Teddy Bears

As you know, not all children choose a bear as their favorite stuffed animal so you might want to offer some flexibility. The most economical way to include the animals is to ask each child to bring a favorite teddy or other stuffed animal along for the event.

Providing a simple craft for the party attendees to make a teddy “tea shawl” (an inexpensive cloth napkin and some fabric makers or rubber stamps will do nicely) will help to make the stuffed animals more at ease at the tea table. Or, if you want to get even more elaborate, have a make-your-own stuffed animal event as part of your party, where each guest can build a bear or other stuffed animal to take home.

Keep the entire tea party short and simple for maximum memory making and remember your camera and film. You'll want to take plenty of pictures of the little ones, pinkies high sipping their tea while enjoying their tea dainties.

Finally, remember to take a photo of each guest with the guest of honor and their bears. Include the picture with your thank you notes so each will have a grand remembrance of the day.

Tea Party Invitations

You're having a tea party. All of the planning is finished. It's time to select your tea party invitations. Whether for children or adults, choosing invitations are important to your overall event because they introduce your party theme to guests and help set the overall tone by their look and feel.

Where to Find Invitations

There are a number of ways to source invitations. By searching online, you will find a host of sites that feature invitations you can customize to suit your desired taste. Printing is typically efficient -- and you will have your invitations delivered straight to your door.

Specialty stationary stores offer an array of beautiful invitations that you can have customized and imprinted with your message. A more economical route may be to visit a local card shop or office supply store and see if there are designs you especially like for your tea party invitations.

If you enjoy crafts, you can create your invitations by using different textured cards, stamps, trinkets and calligraphy. Hand-crafted invitations make an extraordinary impression and are very personal. You can get as creative as you desire and may even want to incorporate tea-related elements such as tea bags and unusual tea labels into your design.

Invitation Verbiage

The style and tone of your invitation verbiage should complement the theme of your event, as well as reflect whether it is formal or casual. The key is to keep your body copy relatively brief, while providing invited guests with all the information they need including date, time, location, party specifics, RSVP and contact information.

Request that your guests RSVP up to five days before your gathering to give you enough time for party preparation.

Addressing and Mailing

Whether you order, purchase or make your own tea party invitations, you will want to hand write the envelope with the guest’s name and address information, as well as your return address. Even consider using a special pen or calligraphy for added appeal.

Select decorative or unusual postage stamps for your envelopes to give them an extra touch. Plan to mail your tea party invitations two-to-three weeks before your event.