Where did the term "High Tea" come from anyway? Surprisingly, it wasn't from royalty or any other high society types. During the Industrial Revolution in the 1700's, working families would return home at the end of the day exhausted. The table would be set with meats, bread, butter, pickles, cheese, and yes, tea. There were no tiny sandwiches, scones, or pastries. Because it was eaten at a high dining table instead of a low tea table, it was called "High Tea".
Whether you decide to put out a spread with savories, scones, and pastries, or keep it simple with just treats and tea, here are some ideas that will help turn your party into a sweet memory for all who attend.
1. Collect tea cups/saucers and teapots from yard sales. Party stores also carry plastic teacups.
2. Invite guests to bring their own teacup (and saucer). Have each guest explain why they chose to bring a particular cup.
3. Bake a basic sheet cake, and use cookie cutters to create individual teacakes. Allow each guest to decorate their own tea cake.
4. Ask your guests to bring yummy foods to the party.
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Create a sign up to invite tea party guests and have them bring some goodies to share. SAMPLE
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5. Offer different flavors of tea including caffeinated, decaffeinated, and herbal blends.
6. Purchase sugar cubes from the grocery store.
7. Encourage guests to dress up a bit; hats and gloves are acceptable!
8. Create questionnaires for mother/daughter pairs to answer about each other. Give prizes for the pair with the most matching answers.
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Sample Questions for Mother/Daughter Pairs:
9. Plan a craft activity for mothers and daughters to work on together. Keep in mind the level of messiness if your guests plan to dress up.
10. Have an area set up to take a keepsake mother/daughter photo.
11. Invite someone to speak about etiquette, good manners, or the history of tea.
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Check out this great source for more information about the history of tea!
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12. Plan an icebreaker or a game to help guests connect with those they are meeting for the first time.
13. Arrange bouquets of colorful flowers as centerpieces on each table.
14. Not sure about pulling off a tea party on your own? Why not delegate? Offer to host the party and ask others to contribute to the planning.
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Build a Tea Party sign up now! SAMPLE
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