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A Children’s Holiday Tea Party Brings a Touch of Whimsy to Winter
By Tracy Stern & Dana Rhoden

‘Tis the season of celebration, and adding a cup of whimsy to your child’s winter wonderland is as easy as brewing up the perfect pot of tea for an impromptu children’s tea party.

The holiday tea party is all about fun and introducing children to the wonderful custom of drinking tea. In addition, it’s a great introduction to proper etiquette. Be creative with invitations, décor, music and party favors when planning your child’s fantasy tea.

For a festive tea fete, begin by finding white card stock shaped as snowflakes or cut your own from heavy paper. Write each guests name with silver ink and place the invitations in white envelopes filled with white or holiday-colored confetti. 

On a cold day, pull the patio furniture into the kitchen and add a hot pink raffia umbrella to the center of the table. Scatter fake snow or coconut flakes on the table and see if you can make them resemble snowdrifts. Drape fairy wings or boas over the back of each chair and encourage the girls to wrap themselves in the boas before settling in for tea.

Prior to guest’s arrival, bake sugar cookies in the shape of tea pots and bring out tubes of decorating icing and sprinkles. Let guests decorate their own teapot-shaped cookie to take home. Mini-cupcakes are another tea-friendly snack that is great for decorating. 

For added flair, frost glass tea cups with a snowflake stencil and glass etching spray available at craft stores and play a selection of winter music including favorites such as “Frosty the Snowman” and “Winter Wonderland”.

When making the menu, be creative and make it look festive. Cut sandwiches into fun shapes or sprinkle green tea over freshly popped popcorn. If the occasion calls for a cake, think outside the cake pan with a tasty confection of pink and white Hostess Snowballs on a three tier cake stand surrounded by feather boas.

Take this opportunity during tea time to indulge in another great holiday project with your children by making “Mommy and Me” holiday gifts for friends and relatives.

Nothing says love like a homemade present featuring chocolate chip scones from your kids. You need only four ingredients, butter, milk, eggs and water, to make the scones and a heart-shaped cookie cutter and gift box to complete the project.

More tips and recipes on entertaining with tea can be found in Tracy Stern’s new book, “TEA PARTY: 20 Themed Tea Parties with Recipes for Every Occasion (Clarkson Potter, $27.50)”, Tracy Stern elegantly fuses fashion, art, culture and history in each of the 20 themed tea parties she brings to life. For more information, visit www.salontea.com.