Celebrations

Couples Tea

When you think of afternoon tea, at least here in the US, typically men are normally not a part of the mix. I once had the opinion that men were not interested in taking tea, that was until I hosted a garden tea for a group of moms and daughters a few years ago. When one father asked why men were not invited on a whim I asked him to join in and pretty soon all the fathers found themselves sitting at the table sipping tea and indulging in tea cookies and finger sandwiches much to their delight.

That of course sparked my desire to include them in subsequent garden parties and each year the men are as ecstatic about tea as the women who show up each year.

To celebrate couples in a different way, why not host an afternoon tea? I like tea, because the preparation is easy and the cost tends to be low. You can usually use items that are already in your kitchen and many of the items on the menu can be made by using leftovers. With the cost of entertaining at an all-time high, there is no better way to gather your friends than over a spot of tea.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. To make it extra special, send out hand-written invitations for the occasion
  2. Choose a Sunday afternoon if possible as it tends to be a more relaxed time
  3. Prepare a menu with a selection of two of the following: teas, finger sandwiches, tea cookies or mini desserts, sweet breads such as pound cake or apple crumb cake, cheese and fruit platter sherry and wine and scones
  4. To cut down on work, set up a buffet to allow guests to serve themselves
  5. Set up mixed seating by placing small tables situation in living areas other than the dining room
  6. Be sure to use china, linens and real glassware
  7. Turn off the television and electronic devices and have good conversation
  8. Enjoy!