A Christmas Tea Party
Table Decorations The decorations can be a simple or elaborate as you would like.
A tablecloth in a Christmas color of your choice is necessary to give your table a theme. If you are planning an easy and relaxed tea, use pretty Christmas motif paper napkins and plates. This is an easy and festive way to decorate for your tea during a busy holiday season. Be sure to still use nice bone china cups and saucers. If you do not have enough, request that each of your guests bring their favorite cup and saucer to the tea. A formal tea would require china place settings and linen napkins.
Miniature Christmas decorations make nice napkin rings.
A nice addition to your Christmas table decor would be to tie large ribbons to the back of the chairs. You can purchase large bows to attach to the back of the chairs.
For a centerpiece place a large wreath in the middle of the table and place candles in the middle or wrap empty boxes and arrange in the middle of the table.
Placards can be made by wrapping small packages and placed at each setting or use Christmas package tags.
Christmas Tea Party Favors Christmas Crackers
Mini stocking filled with tea from your party and a tea ball or if using teabags fill the stockings with the teabags and a teabag holder
Christmas ornament
Menu Chamomile Tea with Raspberries- Serve chilled chamomile tea with a couple of raspberries dropped into champagne glasses to the guests as they arrive.
Cranberry Nut Bread with Apple Slices
Roast Beef Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Dressing
Spinach, Red Pepper, and Feta Pita
Petit Fours and pastries purchased from a Bakery
Tea This menu has a variety of flavors, so to simplify the tea service try serving a blend like English Afternoon, Dragonmoon, or a hardy green tea like Pinhead. These teas will compliment this variety of strong flavors. For the delicate raspberry and chocolate trifle try English Evening.
Activities Gift Exchange: Each person attending the party will need to bring a wrapped gift. Since this is a tea, specify to bring a gift associated with tea (cup and saucer, tea, tea ball, tea bag holder, etc.) Set a limit to how much the gift should cost like $5.00 - $10.00. Everyone gathers into a circle with the gifts in the middle. Write the numbers from 1- the number of people playing on small slips of paper and place in a hat or other container. Let each person draw a slip to determine their turns for the gift exchange. The person who has the #1 picks a gift from the pile and does not open it. The person who has #2 can either pick the gift #1 chose or choose a gift from the pile. The person who has #3 may take the gift from #1 or #2 or pick from the pile of gifts. Each gift may only change hands three times. The person with the gift on the third exchange keeps it. Once each person has a gift, everyone opens them at the same time to see what they exchanged away.
Gift Wrap Relay: You will need a box, wrapping paper, tape, and ribbon for each 2 person team. Each pair race to wrap the box and tie a ribbon around the box. During the race each person may only use one hand, so they must hold one arm behind their back. The hostess judges who did the best wrapping job in shortest amount of time. A small, special treat may be given to the winning pair.
Build a Gingerbread House: Purchase small gingerbread house kits and divide up into teams. Have fun decorating them or make a large gingerbread house as a group.
Wrapping Party: Bring all your gifts, paper, etc. and enjoy each others company while doing a holiday chore.
