Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions

Sonnet Counterpoint

Sometimes a circle is a fairy ring,
Sometimes a yin and yang, sometimes a dome

Of healing, sometimes a cyclone of pain.
The seasons cycle with pine wind and chill;

Then manzanita bells ring in the rain
And blossoms blow in the sun’s golden will
As spring surges up with green once again.

Then geese fly above and our spirits soar
Till mud and shame sink our souls at the core,

So we trudge on or skip or run, swallow
Our pride or glory in the sun. Up, down,
And all around, so dizzy as we go
Some dropping a trail of breadcrumbs behind

Some casting their kite in the western wind.

As the seasons turn and the years roll by, each life is filled with hundreds of special moments that call out for celebration. Here we share with you events from our own lives that called us to share Afternoon Tea with those we love. We hope you will join us and that you will find your own unique moments for celebration.  Click on the image below to see the corresponding menu.

Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions: Guidelines:

Keeping in mind that creativity is one of the fundamental elements of Afternoon Tea, we encourage you to nurture your creative energies through this multi-artistic endeavor. You might start with a single motif as Kathleen did in planning the Honeybee and Rose Teas. Perhaps a setting or activity will inspire you, as in our Urban Tea on the Go. You might want to honor a favorite mentor or historic person. A Victorian Tea in honor of Queen Victoria or Queen Liliuokalani could be charming, or perhaps a Jane Austin Tea at which guests are invited to share a favorite passage from one of Miss Austin’s novels. A Haiku Tea in honor of the great haiku poet, Matsuo Basho, could be delightful. Guests could be encouraged, but certainly not pressured, to compose a few haiku poems while sharing tea.

Whether your inspiration comes from a natural object, an event or a person, we ask you to keep the four foundational principles of Afternoon Tea—Respect, Harmony, Creativity and Humility in mind. This will help to keep you from going down an unfortunate path. If you should come up with the idea of an Elvis Look-Alike Afternoon Tea, with guests dressed in sequins, cheeseburgers all around and “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog” blaring in every room, the principle of Respect should lead you in another direction. Why not honor instead another southern gentlemen from the last century, Dr. Matin Luther King, Jr., with a Memorial Tea?

The principle of Harmony should remind us that Afternoon Tea celebrates the real world of nature, interpersonal relationships, good food and our own creative efforts. Afternoon Tea is not about the artificial world of Hollywood, Sports, Advertising, Politics, Social 

 Media or Television. A Super Bowl Afternoon Tea or an Oscar Night Tea in front of the Television Set  would be misguided choices that would direct our attention away from the beauty and harmony of the tea party itself. Another important principle, Humility, should guide us away from activities that are competitive, arrogant, self-congratulatory or in any way involve bragging. Parents might be tempted to host an Afternoon Tea to celebrate their daughter’s Olympic medal or the fact that their son has just been accepted at Harvard. Please resist these temptations and focus instead on celebrating the simple beauties of life itself.

Motifs for an Afternoon Tea can indeed come from the most elemental places—the first snowfall, the full moon, cherries, daffodils, May Day, Mozart, the autumn leaves, and endless other possibilities. But no unicorns, Cinderellas, or Hello Kitties, please, as these have become commercial inventions. And we beg you to trust your own creative gifts rather than running down to the card store at the mall to purchase printed napkins, paper tablecloths, streamers, balloons, banners, glitter and paper hats.  Choose the colors you want to use, select flowers or plants that reflect your theme, and let your imagination take over. Your guests will love your tea party, because it will come from your own hands and your heart.

Like a Low Sweet Flute

Like a low sweet flute
The dove calls from the warm oak at midday;
The geraniums gather sunlight,
Their red petals reminding us
Of the lava, fire colored,
In secret volcano crevices.

In each of us, there are reeds
Waiting for the summer wind
To make music.
There is a flower,
Powered by fire,
Waiting to bloom.

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THE TEA BOOK
The Road Back to Civilization
A Brief History of Tea
  Philosophy of Tea
     Harmony
     Humility
     Respect
     Creativity

Guidelines for the Host/Hostess

  Gathering and Greeting
  Sharing Stories
  Sharing Food
  Sending the Guests Home

Guidelines for the Guest

  Respect your Hostess/Host
  Bring a Gift if You Wish
  Practice Humility
  Monitor Your Conversation
  Arrive With a Grateful Attitude
  Help if Help is Needed
  Do Not Criticize
  Leave Gracefully
  Send a Thank you Note

A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
Teas of the World and How to Make Tea

  A Sampling of Teas
  Herbal Teas and Tisanes
  How to Make Tea
  Making Iced Tea
  Tea Concentrate
  Brewing Tea for a Crowd

Tea Utensils and Accessories

  Tea Kettle
  Tea Pot
  Tea Cozy
  Teacups
  Plates
  Silverware
  Teacart
  Tea Strainer
  Tea Infuser
  Three-Tiered Server
  Cream Pitcher and Sugar   Bowl
  Cake Pedestal
  Trifle Bowl
  Jam Pots
  Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
  Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
  Linens
  Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation

Tea Menu Basics

  Sandwiches and Savories
  Savory Spreads and Dips
  Scones and Tea Breads

About Lemons

  Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons

     A Spring Tea
     An Outdoor Summer Tea
     A Winter Afternoon Tea
     An Autumn Afternoon Tea

A Calendar of Tea Parties

  January:A Japanese New Year’s Tea
  February:Valentine’s Day Tea
  March:A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
  April:An Easter Tea
May:Mother’s day Tea
  June:A Wedding Reception Tea

Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake

  July:A Picnic Tea
  AUGUST:A FAMILY REUNION TEA

A North American Family Reunion Tea
  An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
  A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
  A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea

  September:An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
  October:A Tea to Honor   Our Ancestors(Dia de los Muertos)
  November:A Post Thanksgiving Tea
  December: A Christmas Tea

  In Defense of Fruitcake:Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit

A World of Tea Parties

  A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
  A Portuguese Tea
  A Classic British Afternoon Tea
  An Indian Chai Party
  A California Tea
  A Hawaiian Tea
  An Italian Tea
  An American Southern Tea
  A Russian Tea
A French Afternoon Tea
  A Kosher Teawith  Traditional Jewish Foods

Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions

An Afternoon Tea for Children
  A Tea for Our Elders
  A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
  An Urban Tea on the Go
  Tea for One
  Afternoon Tea For a Large Group
  A Vegan Tea
  A Rose Tea