Is it too soon to plan a Christmas tea party?

So, a number of years ago, I hosted a little St. Nicholas Tea Party here at our house in VA, for all the Pearl gals who were six and up at the time (although I did adjust that for a granddaughter who was five but only months away from her birthday).  As much as I would have loved to have the littler Pearl women, too, I wanted it to be an in control, proper and elegant ladies' tea party--so no crazy (and adorable) toddler girls were included.  Just the "big girls" and the four daughters-in-law who lived near us.

It was so wonderful!  It really was. (I blogged about it here, in case you're interested in revisiting that post--or visiting it for the first time.)

It's been five years since that first St. Nicholas Tea Party, which I hoped would become an annual event here at Grammy's house, but somehow didn't. Life gets so busy, doesn't it?

Four of the granddaughters in the above photo, the oldest of our firstborn's seven kids, moved out to the Midwest not too long after that little holiday celebration.  But in the years since then, four of their wee girl cousins in VA have been growing up (way too fast!) and now fit the "six and up" age criteria.  I think that means that it's time for another tea party!  With the five granddaughters we have in the area, the three daughters-in-law, an old college friend of two of my girls (who has become like family), and myself, we would make a party of 12 and that sounds just about perfect to me.  I don't know what got me thinking about this six months in advance...but there you have it.  I'm already making plans.

Too soon?  (Don't answer that!)

I recently ordered a hardcover book for inspiration, and then like a crazy woman, I printed out some invitations that I made up on my computer.

The answer to "Is it too soon?" is obviously "YES!" Because even though St. Nicholas Day actually falls on a Sunday this year and that seems like a perfect time to have such a party, I have no idea if people will be available.  As it gets closer, I imagine I will be making up new invitations!  (Fiddle-dee-dee.  I'll think about that tomorrow, as Scarlett O'Hara would say.)

I'm enjoying deciding which scones, tea sandwiches, and desserts I'm going to make, and how I'm going to set the table.  I've already decided that at each place, there will be a small framed picture of Jolly Old St. Nick, which will serve as both a table decoration and a party favor for each guest.

Okay, full disclosure, dear readers...I found an Etsy offering that I couldn't pass up, with about 30 downloadable vintage-style Santa images for under $3...and I had some of them printed at Walgreen's in wallet photo size, and then put them in some inexpensive frames found on Amazon.  Yes, I did this already.

Cute, right?

But I have a problem.  I admit it.   Party planning for family events is one of my favorite pastimes; but doing so this far ahead might be beyond the pale, even for me!

I'll be back in December to report on this tea party, if it indeed ever happens.  (Fingers crossed.)  In the meantime, I'll be thoroughly enjoy collecting ideas for how to make it the best ever!  

First Annual Pearl Gals St. Nicholas Tea Party

I mentioned in a post a while back that I was planning to have a holiday tea party for my four VA daughters-in-law and my five oldest granddaughters.  Any Pearl lady six and up was invited, and it just so happens that the four granddaughters who were technically old enough are members of our firstborn's family; so I decided that since another one of my granddaughters (who belongs to son #3) is going to turn six in a few months, she would make the cut as well.  I wanted it to be a fun cousin party for them, and I'm hoping that in the coming years, as the other little girls mature, it can become an annual family event.

The tea party took place on December 5, the day before the feast of St. Nicholas, so I dubbed it a St. Nicholas Tea Party.  There are so many Santa and St. Nick figurines around my house, I didn't even need to do anything special as far as decorating!

I set the dining room table for 10 with some lovely china left to me by my late beloved mother-in-law.  It's called Royal Hunt by Noritake, and it looks beautiful with Christmas linens.

I stocked up on different festive-flavored teas, and I have to say that the one called "Christmas Tea" by Twinings was the clear winner.  (Barb, thanks for the recommendation!)  I prepared as many tasty bite-sized foods as I could: chicken salad sandwiches on croissants, cut in half; spiral ham sandwich bites; mini pigs-in-blankets; mini quiches; stuffed mushrooms; spears of grapes and strawberries.  I baked cinnamon and vanilla scones, half the size I normally make them; there were shortbread cookies and chocolates and Oreos dipped in chocolate with peppermint chips on them.  There was a mimosa bar as well.  And even honey lollipops for stirring tea, chocolate spoons for stirring coffee!

 

The youngest of the girls opted for milk rather than tea in her cup (and actually, her mama opted for Diet Coke!).  But not everyone is a tea-drinker, and I'm certainly okay with that! (We had coffee available, too, because coffee is pretty much the lifeblood for most Pearls.) I'm not sure that the food was quite right for the younger set, so I'm already thinking about what I would do differently if we have a 2022 tea party.  But all in all, it was truly delightful.

At the end, each of the granddaughters got a miniature doll, in the most adorable little St. Nicholas sack (Etsy for the win!).

We had a cookie exchange, too! 

And not to be left out of this girls-only event, my husband had special gifts for his daughters-in-law.

Living the dream, right girls? LOL!  (And he is freaking awesome.  The shirts don't lie.)

Our St. Nicholas Tea Party really kicked off the Advent/Christmas season for me.  It was totally joyful and lived up to every dream I had for it.  I'm not even letting myself get caught up in the usual second-guessing game of "the food wasn't right, I wish I'd made such-and-such," which is often my post-party hostess routine.  (I'm working on that perfectionist tendency!)  I'm just taking notes for next year and already treasuring the memories we made this year.

Those pink t-shirts make the perfect ending for this post today.  Happy Gaudete Sunday, dear readers!

Planning a Holiday Tea Party

These days, it would be very easy for me to fall into a pit of despair over what is happening in our world.  I could sit paralyzed with fear, worrying about what kind of future our grandchildren will have if things don't change, and fast. I'm not going to go into details here, because this isn't that kind of blog.  But there are goings-on afoot that truly terrify me--and some of them are hitting way too close to home.

But my husband and I are doing the Bible in a Year study with Fr. Mike Schmitz, which makes us realize that none of the things that are happening in the 21st century are new at all. Throughout salvation history, misguided and sinful man has time after time turned away from God and suffered greatly for it.  But in the end, God our merciful Father is in charge and He does love His children; so in spite of our disobedience, there is always hope for us.

ANYWAY, sorry for starting out as a real Debbie Downer on this Monday morning (as if Monday mornings aren't kind of the worst for many already!); I'm going to change my tune here and tell you what I'm doing to combat the blues:

I'm planning a St. Nicholas Tea Party/Brunch/Cookie Exchange in early December, for all the Pearl ladies here in VA (including my five oldest granddaughters)!  

I've got lots of ideas for the food and decor already, but I find myself doing Internet searches for "Christmas Tea Party Ideas" quite frequently now, and here are some of the images that have popped up that make me feel all merry and bright.

I'm trying to decide if I'll use my beloved blue-and-white transferware for the party.  Or instead, I might use the lovely holiday china that my mother-in-law left me, as I have exactly 10 place settings of that and there will be 10 of us around the table.  I'll be sure to post pictures of our event--which will probably not quite live up to these Pinterest-worthy images, but I'm going to do my best.  I can't tell you how excited I am about this little all-girls party!

With visions of sugarplums (and dainty crustless tea sandwiches) dancing in your heads now, and all the gloominess of the beginning of this post hopefully blotted out of your mind, I wish you a wonderful week. Enjoy your families.  And make every day a holiday!  (That's my new motto!)