The Princess Tea Party

Today was the tea party for friends J and J, and J's daughter and her two little girls.  We had talked about this before Valentine's Day, and since then, I'd been looking around for tea party accessories for the two girls (a first-grader and a second-grader).  The theme of the tea party was "Princess," since the girls had been to DisneyWorld last year and had tea in Cinderella's Castle. (Talk about pressure....)

So our tea party style today was mostly Princess, with a little bit of St. Patty's Day tossed in, since my living room and dining room is decorated for the month of March in shamrocks and leprechauns, and two little St. Patrick's Day trees.

At each place setting, I had an over-sized Hersey's Chocolate Kiss holding the place cards, a beaded tiara, a pink star-shaped magic wand, and a tiny purse holding a rhinestone ring. (Every princess, no matter her age, needs some bling.)  Keeping St. Patty's Day in mind, everyone had a  bright green beaded Mardi Gras-type necklace. (More bling.)

I had found two demitasse-sized cups for the two girls, and a teapot that nearly matched their special little cups. (Smaller cups for smaller hands.)  Being that DisneyWorld served hot chocolate at their Cinderella Tea, so did I.  For us big girls, we had regular teacups, a bigger teapot (with real tea).

Two kinds of cupcakes...... chocolate brownie cupcakes with pistachio nuts, and key lime cupcakes with cream-cheese frosting.  J brought over a plate filled with chocolate coconut cookies and green M&Ms.  Between the bling and the sweets, we were over-the-top. (J's daughter waved her magic wand over the desserts, making them calorie-free.)

The best part of the afternoon... the two little girls (J & C) were dolled up in matching dresses and sparkling shoes. Cute to the max, and so precious to see.... it was like a painting come to life as they walked in my door.   Their eyes lit up as they saw the dining room table with the fancy china and teacups, and all the surprises at the place settings.  At the center of the table, I had a Victorian-style vanity mirror, so they could see their adorable selves after putting on the tiaras. They both smiled so big, and their eyes were bright and princess-y as they saw how beautiful they looked.  Those big smiles alone were worth all the baking and fussing and accessory-shopping.

After our tea and desserts, we played the Tea Bingo game.  I had bought that years ago when I gave tea parties for Miss C and her friends.  Actually, when C was here last week, she saw all the tea party accessories in my room and she asked me what they were for.  I told her about J asking me to do a tea party for her two granddaughters. Without missing a beat, Miss C told my husband: "Miss L is tea-party cheating on me!"  I would have loved it if C could have been here, but she works during the week, now that she's graduated from college.  She was here in spirit, and as I watched these two little girls today enjoying the tea party, I thought of all the special times with Miss C when she was their age.

I had prizes (coloring books and crayons) for the girls (for their Tea Bingo wins), and books for us big girls....... and when the afternoon tea was over, we all gathered up our tiaras and rings and magic wands...... I suggested to the little girls that they bring their tiaras the next time they visit their grandparents so we will be properly attired for our next tea party.

Such fun....... and such a wonderful surprise to see two little girls dressed up in their Sunday-best, with perfectly good manners as they ate their cupcakes and sipped their hot chocolate. Their enthusiasm for the afternoon was more heart-warming than I can describe.  Afternoon tea... a simple gift to give to little girls....... and you get such a magnificent memory in return.