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Image Compliments of Disney Family Parenting

A Tea Party is a sure thing. Little girls, in particular, seem to love the concept, so parents and grandparents should consider celebrating their daughter’s or granddaughter’s birthday with a fancy tea party. In fact, the organizers usually have just as much fun throwing such a party as the little ones have attending it.

Bigelow Tea offers tea sets and treats to help you celebrate in style. And kids will really get a kick out of Bigelow Tea’s honey spoons!

Be creative! You can cut out invitations shaped like little tea pots; make goodie bags that look like giant tea bags with each child’s name written on the tag; and fashion Victorian fans out of pretty wall paper tied with ribbons.

For even more fun, have the girls dress up with jewelry, hats and gloves. Pull out old clothes or hit the resale shops to have plenty of costume material ready for them. The girls might enjoy making their own hats.

Little boys like tea parties, too. Try a pirate theme for boys, complete with eye patches and a treasure map, or a prince/princess theme for both boys and girls.

Image compliments of Disney Family Fun

The ultimate tea party, of course, was thrown by a little girl named Alice…in case you need more inspiration, read the tea-party chapter from that story or watch one of the many movies about the “mad” tea party in Wonderland.

Image compliments of www.cs.cmu.edu

Above all, don’t be late for this very important date!

Thanks to About This Particular Macintosh for the Image

Little signs of spring are popping up everywhere. You can see it in the tiny buds on the trees, hear it in the birds chirping and smell it in the fresh cut grass. As the ground thaws, our longing to be outdoors reemerges. Like a New Year’s full of resolutions, the first day of spring brings with it a sense of possibility.

One great way to step into spring is with an old-fashioned tea party! Need a tea set?  Bring in the bright colors of spring with our Pinwheel Pink Teapot and mugs! For a menu idea, try one of our light and delicious recipes like turkey, watercress and cranberry sandwiches:

Turkey, Watercress and Cranberry Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Butter (optional)
12 slices pumpernickel or other favorite bread
1 bunch watercress
¾ pound sliced cooked turkey
Cranberry sauce, prepared or homemade

Yield: Makes 24 sandwiches.

Instructions:

Turkey, Watercress and Cranberry Sandwiches Butter bread, if desired. On each of the 6 slices of bread, arrange watercress and turkey. Spread with cranberry sauce. Close sandwiches with remaining bread. Cut into quarters.

However you choose to embrace the season, be sure to go outside, take a deep breath and appreciate the budding green surroundings. Happy spring!

Fifth century Ireland is a lost world, virtually closed to both historians and archaeologists, and what little is known about the life and work of Patrick comes from his own writings in Latin. Saint Patrick was an Irish apostle who as legend has it, banished snakes from the shores of his country, and suffered much persecution. On his way to sainthood, Saint Patrick is credited with establishing many churches and schools in his homeland while gaining his place in Irish History, and helping free his country from religious persecution.

On St. Patrick’s Day it is tradition to take part in the “wearin’ of the green”; something green in honor of the day and in honor of Ireland and the good deeds of St. Patrick. Fortunately for Tea Lovers, Bigelow Tea has a few suggestions for a grand St. Patrick’s Day celebration at home.

• Enjoy a cup of Bigelow Green Tea
• Attend a Saint Patrick’s Day Tea Party
• And if you are planning your own St. Patrick’s Day tea party, Bigelow Tea offers a variety of Green Teas, and a delightful recipe for a Greenie Mar-Tea-ni.
• The Greenie Mar-TEA-ni:

Ingredients:
6 Bigelow® Green Tea tea bags
1¼ cups boiling water
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces vodka
Garnish with a twist of lemon

Yield: Serves 4

Instructions:

Place Bigelow® Green Tea tea bags into a measuring cup and add 1¼ cups boiling water. Let brew for 3 minutes. Remove tea bags.

Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Chill.

To make a martini, take two ounces of the cooled sweet tea and mix it with one ounce of the vodka. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Photo Courtesy of Evil Beet Gossip

More tea party fun…In October, Shields threw a charitable Tupperware and tea party.  Shields, a Tupperware spokesperson, held a star-studded tea party to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs SMART Girls Program.  Tea is being used to help empower young women.  Why not see what you can do?  Check out the Boys and Girls Clubs of America!

Thanks to Kids-go-Party!!!!

Listen up brides-to-be and bridesmaids alike; February is National Wedding Month! Although not a very popular month to get married, February is a crucial month of planning for spring and summer weddings.

For many family and friends of the bride, planning the Bridal Shower is a key component of the wedding process. What’s the latest trend in these celebrations? Tea party showers!

There are more opportunities to create a unique event with a bridal shower. For example, you could plan a casual gathering among close friends, or an all-out formal event. The great idea behind tea parties is that they can be either.

For brides with simple, more laid-back tastes, having a tea party in one’s home might be best. If this is the case, there are great tips all over the internet on how to pick out tablecloths, china and even where to order some genuine British scones! If your bride has more extravagant tastes, it might be a good idea to look into tea rooms in your area. Tea rooms can offer larger spaces, more variety and a more formal atmosphere.

Interested in learning more? Here’s a great place to start!

Would you consider throwing/having a tea party bridal shower?

Elizabeth Hurley, who has been a big supporter of Kids, which helps children with disabilities, for the past 12 years, hosts a special tea party with son Damian, 5 1/2. “We were discussing how nice it would be to do something for Mother’s Day (March 2nd in the UK), and because my son is obsessed with tea parties I thought that other kids could really enjoy one. [Damian] was so excited. He wanted to wear his page boy costume from our Indian wedding! He’s uncannily like me and I’m very in tune with him. He’s a bit of a show-off and makes me watch him sing and dance for hours.”

Looks like tea parties aren’t the only thing Damian is obsessed with…what a nice present for his mother on Mother’s Day.

Last year, Bigelow Tea celebrated Hot Tea Month with afternoon tea parties for employees. Why not host your own tea party and join in the celebration? Or try a hot tea you’ve never tried before like Vanilla Caramel or Cinnamon Stick?

Warm up…it’s Hot Tea Month!

Each year Victoria hosts her Victoria Rowell Steps Out for High Tea at Noon event to raise funds for her organization in support of children in the foster care system. This year, the tea, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, featured such notables as Chris Schauble of the early morning news show Today in LA, actress Angela Bassett, hat designer Patricia Underwood, Rowell’s fiancé and world-renowned artist Radcliffe Bailey, and recording artist Stephanie Mills. All joined to help Victoria make the world a better place one tea party at a time.

Special thanks for this photo from blackcelebkids.com

Autumn begins with the September equinox, when the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west, which is true of the spring equinox as well. Soon the weather will become brisk and the leaves will start to turn from green to shades of red, yellow and orange.

Throughout the season, be sure to enjoy both the sun and the moon with a delightful, warm cup of Pumpkin Spice Autumn Spiced Tea or Cinnamon Stick® Tea.