My First Valentine Friends Tea

Growing weary of the long gray days of winter, I decided to host a Valentine's Tea for a few friends to raise my spirits and show them how much they mean to me.  In preparation, I realized that I would need a little help to prepare the table for my guests.  Any previously hosted tea parties have been attended by my beautiful grandaughters and myself.  They are not too particular as long as the cookies are fresh and their tea is sweet in their miniature tea cups. 

In late January, I began scouring the Internet's various tea party websites, my favorite of which is Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor.  After deciding on four simple courses, I made a list of table setting pieces that would be needed.  I then set out on the pleasant task of visiting familiar antique and collectible shops in the area that I've been known to frequent regularly.  I was delighted to find everything I was looking for, plus some additional bargains I just couldn't resist.  I created my handmade invitations and mailed them two weeks before the event--no turning back now. 

One week before the tea, I began pulling out familiar old pieces of pink depression glass gifted to me by my mom one Christmas that had belonged to her mother.   These dishes are kept tucked away for safekeeping and rarely see the light of day.  Washing and drying the pieces with care, I was reminded how beautiful they were and thought about the tables my Grandma Margaret, who passed when I was eleven, would have set for guests in her day.

On the day before the gathering, I began putting together my tablescape.   A white lace tablecloth was layered over a deep red one.  A bouquet of red roses that my husband surprised me with became my focal point, surrounded by cinnamon candles, glass cherubs, framed cards and pictures clipped from magazines referring to the love of friends.  Various sizes of old buttons in shades of red, pink, silver and gold were tossed in, too.  Red chargers from Christmas were topped with clear glass dinner plates, salad plates and soup bowls.  I used pink stemware to serve appetizers of Bleu Cheese Mousse Dip with crackers, joined by crystal water goblets and a hodge-podge of porcelain teacups, each with teaspoons purchased from clearance at Hobby Lobby (I love that place!).  Each spoon was decorated with a look alike Valentine cookie on the end of it.  I finished by placing three different tea pots to be filled the next day with a variety of steaming hot beverages--Earl Grey, mixed berry and simple black tea.  I stood back to admire my handiwork.  Everything was coming together.

On the day of the tea, preparing each dish from my menu, I was filled with eager anticipation, but also a little skiddish at having taken on such a task.  After all, this isn't the deep south and tea parties are relatively rare around here except for little girl birthday parties and gatherings by ladies of graceful distinction from an older generation, at least that I am aware of.

Just before high noon, my friends arrived at the back door.  Not the front door, mind you, where I had painstakenly decorated the walkway and front porch to create a Valentine tone--spritzing snow with red colored water in the shape of hearts, a welcoming flag, silk flower arrangement, and a colorful quilt on the porch swing.  Oh well, you've probably heard the addage about back door friends, so I couldn't be too disheartened.

All in all, I believe my first tea party/luncheon was a success, with few exceptions.  (I did not know that one friend had shellfish allergies until immediatly before she took the first bite of the Shrimp Bisque I had just set before her--that was a close call.)  I'm hoping my friends would have the same opinion.  One girlfriend called to say she wanted to carry on our newly found tradition and has begun planning her own gathering for the near future.  I look forward to that. 

Who knows, maybe this idea will catch on around here.  After having so much fun planning and preparing for my first tea, I'm already looking for ideas for my next one.  After all, there a lot of upcoming springtime events worthy of celebrating with a cup of tea...my sister-in-law's 40th birthday, St. Patrick's Day, my granddaughter's 4th birthday, Easter, and a highly publicized English wedding, just to name a few.  The list goes on and on.  Now where have I placed by tea journal...?