I have this wild idea and need your opinions. Ryan's Girl Scout Troop is a bit rowdy and I thought it might be nice to try and bring the together with their moms in a more elegant setting. I am not the Troop leader but thought I'd see what you guys think before I offer this to the Troop leader. I have taken Ryan to a Tea Party at a museum before and she loved it. White gloves, frilly dress, hat, the whole bit.

So I was thinking that I could open up my home and sponsor a Tea Party for the Girl Scouts and their moms. We could do it close to Mother's Day as a party and a chance for them to use their best manners. Just simple food choices, fruit, cheese, tiny sandwiches and tea (or juice that is in a tea pot for the ones that don't like tea). Am I nuts? I can get nice tea cups from the second hand store (not sure I am comfortable trusting many of them with my good ones) and I could decorate the dining room with bright colors.

What do you think and do you have any suggestions?

What a great idea. I'd use my good tea cups for this special occasion. Have you thought of also making them up written invitations, with a bit written inside about dress, etc.

If I was closer, I'd drop by in a heart beat!!

I definately think the written invites would be necessary. These young ladies could use a bit of refinement. I'll have to hunt around and see how many tea cups I can find and I may have to use the "good ones". There are 12 girls in the Troop and 11 moms. (2 girls are sisters). That would be a crowd. Of course some might be busy or just not interested. I really wish you and your lovely dd were close by and could come CJ.

Pat, what a fabulous idea! The girls would learn how to serve a traditional afternoon tea and they'd have to dress and behave accordingly. I've had many afternoon teas with my friends over the years and it's still a very special thing for me to do. I've found that everyone enjoys and appreciates the effort you put into making a traditional afternoon tea.

I have a recipe book called Tea Time - A complete collection of traditional recipes. If you need any recipes from the book, or the history of afternoon tea, let me know, I'd be happy to help you.

One suggestion. Afternoon tea should always be served from a tea pot. You might have to borrow a couple of tea pots. Generally the hostess pours the tea and everyone helps themselves to milk, lemon, sugar etc.

I agree that it's a wonderful idea! :)

I am definately going to have to hunt up some more teapots. The pretty ones I have are small and if it goes well, I could have a bunch of teacups to fill. I asked my dd what she thought, and she was all for it. I am going to aim for early May. That way they can still wear their Easter dresses and it may be warm enough to open some windows and have a nice Spring feel to the party. I think I will find some inexpensive ribbon to weave thru the chairs (ladder back style chairs) and tie big bows on them. I have 2 tables that are identical and 12 chairs - that will be a good start anyway. I just hope the girls and their moms go for it. These girls are not very lady like and may just run the opposite way. Oh well, more tea for dd and me.

Pat I think it's a lovely idea and what a fun way to model good manners! :rockon:

Well the Tea Party is set for Saturday, May 8th. That's the Saturday before Mother's Day. Good timing I think. I spoke with the Troop leader and she was all for the Tea Party as long as I took care of the details. She knew nothing about tea parties. I am going to fix up Victorian looking invites and get them to the girls as soon as possible. Our Troop is making living wreaths for the Mother's Day gift (putting them together several days before then) and the girls will present them to their moms at the tea party. I can't wait.

I've decided to get men's hankerchiefs (the plain white ones) and stain them with natural dyes and use for napkins. What do you think? Will it work? I'm thinking of blueberries, strawberries and some yellow flower to boil and use for the stain. I want lots of colors. I could buy napkins, but I thought this would be fun to do. Need to read up on it a bit first.

I've never done dying but I'm sure it would be a fun project and interesting for the girls to see.

What a wonderful idea. You're going to have a lot of fun doing this!

Found several lovely tea cups and saucers at the second hand store. I also picked up 8 silk scarfs and 4 linen napkins. Thought they would come in handy for decorating the chairs, table, etc. Very bright colors! All was marked down to almost nothing. Great buys and it's going to be so much fun. I know I'll have more fun than the girls.

Wonderful idea! We did this for my dd's golden birthday party. I was foolish and didn't invite the moms though-- and found out later that many of them had wished they could have attended.

We sent out engraved invites, had floating candles as a table centerpiece, had my boys decked out in tuxes (we own them) to announce each girl as she arrived and escort her to her chair (any fellow in a suit would work though).

We served frosted grapes, finger sandwiches, fancy cookies and of course tea!

I gave out the invitations which we so pretty even if I do say so. I did them on pretty, decorated paper and put them in purple evelopes than I photocopied a tea party pic onto. I gave them to the girls on Friday night at Girl Scouts. Not a single mom said a word. One girl who is the troop leader's daughter said she'd didn't want to wear a dress and that I couldn't make her. I said fine, you can wear whatever you want to but you can't come to the tea party unless you have on what I have asked for. I asked in the invite for them to call and let me know if they could or even if they could not come. So far, no calls at all. Well no matter who else is there, Ryan and I will have a beautiful tea party and I'll be thinking of all of who and wishing you could share it with us. The date is Saturday, May 8 from 2 - 3. Have a cup of tea at that time and think of us as well.

Wonderful idea, Pat.

I think the Girls & their Moms will have a Special treat.

Everyone should experience it at least once.

Great idea Pat! I'll be here with my tea cup and pot!

Susie in MN

The tea party was a wonderful success. I did have to move it to my church as Marybeth was still way to sick to tolerate a house full of screaming little girls.

I had 11 girls and 10 moms to come. All were dressed beautifully. I packed up my china, tablecloths and cloth napkins and set up the tables at church just as if I were at home. Everyone was nicely placed and it did look lovely. I served simple foods - chicken salad sandwiches, grapes and strawberries, cheese cubes, mini cookies, strawberry cake and punch (rather than tea which no one seemed to want). I put everything on really nice serving dishes and let the girls pass the food around the table rather than me serve them. They seemed to enjoy this and felt like they were involved. I did serve the tea and the cake myself. After we ate, the girls put on a fashion show and I described their outfits in glorious detail. Then they decided the moms should do it too and we really hammed it up and the little girls laughed so much.

After all that, the girls gave their moms the living wreaths they had previously made and went home and I gave each girl a gift of a lotion, nail polish and lip gloss.

I drug all my dirty dishes and linens back to the house and I'm still working at getting everything cleaned, ironed and stored for the next time.

If you have a little girl in your life, you really should do a tea party at least once.

Oh Pat! It sounds like it was quite a success! I can just picture it! Your discription sounds so sweet! Too bad about the clean-up though!

Susie in MN

well done, Pat! It's sounds like a great success. Just think, you've given these girls a memory they'll carry with them for a long time and hopefully they'll do the same for their daughters in years to come.