The Sunday after Labor Day each year marks National Grandparents Day.
Despite accusations, this holiday does not have commercial roots, but rather was founded by a West Virginia woman, and was celebrated nationally for the first time in 1979. While this holiday is usually pushed aside due to a hectic beginning of the school year and extra curricular activities, this year, make it special. Honor your grandparents with a tea. This is a great event for people from 5 to 105 years old. Little ones can help with the preparations and it is budget friendly.
First, set the scene: Find floral sheets, large pieces of fabric, lace and/or curtains. Spend a few moments arranging these on the table. Set each place with a teacup and saucer, plate, knife and spoon. It is almost better if your tea sets don’t match. Be sure to have a creamer and sugar set. If you can find cloth napkins, use those, or purchase pretty floral napkins at a dollar store or craft store. For your centerpiece, place fresh or silk flowers in a teapot that has a piece of floral foam tucked inside. You may even want to light a few votives around the centerpiece, or at each place setting. Use what you have around the house, or shop the thrift stores. You can find amazing china and linen at our local craft stores for under a $1.
Next: the Menu. Prepare simple scones and mock devonshire cream (visit snsparties.com for recipe), paired with fresh fruit and preserves. Again, our local dollar stores are loaded with wonderful preserves, or you can find them in the jam section at your favorite grocery store. Place the scones and fruit on decorative trays with doilies or in pretty bowls. You should always serve milk with tea, and you may choose to serve paper-thin rounds of lemon as well. Purchase sugar cubes in the baking aisle of your local store, to give that special touch. If you would like to make this a meal, visit snsparties.com for more menu ideas. Be sure to prepare good tea for the adults – this is a place to spend those pennies, but consider also making a fruit tea for little ones attending, made on the stove top and mixed with simple syrup. They will love this.
Tea etiquette: Elbows off the table please. Place a dollop of devonshire cream and jam on your plate, then pull off bite-sized pieces of scone and top individually. Once you have used your knife, rest it on your plate – do not put it back on the table. Do not stir your tea in a clockwise motion, instead, fold it from 12 0’clock to 6 o’clock, and never mix milk and lemon – it will curdle your tea. After you have used your spoon, place it behind your teacup, on the saucer, handle to the right. Slow down! Enjoy the company around you. The best entertainment at this event is the stories of your family told by the different generations. Enjoy it. Treasure it. It is one of the greatest gifts our grandparents offer us.
Miss Jacki is the owner of Sugar & Spice Party Planners in Baldwinsville. She specializes in children’s tea parties, formal teas for adults, and manners and etiquette classes. She will host a Grandparents Tea on Grandparents Day at 2 p.m. Sunday Sept. 13 at Mohegan Manor Restaurant. She will serve traditional tea, magic chocolate tea, pastries and fruit. She will also have a family craft. The price is $15/adult and $10/child (12 and under). Reservations are required and can be made at 720-6043 or by emailing [email protected].
