A GRANDMOTHER'S TEA PARTY.
One of the newest suggestions for an original hospitality is "A
Grandmother's Tea Party." If you have an "at home" day, as every busy
woman should, and you want to serve tea to your guests, offer it to them
as it was offered fifty years or more ago.
First of all, collect all of your antique table service. Every family
has some dear old treasures of the kind--tea cups, old linen, flower
vases, silver epergns, etc.
You probably have somewhere laid away a wonderful old damask cloth which
dates back at least half a century. Cover the table with this and
scatter over it a handful of carnations, allowing them to fall at
haphazard.
The centerpiece will be in the form of a huge cake placed on a high
glass dish. This confection might be resplendent in a design of blossoms
and turtle-doves carried out in variously tinted icings as the old-time
cakes so often were.
On either side of the cake dish are placed tall epergns--veritable
antique pieces built high with pyramids of fruit. Bonbons--they should
be called sugar plums in this connection--must be old-fashioned sweets
quaintly wrapped in fringed papers.
Often the tall glass lamps will also be procurable in a pattern of fifty
years ago.
This will produce a thoroughly charming little table with a quaintness
and a touch of femininity that everyone will enjoy.
The woman who is looking for a new way to serve tea on her day at home
couldn't do better than to attempt this. It is easy to do; it costs
little, it is pretty; it is feminine.
AN APRIL FOOL TEA.
Send invitations asking your guests to dress as foolish as possible. The
hostesses costume can be combinations of several, as a decollete
corsage, short walking skirt, one high-heeled slipper and one bedroom
slipper, one side of her hair braided and hanging down and the other
piled up high and decorated with feathers from the duster. Or she can
dress as "Folly" with pointed black velvet bodice, white blouse, red and
yellow striped skirts, pointed cap and wear a small black masque
covering the upper part of the face, and carry a stick wound with red
and yellow ribbon with tiny bells fastened by ribbons. If you care to
take the trouble and the expense (though it need not be very great), you
can construct a maze or labyrinth by which the guests approach your
door. Make this of frames of wood covered with sheeting, newspapers or
heavy cartridge paper, and make as many turns in it as you choose. When
the front door is reached have it fly back and display the sign: "April
Fool. Try the back door." If you have a side entrance you can have a
similar sign and prolong the agony. Have a dummy hostess at the back
door and direct the guests to one or two wrong rooms before they reach
the right dressing room.
Have a masked person standing at the door of the parlor as hostess. When
the guest starts to shake hands, display the sign "April Fool, I am not
the hostess." Have two or three hostesses before the right one is
reached.
Have the room full of surprises in the way of decorations, cabbage heads
and vegetables for bouquets, tin lanterns for lights, a den for stuffed
animals and similar fakes.
No talking of any kind will be permitted for the first hour, though two
or three notebooks and pencils can be displayed for those who feel they
must express their thoughts. The examination of the "fool" costumes will
take place in deaf and dumb show. Give a bunch of onions tied with green
calico for the worst costume.
Ring a big dinner bell at six o'clock and arrange one or two childish
games to be played to fill in the time before tea or ask the guests to
represent some noted character in pantomime, the others to guess which
character is portrayed.
For the tea pass cards numbered from one to ten and have the guests call
for their supper by indicating four numbers--1, fork; 2, sandwich; 3,
plate; 4, pickle; 5, napkin; 6, glass of water; 7, cup of coffee; 8,
cake; 9, spoon; 10, ice cream.
For instance, a guest writing on his card 1, 3, 5, 6, would receive a
fork, plate, napkin and glass of water for his supper. Have several
waiters and put names on the lists so that all the articles may be
brought in at once. After waiting until those who get articles of food
try to eat them, for of course, the sandwiches, cake, pickles and ice
cream must be "April Fool" ones made of sawdust, cotton and similar
substances. Serve real sandwiches, coffee, cake and ice cream.
A COLONIAL TEA.
A delightful way to entertain six elderly lady friends would be to give
a Colonial tea. Word the invitations thus:
"My Dear Madame:--Ye distinguished Honor of your Presence is requested
Thursday, ye Second of October, from Three of ye Clock until ye early
Candlelight, at Four Hundred and Seven, Sheridan Road, ye City of ----,
ye State of ----, to meet your most Obedient and Humble Servant,
Mistress ----."
Light the rooms with candlelight and decorate with nosegays of garden
flowers and autumn leaves. Seat the guests at round tables. Have all the
viands on the table at once. Let the menu be cold turkey, pressed
chicken, cold tongue, tiny pocketbook rolls, jellies and preserves,
gelatines, pound cake and fruit cake, hot tea and chocolate. Decorate
the table with old-fashioned flowers in quaint vases. Women of that age
generally prefer to bring their own needlework and visit, so have a
brief program of old-fashioned music, or an interesting old-fashioned
story read.
PRETTY ROSE TEA.
One of the most beautiful "rose" teas can be given if one has a rose
garden. Hundreds of dozens of roses, white for the drawing-room, red for
the hall and library, yellow for the music room and pink for the dining
room can be used. The roses are placed in immense Oriental bowls on
polished table tops. The tea table has an immense basket of pink and
white roses in rare varieties and the surface of the table is covered
with a smilax mat bordered with pink roses and tiny electric light bulbs
looking like glow worms. The ice cream is in the shape of a pink cup
with green handles filled with fruit the whole being of ice cream and
very delicious. With this is served little pink cakes and candy roses
and chocolate with whipped cream.
OMBER SHADES OF ROSE.
A beautiful color effect can be secured for a tea by placing on a long
table a series of French baskets of roses shading from American beauty
to white. The basket at the lower end of the table is in the American
beauty shade, the next basket of roses of a lighter shade, the third a
deep pink, the fourth a pale pink and the fifth basket bride roses. Tied
to these baskets are ribbons in the omber shades of rose. The candles
between the baskets are the same shades as the different roses and the
electric lights of the chandelier are hooded in rose like shades of
varying hues.
A BOUQUET TEA.
Let the invitations read somewhat in this way: "Will you take tea with
us under the trees Tuesday afternoon at five o'clock? Please wear a
bunch of roses. Hoping that we may have the pleasure of your company,
believe me,
Sincerely yours,
----."
The piazza is the most natural place for the guests to assemble, and
after hats have been laid aside within doors, the four walls of the
house may be left behind, and on the shaded piazza, made charming with a
few bowls of roses, the Bouquet Game can be played, making a pleasant
beginning to the party. This game is most suitable for a gathering not
too large, as it somewhat taxes the memory. The guests are placed at one
side of the piazza in a long line and each is provided with a bouquet,
holding a few less flowers than there are guests, that is: If there are
fifteen guests, each should have a dozen flowers. Each person then takes
the name of a flower and as the hostess calls the roll each says slowly
and distinctly, "I am a pansy," "I am a rose," "a tulip," "a violet," as
the case may be. The hostess writes these names down so that she may
have them for reference. She may call the roll once again when this is
done to freshen memories, and then until the end of the game no one,
under any circumstances, may reveal her flower identity. Then one at a
time, beginning at the right hand, each guest is called to the center
facing the line to be asked one question by every one in turn in the
line. In her answers the one in the center must include the questioners'
flower identity. No. 1, for instance, is "Lily" and asks the person in
the center. "What animal do you like best?" He answers, "Tiger-lily" and
then Lily presents him with a flower. No. 2 may be "Sunflower" and the
one in the center cannot remember it, so when asked a question he says
to sunflower or No. 2, "Weed I know you not" and gives Sunflower a
flower, and so all down the line until the end when the one who has been
in the center takes his place in the line and the next in turn comes out
to the middle of the piazza to face the ranks and try his memory. Of
course many of the flower names can only be brought in awkwardly, but
there is a chance for some cleverness and fun.
The game makes merry fun if all enter into the spirit of it. If any one
gets entirely out of flowers he drops out of the game. At the end prizes
are given to the man and the girl having the largest number of flowers
in their bouquets.
SPRING PLANTING.
Spring Planting is another good contest:
Plant the days of the year and what will come up?--Dates.
Plant a kiss and what?--(two lips) Tulips
Plant a girl's complexion and what?--Pinks.
Plant tight shoes and what?--Acorn.
Plant a millionaire and what?--(Astor) Aster.
Plant a disciple of St. Paul and what?--Timothy.
Plant a landing for boats and what?--Docks.
Plant an unfortunate love affair and what?--Bleeding heart.
Plant some cats and what?--Cat tails.
Plant a government building and what?--Mint.
Plant the author of "The Marble Faun" and what?--Hawthorn.
Plant a tramp and what?--(beat) Beet.
Plant a dude and what?--Coxcomb.
Plant something black and what?--Nightshade.
Plant a vessel for holding liquid and what?--Pitcherplant
Plant the signet of a king of Israel and what?--Solomon's seal.
Plant a fortune hunter and what?--(marry gold) Marigold.
Plant a little puppy and what?--Dogwood.
Plant a happy love affair and what?--Hearts-ease.
Plant a lover's request and what?--Forget-me-not.
Plant a wise man and what?--Sage.
An Israelite with the habit of traveling and what?--Wandering Jew.
Plant a young lady on a foggy morning and what?--Maid-in-the-mist.
Plant an afternoon hour and what? Four o'clock.
Plant a bird in old clothes and what?--Ragged robin.
Plant the unmarried man's bane and what?--Bachelors buttons.
Plant something neat and what?--Spruce.
Plant a dainty piece of china and what?--Buttercup.
Plant a cow and what?--Milkweed.
Plant Solomon's sceptre and what?--Goldenrod.
Plant a little boy and what?--Johnny-jump-up.
Plant a young minister and what?--Jack-in-the-pulpit.
Plant a royal lady and what?--Queen-of-the-meadow.
Then if the hostess has even a bit of a garden, a bell rung out under
the trees calls the merry throng to partake of old-fashioned "high tea"
at little tables set where the afternoon shadows slant restfully, and
with the birds' music about, the charm of out-of-doors will add flavor
to the dainties. Tea biscuit, chicken salad and tea or chocolate, ices
or frozen custard and sponge cake are most suitable.
A HIGH TEA.
A High Tea is one of the most complimentary entertainments to which a
hostess may invite her friends in the afternoon. The number of guests is
limited, but the possibilities for decoration, daintiness and elegance
are unlimited. The exact hour is written on the invitation, as High Tea
at 4:00 o'clock (or 5:00 o'clock). The guests may number about
twenty-four, but twelve or sixteen is a desirable number. They arrive
exactly at the appointed hour. They are seated at small tables having
places for four at each table. The menu is a little more substantial
than for a reception. Here is a typical "High Tea" menu:
_Hot Bouillon_
_Sweetbread and Mushroom Patties_
_Tiny Pickles_
_Creamed Chicken in Green Peppers_
_Cauliflower Scalloped_
_Hot Rolls_
_Spiced Cherries_
_Asparagus Salad_
_Grated Parmesan Cheese_
_Ice Cream in form of Fruits, Flowers, or any desired form_
_Angel Food_
_Coffee_
This menu, of course, may be varied. Clam cocktail, grape fruit, a fruit
cup or hot fruit soup may be served for the first course, croquettes,
any sort of salad and ice cream or gelatines.
An original embroidery contest to precede the tea is to secure the large
pattern initials which come very inexpensive, getting the initial of
each guest. Prepare oblong pieces of linen or lawn which will fold into
envelope shape, six by fourteen inches. Give each guest a piece of the
linen and the pattern for her initial. She embroiders the initial in the
corner or center of the flap to the "envelope" which is a stock and
turnover case when finished. Each guest is given her turnover case to
finish as a souvenir. Give prizes for the best initial, the one
completed first and for the slowest.
A SIMPLE MENU FOR HIGH TEA.
For a high tea for ladies, serve first an oyster cocktail in glasses,
fruit punch or brandied peaches. Then serve sweetbread salad, with bread
and butter sandwiches. Frozen eggnog and fig cake are a change from the
regulation ice cream. Follow by tea.
A "BOOK-TITLE" TEA. 1.
The latest novelty in afternoon entertainments in England is what is
called a "book-title" tea. Of course, this would be just as amusing in
the evening, and any refreshments may be served that the hostess
prefers.
The guests are all expected to devise and wear some particular badge or
ornament which indicates, more or less clearly, the title of some book,
preferably works which are well known.
The "badges" worn may be very clever and most tastefully executed.
"Dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two
representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method. "Little Men" is
represented by a badge bearing the names of little great men, such as
Napoleon, Lord Roberts, etc.
A lady may wear around her neck fragments of china tied by a ribbon.
This represents "The Break-Up of China," Lord Charles Beresford's book.
Another lady, whose name is Alice, may wear a necklace of little
mirrors, and this represents "Alice Through A Looking Glass." An
ingenious design consists of a nickel coin, a photo of a donkey, another
nickel coin, and a little bee, meaning "Nickolas Nickleby." A daisy
stuck into a tiny miller's hat stands for "Daisy Miller," and the
letters of the word olive twisted on a wire for "Oliver Twist."
Two little gates, made of paste board and a jar, represents "Gates
Ajar," and a string of little dolls dressed as men, "All Sorts and
Conditions of Men." There are many other interesting and ingenious
designs.
A BOOK TITLE TEA. 2.
This is an original entertainment for a few friends. Have amusing pen
and ink sketches handed around together with a small note book and
pencil for each guest. Explain that each sketch is supposed to represent
some well-known book and each guest is given an opportunity to put on
his or her thinking cap and name the volume in his note book and pass
the sketch on. This novel game affords no end of mirth and enjoyment and
at a given time the hostess looks over the books and corrects them.
The House of Seven Gables is very simple and easy to guess, it being
simply a rough sketch of a house with seven gables.
An Old-Fashioned Girl is represented by a girl of ye olden time in
simple and quaint costume with a school bag on her arm.
A small snow covered house is enough to suggest "Snow Bound" to many of
the guests.
The Lady and the Tiger ought not to puzzle anyone, it is a simple sketch
of a lady's head in one corner and a tiger in the other.
On one card appears 15th of March, which seems more baffling than all
the others. It proves to be "Middlemarch."
A large letter A in vivid red of course represents "A Scarlet Letter."
"Helen's Babies" is a sketch of two chubby boys in night robes.
"Heavenly Twins" is represented by twin stars in the heavens.
"Darkest Africa" needs nothing but the face of a darkey boy with mouth
stretched from ear to ear.
One of the sketches is a moonlight scene with ships going in opposite
directions and is easily guessed to represent "Ships that Pass in the
Night."
Anyone with originality can devise many other amusing and more difficult
sketches. Prizes might be given to the one who guesses the largest
number correctly.
PATRIOTIC TEA.
"While other constellations sink and fade,
And Orient planets cool with dying fires,
Columbia's brilliant star can not be stayed,
And, heaven-drawn, towards higher arcs aspires;
A Star of Destiny whose searching rays
Light all the firmament's remotest ways."
"That force which is largely responsible for the greatness and
grandeur of the Republic is the woman behind the man behind the
gun."
Booklets with small silk flags mounted on the covers and bearing these
quotations with tiny red, white and blue pencils attached make suitable
favors for the guests at a high tea. For one contest give twenty minutes
in which to write a list of words ending in "nation" as, carnation,
condemnation, etc. For this prize give a red, white and blue streamer on
which tiny flags of all nations are fastened. For a second contest
allow a given length of time in which to write correctly the words of
the American national anthem. A book containing a description of
national music would make a suitable prize for this contest. Decorate
the dining room with silk flags and red, white and blue bunting and in
the center of the table have a blue vase filled with red and white
hyacinths or carnations or roses. Have the ice cream frozen in form of a
bust of Washington on a shield in three colors.
DEBUT TEA.
The leading color in the refreshment room is yellow. The table has a
beautiful lace cover and in the center is a large basket of yellow
roses, the Golden Gate variety. Around the center are candles with
yellow silk shades and a silver compote holding green glace grapes tied
with yellow ribbon. The mantel is filled with ferns and a mass of yellow
roses in the center. The electric lights at either side of the mantel
have yellow silk shades. Instead of ice cream and cake, the menu for the
afternoon tea is a delicious meringue filled with whipped cream and wine
jelly, coffee and glace grapes.
YELLOW TEA.
Yellow is a pretty color for a bridal tea given in June. Use scores of
yellow candles in crystal candlesticks and candelabra and yellow roses
in vases, baskets and wall pockets on window and book ledges, plate
rails, book cases and hung in the doorways by yellow ribbons. An
immense basket of yellow roses and ferns with a white cupid in the
center is pretty in the center of the tea-table. Outside this basket
have a border of individual crystal candlesticks with yellow tapers and
small golden hearts attached to the tapers. The bonbons are yellow
hearts and all the refreshments are yellow and heart shaped.
A CANDLELIGHT TEA.
Illuminate the rooms with candles in different colors with shades to
correspond, green and white in the parlor, setting a row of candles in a
straight line across the mantel and banking them with masses of feathery
green. Use pink in the dining or supper room. Have a round table lighted
by pink candles and pink shades in flower forms, placing the candles
either in a pyramid in the center or in a wreath with Christmas green
tied with broad pink ribbon, in the center. At each plate put a tiny
Dresden candle stick (such as come in desk sets) with pink candles for
favors. Serve hot bouillon, oyster and mushroom patties, tiny pickles,
creamed chicken in green peppers, cauliflower au gratin, hot rolls,
spiced cherries, asparagus salad, grated Parmesan cheese, wafers, ice
cream in form of pink candles with lighted tapers, Christmas cakes.
A FLOWER TEA.
For early September a flower tea is a most enjoyable affair and is
easily arranged with little expense. Have the invitations sent out at
least a week before the event.
The parlors should be tastefully arranged and decorated with flowers.
Wild flowers are in abundance at this time and they are always bright
and cheery.
Let each guest, as she arrives, be presented with a bouquet of flowers,
no two being alike.
For amusement there is nothing better and more instructive than the
following:
Pass to each lady a sheet of paper with a pencil, the paper containing
typewritten questions. Explain to the company that the contest is to
last fifteen or twenty minutes as desired.
The printed questions are to be answered by the name of flowers.
Here are appropriate questions for the contest, with correct answers:
What lady veils her face? Maid-of-the-Mist.
Who is the sad lady? Ane-mone.
What lady weeps for her love? Mourning-bride.
Who is the bell of the family? Bell-Flower.
What untruthful lady shuns the land? False-Mermaid.
What young lady is still the baby of the family? Virginia Creeper.
What lady comes from the land where ladies bind their feet?
Rose-of-China.
Who is the neat lady? Prim-rose.
After the given time expires let each guest sign her name to the paper
she holds and exchange with her nearest neighbor. Then the fun begins as
one rises and reads the questions and answers.
Each lady should mark the paper she holds and in rotation they rise and
give the number of correct answers, not mentioning the name on the
paper. When it has been decided which paper holds the greatest number of
correct answers, the contestant's name is given as winner, and she is
presented with a dainty souvenir, such as a flower vase, or a dainty
painting of flowers. Other games and contests may follow, all suggestive
of flower land.
The afternoon-tea should be dainty and appropriate. A big doll,
literally covered with flowers, makes a pretty centerpiece for the
table. Let ice lemonade be served, each glass having a sweet flower
floating on its surface. The cakes should be in the form of flowers and
the bonbons, flower candies.
It is pretty to call each guest by the name of the flower given her when
she arrives.
If there is music after tea let a song of the flowers be rendered.
AN EXCHANGE TEA.
This style of party is intensely amusing, and will keep a large company
interested for several hours of an evening or afternoon, as it is one
continued round of mirth-provoking "sells," in which everybody is
"sold." It is not so much in vogue for small affairs, where only a few
guests are invited, but where a large crowd is to be entertained it is
just the thing to furnish enjoyment and fun.
This is how it is arranged. When requested to attend an exchange tea,
each person, male and female, picks out from his belongings, personal
or otherwise, such an article as he or she does not want, and after
wrapping it well, takes it to the party. Of course, everybody desires to
get rid of his parcel, and the exchange business waxes warm and furious
as it progresses, for usually not one individual obtains anything which
he wishes to keep, as a "pig in a poke" is scarcely ever a bargain.
Constant exchanging is not compulsory, so that if by any lucky chance
you have gotten rid of your own bundle, and become the proud possessor
of another whose hidden treasures happen to suit you, then you are
privileged to stop and hold on to your prize. Generally speaking,
however, the contents of the mysterious parcels are hardly ever
desirable, which creates all the more excitement and enthusiastic
bargaining, and in the end each one will be left with something
ridiculous or utterly useless, upon his hands.
And that's just where the fun comes in.
Serve this menu:
_Cold Sliced Chicken, garnished with tiny Radishes and Hard-boiled
Eggs_
_Olives_
_Nut Sandwiches_
_Orange and Pineapple Salad_
_Sweet Wafers_
_Strawberry Ice Cream_
_Iced Tea_
A WATERMELON TEA.
Ask a congenial party, being sure that all are fond of watermelon. Have
the fruit on ice at least twenty-four hours before serving, and above
all things give this affair when the temperature is up in the nineties
if you want it fully appreciated. Have a sharp knife and cut the melons
at the table (for it is such a decorative fruit), and use only white
dishes and flowers. Let each guest count the seeds in the piece or
pieces and give a souvenir to the one having the largest number. A
pretty prize and appropriate is to procure a very small and symmetrical
melon, cut off the end, hollow out and line with oiled paper, fill with
bonbons and tie the end on with broad pink satin ribbon.
If expense is no object, have a quartet of colored singers with banjos
concealed and let them sing good old plantation songs for an hour or
two, not forgetting "Den, oh, dat watermelon." Grape juice is a good
drink to serve this party. Have the tumblers half filled with finely
cracked ice.