Royal Family Kids Camp Young Ladies Tea Party

by Jose Williams
(Collierville, TN)

Tea party for foster children at a camp.

My husband and I are a part of a camp called Royal Family Kids Camp that involves foster children from our local Department of Human Services Department; it is a very organized, well-trained Christian camp; training is mandatory to be a part of this camp because of the types of children that are involved.

Each girl had an opportunity to visit the "dress-up" room and choose a dress, shoes, gloves, and hat for the tea party; each girl was introduced by one of our counselors who is English, and the they were seated.

This occasion made the girls feel very special and beautiful. The majority of these young girls had never experienced this type of occasion in their lives.

On Tuesday, we planned a tea party for the young girls. The long tables in the dining room were placed in a "u" fashion; elegant tablecloths were set, a simple centerpiece was made of silk ribbons, white vases filled with blue hydrangas and tea pots.

The girls were served by 4 ladies. The tea party menu consisted of pinwheels filled with ham, cheese, peppers, muffins, small biscuits, fruit kabobs, clotted cream, lemon & orange curd. We offered the girls and the adults fruit punch or presented the tea box with a variety of teas available; carafes of hot water were available for those individuals who wanted to experience the hot tea.

The young girls were instructed in table manners and tea etiquette.

I prepared the lemon and orange curd. When I offered the velvety smooth curd to the girls, I told them it tasted like pie filling. After tasting the curd, the girls were very impressed and asked for second helpings!

These young girls will never forget this experience because most of these girls have never seen fine china, tea pots, experienced drinking hot tea, tea etiquette or even felt as special as they felt that day.

I will always have fond memories of the RFKC tea party!