It is Back to School Day here in my neighborhood. The kids are eager, a bit scared and sleepy this morning. The moms, on the other hand, are doing little dances. What better way to celebrate this time of year than with a tea!
The Back to School Tea is a breakfast tea, held as the moms are returning from getting their kids to school. It is especially nice if the moms of the neighborhood can simply walk to your house on their way home from putting their little scholars on the bus. This tea does unfortunately leave out working moms but there will be plenty of other teas in which they can participate.
Homeschooling moms enjoy the opportunity to get together with other homeschooling moms and this tea is great for them too. My local library has special morning activities for homeschoolers and this would be the perfect time for the moms to meet for tea.
Hold this tea in your kitchen if you have seating there. Pretty placemats and napkins instead of a tablecloth give the informal look that’s perfect. A small vase of fall flowers, a stack of old books, a mug full of sharpened Number 2 pencils, maybe some apples or a globe round out the decorations. Think of the coffee klatches of the 1950s where neighbors just dropped in for morning coffee and something sweet—that’s what we’re going for here.
This tea gives you the opportunity to get to know other moms in your neighborhood. It is so low key that you won’t hesitate to invite someone new to your home and she won’t hesitate to come. No one will care that the moms arrive in their training pants and ponytails.
Since this is a celebration, you should have music. An oldies radio station with tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s would be perfect. You never know when a mom will want to dance around the kitchen.
Party favors aren’t necessary at this tea but you could have a grab bag of pretty pencils, matchbook notebooks, small boxes of crayons or markers. I mean, who doesn’t still feel a little thrill of anticipation at opening a brand new box of crayons!
Tomorrow: a great tasting and simple make-ahead menu for the Back to School Tea.
