Mother's Day Tea
 

I am the Site Director for an after school program in DC. I would like to have a Mother's Day themed tea for the parents and caregivers of students in my program.

It's moreso a way for them to get to know me as the new site director, and secondarily a way to say thanks to them as parents.

I have no idea what goes into planning a tea.

I imagine that out of the 80 or so parents, 20 will actually show up.

I will wear a suit, but I don't care what anybody else wears.

It will beheld from 5 to 7, and parents can drop in anytime as they pick up their children to go home.

So....what can I do? Thoughts?

You should serve tea and coffee. Also, have some juice boxes or soft drinks for those who aren't interested in drinking the tea/coffee.

Appropriate food for a tea would be: little finger sandwhiches, like tuna, salmon, egg salad, ham, turkey or roast beef. If there are vegitarians, cuccumber sandwhiches are a must.

Also, have sweet items, like little cakes and cookies. Scones, served with butter or cream (it has to be heavy cream and whipped) and jam are good too.

I hope this helps.

Also, sandwiches should have no crusts. Also, there should be more deserts than real food (types at least, but I'm guessing same amount)

Also, the tea should be made so that guests do not see any teabags.

I learned all this from reading Honeychile's posts. Ask her, she knows everything about teas.

When I was in college, "Tea" was the code word for a beer blast.

Serve Bud.

Yes! The sandwhiches should have no crusts and tea should be served from a tea pot.

you could rent a coffee urn and a tea service from a party supply place, if you do not know anyone who could lend them. what a wonderful idea and a sweet gesture,too!!

is the "sandwich without the crusts" a joke?

Actually, no. Tea sandwiches traditionally don't have crusts. Links and recipes:

http://www.teatimeworldwide.com/Ente...andwiches.html

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/re...s/views/12337/

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/re...s/views/11855/

if you're going to purchase supplies, check out Retro Tea Room in Bowie or Infusions in Largo, i hear they have nice selections.

Is this going to be a full on program or a brief information session?

Make sure you introduce youself to as many parents as posible and give them a quick spiel on your vision for your program.

Have printed materials prepared. Materials can include important upcoming dates, weblinks to online tutoring(or things of that nature) any other literature or information about resources that will help be better informed parents.

A tea at my school's after-school program here in the Bronx would go something like this. Sometimes when we serve new/different foods it comes off as the staff not knowing much about the population. While those traditional tea foods are great I would go another way and try to think of what my families would like to snack on. PB&J can be made with the crusts cut off, and also using cookie cutters made into cute shapes with little waste of the actual sandwich. Cheese & crackers. Veggies & dip. Cran-Apple juice. Fruit salad. Good luck Rashid!!

also, it would help free you up to circulate if you asked a few people to assist-keep the trays replinished, pour out the tea, make the hot water runs.