How to Host a Tea Party Baby Shower

Tea parties are a charming way to celebrate an impending arrival.

A traditional tea party is a charming theme for a baby shower, which offers the mom-to-be a chance to relax and be treated like royalty. A tea party theme also offers the host the opportunity to invest in some reusable décor and tableware or send some home with the guest of honor. This is a much eco-friendlier option than disposable decorations like crepe paper and balloons, so often associated with baby showers.

Things You'll Need

• Guest list
• White table cloths
• Cloth napkins
• China
• Silverware
• Porcelain tea cups
• Tea pots
• Fresh flowers
• Assorted sandwiches, pastries, fruits, and beverages
• Assorted teas and accompaniments (cream, lemon, sugar, honey)
• Items for games (clothespins, ribbon, scissors, jars of baby food, diapers, stuffed animals, prizes)

Instructions

1. 

   Combine the tea party and baby shower themes in your invitations.

   Create invitations that integrate the two themes. Take a photo of a teddy bear tea party with the bears dressed in fancy hats or send a tea bag alongside a more traditional baby shower invitation. Better yet, replace the tag on the tea bag with one of your own that includes all the party information and a baby-themed photo on the back.

2. 

   Consider using small potted flowers to send home with guests as party favors.

   Cover tables with white linens, cloth napkins, real china, silverware, crystal glassware and porcelain tea cups and tea pots. Consider scouring local thrift stores for these items if you need them. You can also find lace and doilies to add to the Victorian atmosphere. Keep in mind that mismatched tea sets and china are perfectly acceptable, even charming. To finish the table setting, include fresh flowers.

3. 

   Serve a wide variety of elegant finger foods.

   Feed finger foods to your guests. Use cookie cutters to cut out small sandwiches (cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon and cream cheese, chicken salad). Also, serve mini quiches, fresh fruit cut into bite-size pieces, crumpets or scones, fruit tarts, mini cupcakes, mini scoops of sorbet, petit fours and other small pastries and delights.

4. 

   Be sure to include black, green and herbal teas in the mix.

   Offer an assortment of teas. Place a pitcher of cream, lemon slices, sugar cubes and honey on the table. For cold drinks, serve ice water garnished with lemon wedges, sparkling cider, lemonade or iced tea.

5. 

   The guest with the most pins at the end of the party wins.

   Play games. Although tea parties tend to be rather regal affairs, baby showers are meant to be entertaining, so don't forget to plan a few shower games. Give each guest a clothespin upon arrival and tell them they can't say "baby" lest they give up their clothespin to the first person who calls them out. The guest with the most pins at the end of the party wins. Have guests guess the mom-to-be's girth by cutting pieces of ribbon to the size they think will fit her waist. Also consider staging a name-that-flavor baby food tasting contest or a diaper-changing relay race using stuffed animals.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase a tiara for the mom-to-be to wear to really make her feel like she's enjoying "high tea" like the queen she is.