Plan Your Own Victorian Valentine Tea

Since the year 2000, the Marathon County Historical Society has hosted an elegant Victorian Valentine Tea during February. About a decade ago, we added a Tea date for families. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be holding our in-person Victorian Tea, so we thought we would gather ideas and make them available here for anyone who wants to plan their own tea party. You’ll find a myriad of suggestions including party etiquette, menu ideas, contact information for Sweet Dreams Bakery where many of our favorite treats are made, plus craft projects, puzzles, and coloring sheets.  Feel free to download and use whatever you need to make your tea special.

The Victorian Tea Tradition

When Victoria became Queen of England, her habits were widely copied throughout the world including her habit of drinking a cup of tea with a light meal in the late afternoon.  At the hour of four, every tea kettle in the vast British empire began to whistle and tables were set with all manners of sweets and treats to appease the appetite and restore the flagging spirit.

The tradition of the afternoon tea evolved from a light repast to a social event.  people took this time to call on their friends and family and to visit.  The conversation was always light in spirit; politics or family feuds were never discussed and the gossip was never mean spirited.

Taking tea in the afternoon was a time to momentarily set aside the mundane and ordinary and to give grace and charm to the course of a day.

Planning Your Tea

Consider how many people your space can comfortably seat, how and where guests might mingle, and how to arrange the space to encourage good conversations. If health issues are a concern, think about ways to host a virtual gathering using a software platform such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype.

Choose a menu that your guests are likely to enjoy, such as the suggestions included here. Your aim is not to provide a full meal but a nice snack of varied one- and two-bite items.

Set your table as fancy as is practical. Use your good dishes and linen napkins if you have them. Purchase flowers or make a pretty centerpiece for your table. Make place cards, with one guest’s name on each card. Put one at each place setting, along with a small trinket as a party favor or a small paper cup holding mixed nuts and small candies.

Dress up in nice clothes. Wear hats and gloves if you like! Be sure to use your best good manners.

Victorian Tea Etiquette		Victorian Tea Menu and Recipes
Below are some great backgrounds for those of you planning a virtual tea using Zoom some other video communication platform.  Ben is demonstrating what the background will look like to others on your video call.
Music Background For Zoom		Wausau Club Background For Zoom
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Sitting Room Background For Zoom
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