I recently read the book "If Teacups Could Talk; Sharing a Cup of Kindness with Treasured Friends."
A Red Hat friend lent it to me after I decided to try my hand at hostessing a tea. The author's reflections from her childhood onward about the tradition of tea in her family really touched me. So many of her comforting memories are in the shared moments this tradition has created for her. She's passed on this cherished lifestyle to her daughter and granddaughter who continue to celebrate the intimacies of sharing over a cup of tea with good friends.
The author's surmise about teacups 'talking' is not a surprising one. My bits of china and other 'fine' tea things possess a life of their own in a way - or at least have the ability to help me connect to the life in which I use them. When I am gently caring for a well-loved tea cup, how can I help but remember who drank from it? Sure, my hands are soapy and maybe my brow is perspiring, but the genteel delicateness of the teacup and how it sparkles in the light delights me. I'm not thinking about cleaning, I'm thinking about my tea that one clear autumn day, shared with friends in my garden. How many 'things' have that kind of charisma?
It is said that in a time when so many of us are uprooted from our families, and are often unable to participate in holidays together, we need to recreate or even 'create' traditions for ourselves. We then share them with our friends who are often our surrogate families. Some of the best times I've enjoyed were simply sitting with friends and chatting, catching up, and sharing hopes/troubles over a cup of tea.
Not too long ago, some friends and I visited a 'tea shop' meant for drinking tea, nibbling dainty sandwiches, and chatting. It was a small Victorian-style establishment with a wonderful white gazebo, treasured delicate knick-knacks, and yards of lace. The scrumptious delectables were placed on three-tiered servers decorated with silk flowers. And of course, there was the tea and the teacups... All these accoutrements actually did enhance the shared experience of those gathered together to enjoy each other's company. I felt encouraged to take some of the ideas I'd seen and somehow bring them into my own hostessing... but how?
I found some of the answers in the aforementioned book, and some in my own imagination. So, now my small, white shabby-chic garden sculpture in the shape of a bicycle, with small baskets for plants, is placed next to the back of a sofa draped with a lace throw - how cool is that? This is one of the decorating ideas I came up with while hostessing a 75th birthday tea for a friend - pictures soon. And... look how a vintage handkerchief, with a hand-crocheted edge, dainties up just about anything on which it's placed. What works for you? I'd love to know.
Here's to sharing our treasured moments of tea-ing and ideas for more good memories!
Enjoy!
~Iris~ Duchess of Tea
