Mother’s Day is coming up and many of us may be separated from those that we would normally be spending time with. Let me propose a creative option to help bridge this distance. Have a virtual Mother’s Day Tea!
Mother’s Day is an international holiday. The modern day celebration was started by Ann Jarvis who wanted to create a memorial for her mother. In 1905, Ms. Jarvis held a celebration at St. Andrew’s Methodist church and in 1914, Mother’s Day became a national holiday. Mother’s Day is actually celebrated internationally and is one of the biggest holidays recognized across the world. It is one of the busiest times for sending flowers, gifts and cards…and for phonecalls. Anywhere from homemade cards to breakfast in bed, mother’s day has been a special day for mothers all around the world. Whether from children to their mother or from mother to mother, this day recognizes the strong bond and unselfish commitment that mothers bring to their families.
For many this year, families may not be able to get together and celebrate. And maybe even in their normal times, the miles wouldn’t allow for coming together. My sisters and I are in that exact situation. We live in separate parts of the country. We all have a love for afternoon tea in any form, for vintage china of any kind, and connecting to just be sisters. For birthdays, special occasions, and holidays, it would not be unusual for the three of us to get together and visit a tea room or have tea with each other. Now we just make that a virtual event. This amazing technology that is so normal to us, allows us to come together and still celebrate and enjoy one another.
Here is how a Virtual Tea looks
We recently decided to have a virtual Birthday Tea for each other. We were all born within the same time frame and knew that we would not be able to meet up. Thanks to the technology, we planned a virtual event and were able to connect. Now we have virtual meetings all the time, but for this occasion, we wanted to do something special.
An invitation was sent out noting date and time, gave directions on what to have available and even what to wear. And we all had fun with it.
We decided to have a bit more than a cream tea but not a full afternoon tea in the traditional sense. It was going to be in the morning so it was BYOB – Bring Your Own Breakfast. For definition, a cream tea is when you have scones with jam, curd and cream and tea. This would be a great way to celebrate – having a scone (or bread of sorts) with cream and jam and of course accompanied by your favorite tea!
The attire would be hats at the least and we would share with each other our menus, the tea we were serving, and of course the china that we were using. It was going to be a grand “Show and Tell”. And of course, there would be all the other conversation.
Let me walk you through the festivities by each of us.
My sister Barbara
- Barbara’s Menu
- A homemade Egg, Ham and Cheese on an English Muffin (sounds very similar to a famous Scotch Restaurant – ahem McD’s), Cheesecake with Strawberry – looked amazing. Unfortunately, we didn’t all have that treat.
- Proseco cocktail – a great idea!
- The tea of choice and Barbara’s favorite – Lady Londonderry
- China selection – Teacup was Grosvenor Jackson English and the plate Marcesa by Lennox
My sister Laurie
- Laurie’s Menu
- English Muffin Bread with raspberry / cherry preserves
- Poached egg in an egg cup
- Tangerine
- (Cheese and Irish soda bread pictured)
- Laurie’s Tea Selection was Margaret’s Orchard – a lovely Darjeeling
- China Selection was Hutschenreuther Selb teacup and plate. Both my sisters are big fans of the teacup and plate set, so no surprise this gorgeous setting was pulled out. The creamer is a Shelley Dainty Mauve. The jar is the picture is a biscuit jar made by Royal Winton, Grimwades, England.
And me!
- Beth’s Menu selection –
- Toffee Scone with curd and currant jam (the Toffee Scone recipe will be highlighted in an upcoming post – so stay tuned for a delicious scone)
- Egg, Cheese, Sausage Omelet
- Fresh Blueberries
- Tea of choice – English Breakfast
- China selection – Moonstone plate and berry dish, Arthur Wood and Sons Teapot (such a beauty), Royal Standard English Bone China teacup. I too used a Shelley creamer and sugar.
We chatted about everything, pontificating on issues like we really knew what we were talking about then laughing at ourselves. We oohed and aahed at the china and enjoyed a meal together. The total virtual event took up over 2 hours of the airways and probably the most important part, it melted the miles and made all of us feel special. It was a sweet time of conversation in an environment that was very familiar to us….afternoon tea.
Here’s How To Have A Virtual Mother’s Day Tea
- Set up a virtual celebration with your mother or the mom’s that you want to connect with. They are many free platforms available and very easy to use. Most will allow for multiple callers in the meeting. We used Skype but I have also used Zoom, both successfully.
- Set the date and the time and send out an invitation. I was coordinating the invitation and sent an email invitation a few days ahead.
- Outline what you want to do during the time – a Cream Tea or a full plate together or even just snacks and tea.
- Give some guidance for food and tea and accoutrements. If you are local but are not able to meet up, you can prepare the food and drop it off.
- Give some guidance on dress or theme. Definitely dress the part and have some fun with it. It doesn’t take a lot to make your time very special.
But most of all, the most important thing is the time that is spent together. So whether you have hi-end food, fancy china or are all dressed up or nothing at all…..its the heart felt celebration of the love you have for one another.
You will have giggles on your hats, comments and critiques on each other’s menus, and delights in connecting on these special times. Though it won’t always be the case, the virtual tea gives you a great option for staying connected through the miles.
I dearly love my sisters and they bring me great joy. So very blessed by them. Both are beautiful women, they love the tea, they love the china and just love having fun together. Age and wisdom have brought us close and we have become the best of friends. Thank you Barbara and Laurie. I raise a toast to you both for being the best.
So consider stepping out and have a virtual Mother’s Day Tea….just connect and celebrate each other. You won’t regret it.
68 Comments
Barbara
Fantastic, uplifting, funny…….
Beth
Hi Barbara – thanks for your comments and feedback. Tried to do some grace to our fun. Glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks.
Debbie
Oh this sounds so fun!! Love it!
Beth
Hi Debbie – yes this was a great fun. Thanks for the comment.
jen
My PEO sisters did this! Such a cute idea!
Beth
Hi Jen – thanks for your comment. It was a lot of fun. My sisters have done this with their friends as well.
Julia Kelahan
Such a lovely idea. And the hats – fabulous!!
Beth
Hi Julia – Yes, alot of fun and the hats had us laughing for sure. Thanks for your comment.
Santana
What an interesting idea!
Beth
Hi Santana – Yes it was a lot of fun. Just like bringing food to a Zoom meeting! Thanks.
heather J jandrue
How fun! I think I will approach my sisters about doing this. I love the idea.
Beth
Hi Heather – This has absolutely been a critical part of the three of us connecting closely – even when not in the pandemic. But it was great fun and we loved doing this. Thanks for your comment! Hope you are able to work something out.
Karie
So fun! I want to do a tea party for my mil but I think it would overwhelm her to do it online. I may have to wait till this pandemic is over. Great idea though!
Beth
Hi Karie – Yes, it would have overwhelmed my mother as well (she passed several years ago). I would have done it with her together though and she would have thought it was a blast! Thanks for your comments.
Jaclyn
This is a great idea!
Beth
Hi Jaclyn – It was a lot of fun for sure. Thanks for the comment.
Tricia Snow
What a lovely idea! I have no idea what we will do this year but I am definitely throwing this idea in the hat!
Beth
Hi Tricia – Thank you so much for your comment. I hope you are able to do something along this line. Its a lot of fun and really no ceremony about it. We had some good laughs at ourselves. Thanks
Suzan | It’s My Sustainable Life
What a fun gathering. Love the hats ladies!
Beth
Hi Suzan – Thanks for your comment. This was a fun gathering. The hats had us roaring. The fur I had was actually play dress up from my granddaughters. You can make anything work for sure. Thanks.
Tiffany
OMG I LOVE THE HATS! Great way to make the best out of this situation!
Beth
Hi Tiffany – Yes, it was very fun with the hats. No one really wears hats anymore like in the old day. But it was a lot of fun for sure. Thanks for your comment.
Lisa Manderino
I have always enjoyed Mother’s Day. My family really make me feel special.
Beth
Hi Lisa – As families should recognize the hard work that mom’s do (and parents) but I give mom the yeomen’s high sign for such selfless caring. Hope you enjoy your Mother’s Day this year. Thanks for your comment.
Lori
You all looked like you had a great time and what a fun way to enjoy something you all love without being even in the same city. How wonderful.
Beth
Hi Lori – Yes, my sisters are the best and we do enjoy being together. The hats make us look reserved but generally not the case. We usually have a fun time and not always a special occasion but this was and it was fun. Thanks for you comment.
Candy
This is such a great idea and so much fun too!
Beth
Hi Candy – Yes it was so much fun. We Skype a lot but this was a special occasion and made it all the more. Thanks for your comment.
Holly B
I LOVE this! What an amazing way to share time. My Mom doesn’t even have an email she like is very old fashioned!
Beth
Hi Holly – Thanks so much for your comment. They always lift my spirit. My mom has passed several years ago, but my sisters and I like this tradition for us, friends and other mother’s that we know. My mom would have been overwhelmed a bit with it but feel like if I was with her, she would be all over it. It was great fun and we’ll be passing it on! Thanks.
Eva Keller
What a fun idea! I’m sure my mom and sister would love to do this!
Beth
Hi Eva – Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, its very fun. We Zoom a lot but this was extra special. Thanks and hope that you give it a try.
Lina
This is such a cool idea! I am sharing it with my sisters. 🙂 We have a weekly zoom happy hour and can do tea time with mom. Thanks!
Beth
Hi Lina – thank you so much for your comment. Glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, my sisters and I Zoom a lot…at least weekly. This was a great change! Thanks.
Alice
This sounds like such fun!
Beth
Hi Alice – it was a lot of fun. We Skype frequently but doing it with all of the touches was a lot of fun. Thanks!
Charlene
I may borrow this idea for my birthday this week!
Beth
Hi Charlene – Please do! It was easy to put together – little cleanup haha. But seriously, there are so many way you could go with this. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for your comment and enjoy!
Nissa Haight
Oh my this is the cutest idea! Love it!
Beth
Hi Nissa – Thanks for your comment. It was a lot of fun and I am sure we will be party planning again soon.
Sydney
Oh my goodness, how fun! I love the hats! We did a virtual meeting with a group of girls from church, and we dressed up as our favorite Zoo animals! You can do so many fun things with virtual meetings!
Beth
Hi Sydney – Absolutely! A lot of folks are doing great virtual meetings..not just business…fun stuff also. Glad that you enjoyed the post and thank you for your feedback. Zoo animals…hmmm…having tea? Now that would be crazy.
Kendra
I love this idea! My Mom really loved having a family Easter gathering over Zoom.
Beth
Hi Kendra – so glad that you enjoyed it. Yes, Zoom and Skype have been the best for my sisters and I. It has absolutely made the miles feel less and so much closer. We check in frequently. So glad that you enjoyed the post. Maybe a Mother’s Day Zoom would be fun! Thanks.
Shirley
What a wonderful way to stay connected when you can’t get together face to face! absolutely love this! Thanks for the fantastic idea!
Beth
Hi Shirley – Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, it was great fun to do this. We Skype frequently but putting the fancy touches just made it feel more special. Glad that you enjoyed the post and hope you are able to do this! Thanks.
Cathy
Looks like you had a lot of fun! What a great idea! I was interested to see what breakfast you each had, that told me how different you all are! Thanks for sharing!
Beth
Hi Cathy – Thanks so much for your comments. Yes it was a lot of fun and though we are very close and sisters – we are very different as well. So glad that you enjoyed the post.
Hillari
Oh my goodness, this is the greatest idea!! It would even be fun to adapt for my little girls and their friends. Thank you so much for this!
Beth
Hi Hillari – Absolutely. This could be done for so many things. And yes, your little girls and their friends would be perfect for a virtual spring tea! So glad that you enjoyed the post. It was great fun. Thanks for your comments.
Cindy
This is a fun idea! My sisters, mom and I have been zooming. We could do this too!
Beth
Hi Cindy – Thanks so much for your comment. Zooming or Skyping have been the best for us. It has really melted the miles. There are so many different things you could do with this – hope that you try it and have great fun! Thanks again.
Sara - Seek Discover Learn
What a wonderful idea. I have been trying to think of something to do to celebrate with my mom this year. We live in Kentucky and she’s in Texas, and she’s quarantined at home alone right now. My kids love tea parties, so they would love doing this with my mom too.
Beth
Hi Sara – Thanks so much for your comment. I am so delighted that you enjoyed the post and if it helps you put together some Mother’s Day celebration – I am blessed. My sisters and I Skype all the time – but this was a special time and we enjoyed it a lot. Lots of laughs and special memories. How great to have this technology. Such fun. Thanks so much.
Jill DeMasi
This is a wonderful idea! I know my mom is so sad that she can’t see her kids and grandkids so having a plan like this will help!
Beth
Hi Jill – I am so glad that you enjoyed the post. And its a blessing that this will help your mom not be so sad. My sisters and I Skype quite a bit but putting this together was a lot of fun for sure. Its great to be able to do this. I hope you have great fun with it. Thanks for your comment.
Sandi
Oh My Gosh! That looks like you had so much fun. Love the hats and tea trays.
Beth
Hi Sandi – Thank you so much for your comment. Yes it was fun. We were all laughing quite a bit. Thanks.
sharon wheet
what a wonderful idea! and looks like your virtual celebration was a success! bravo to you and your sisters! just love the idea!
Beth
Hi Sharon – Well my sisters and I Skype and it absolutely helps melt the miles. But for this celebration it was even more fun. The hats, the tea and all the other pieces put it together. It was great fun. I think you could do this for all sorts of things for sure. Thanks so much for your comment!
Cindy Mailhot
This is such a great idea, not just during these times but for any time someone is separated from their mom.
Beth
Hi Cindy – so glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, my sisters and I skype all the time and it absolutely makes us feel closer, though there are thousands of miles between us. Its great technology and we love to have fun with it. Thanks for your comment.
Lisa
This is a great idea during a time like this.
Beth
Hi Lisa – so glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, its a great way to stay in touch and make something so much more special. Thanks for your comment.
Ruth Iaela-Pukahi
What a fun idea! I also LOVE the hats!!! You are all so adorable.
Beth
Hi Ruth – So glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, it was a lot of fun. We skype frequently but it was fun to have a tea party along with it. Thanks so much for your comment.
Stephanie
This is such a cute Idea! I love the world we live in for this exact reason. We are able to see each other without physically being next to each other. And although I prefer in person this works better than nothing at all this time around.
Beth
Hi Stephanie – I know, I love the technology just for that reason. Like I have said, it melts the miles. So this morning, I had a Mother’s Day breakfast with my family across the miles. We were all in our pj’s and just enjoyed each other. Thanks for your comment.