A Tea From Me

                                    A  Tea  From  Me
This serves as my contribution to GABRIELLA's RISING STARS TEA PARTY

                                    By :  TSURTIDOGNI
                                            041508
                                            TUESDAY

I had written an essay about the favorite drink of my husband and my daughter
"You Love Coffee, Enjoy This Essay" in my port.  Today I decided to write an
article about a drink that I enjoy.  It is also the favorite of some of my friends, so
here I am writing this article with a title '  A  Tea From Me  ' added with children's
activity.

TEA
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TEA  is the beverage of the orient. In my country, it is called TSA,  in Japan, O CHA, in Korea and Russia,  CHA. The word TAY is a Chinese dialect word for tea.
Teas are classified internationally into three major groups:
!.  Green
2.  Oolong
3.  Black (or Red in China)

You can buy Tea placed in sachets, jars, cans and many more commercially
attractive packagings.

Boiled fresh tea leaves, powder form, or loose,  tea drink for me is so delicious.

Based on my own personal experience,  children do enjoy this drink.  Friends and
friends, I am going to introduce to you "Children's Tea Party" This is also the best
time for you to invite adult guests,  to make the theme of this party caring and
sharing.  This is practical for children ages between 6 to 10 years old.

Your house is the best venue. If it is a good weather, the garden would be perfect.
If it is not do the party at the veranda or any place covered and safe from raindrops.
Make the atmosphere relaxing by soft music. Do not serve many kinds of  food if
this is only a small gathering. Three to four kinds will do. It is summertime in my
country so I prefer to serve everyone with ICED-TEA.

If this party is for a particular child  Girl (Pretty Sweetie) or Boy (Handsome Boy),
let her or him welcome the guests at the front door.




BUFFET-STYLE
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Place the mixture of iced-tea in a punch bowl,  cups and saucers, or glasses beside
the punch bowl. Put a serving scoop in the bowl, for the children to serve themselves. Garnish the iced tea with thinly sliced apples and oranges. Put a lot
of ice cubes for a more refreshing taste. Be sure to prepare more because the children will surely ask for more. The quickest way to replenish the empty punch
bowl is to place some in liters at the ref and pour the mixture to the punch bowl
every now and then. To have a variety of flavor ? Add a cup of orange juice or
a cup of pineapple  juice. If you have more 3 punch bowls with different flavors,
so much the better. 
Before you set  the food in the table,  dress up the table with colored cloth or any color that you like or  according to a motiff of your choice.See to it that everyone is properly seated .
Place the buffet table in a strategic location so children and adults can move freely in getting food and drinks.


Prepare all bite-sized sandwiches or cookies. To have more enjoyable food, serve
something sweet, something smooth, something crunchy. Appealing and appetizing.
To make it memorable distribute give-aways to child or guest present.

Let the children and the adults enjoy the tea party with soft conversations.Tea
party teaches the children  the rules of etiquette like :  take only what can be
consumed,  avoid heaping food onto their plates, taking tiny bites of the food given.

The Most Exciting Part OF The Party :  GAMES

HERE'S THE LIST:

1.  Riddles   
2.  Name games - What or Who questions
3.  COLOR CODING
      At least four to five participants.Let the children tell how many colors he or she
      owns for the day, from head to toe.  (Of course,  the biggest number of
      colors win.)
4.  Spelling
5.  Name the Tune
6.  Pass the Hat
      Decorate a native hat.Turn upside down, depends on how many players.
      Sing  as in Sing and Stop.To the one holding when it stops pick a piece
      of paper (scrolls inside the hat with the title of songs) if she or he can sing the
      song, she or he receives a prize, if he or she cannot sing the song, he or
      she is out.
      The remaining participant is the winner with a big prize.

In some games like the spelling possibly you choose the participants, because
it would be unfair if you compete the six years old kinder to the ten year-old
grade 111. Or you may let the children join according to age or grade in school.

You may announce :  Children, those who are seven years old only, please come
                                forward.

Small prizes may be given to the participants and bigger prizes for the winners of the game.

Let the child,  the host of this party sign or write the names of the guests in the ThankYou Notes or
Cards which will be sent promptly.

May I add my last entry:

A  Tea From Me
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Taking tea with friends makes life a pleasure
Taking tea with children makes pleasure a double
Sharing laughters a true bonding for sure
Each moment so precious so wonderful.

Togetherness good for the mind and the spirit
Humanity through a cup shall meet
In the clatter of trays and saucers
Beyond question, friendship lingers.

A tea party that commands universal esteem
Proper etiquette for children it proclaim
In the softness of my Filipino hospitality
Cheers everybody,  A Tea From Me !