“Grandma, let’s have a tea party,” nine year old Molly said after seeing my new tea set.
At a recent charity auction, I won beautifully wrapped baskets. One held a white teapot with a creamer and sugar bowl.
“We can have a fancy tea party,” Molly said.
“Sure, we can do that.”
“We can invite people,” she continued.
Her plans exceeded my own. I assumed we would each have a cup of tea at my counter. But her enthusiasm spread to me too.
When I turned around, she wore a purple and white checked apron her sister, Ashlyn, had made for me. Molly was prepared to follow her dream.
While she began setting the table for our special event, I called three friends who were also widows. Two of them accepted our invitation even though it was such late notice.
Molly beamed when I told her we had two guests. I could have invited more but decided we needed to quickly prepare the food. We only had an hour to get ready.
She placed read and green placemats, cloth napkins, flowers and a candle on our table. With no advance notice, we had to search the kitchen for food we could serve. Pumpkin bread and chocolate covered pretzels with peppermint sprinkles from my Bible study lunch the day before went into glass bowls.
My mother’s decorative glass plates went onto the table. I pulled ornate bowls from the cabinet. Molly filled them with tea, tiny tomatoes, and gummy bears from my auction basket. I cut cheddar cheese and she arranged crackers on a plate. She also formed a circle of triangular pieces of Swiss cheese, also from my auction basket. She picked mint from my plant and arranged it on a wee plate.
“I have never been a hostess before,” Molly said. “This is fun.”
As I thought of more goodies, I remembered small quiches in the freezer. Those went into the oven. Water heated for the teapot in the tea kettle on the stove. The candle’s light shone.
With preparations done, Molly took pictures of the beautifully set table. Then we changed into fancier clothes. Molly put on her church dress and added one of my scarves.
The doorbell rang. Two smiling friends entered. One brought a small bag for Molly. Inside was a lovely thank you note and large piece of jelly roll.
Following Molly’s previous instructions to me, I led our guests to the table through the living room and not the kitchen. We sat and talked while she placed each item of food on the table. She took her job as hostess seriously.
The fancy tea party made us all smile. We talked, ate and drank tea.
“I put the gummy bears out for me,” she said with a gleam in her eyes as she took some. I placed one in my mouth. She ate hers. No one else indulged.
Before they left, our guests thanked us and gave us hugs. My friend, who almost didn’t come because she was feeling sad, enjoyed herself.
After they left, Molly shared her observation about my sad friend. “I have never seen her look so happy.”
Because Molly and her sisters had made cards for my friend and we had taken cookies to her, Molly knew the sad look.
Molly’s marvelous idea not only made us happy but also two lonely ladies. She taught me that last minute entertaining can be fun. Parties can be fancy on short notice but not extravagant. People don’t care if the house is completely clean but appreciate being cared for and loved.
Earlier that day, Molly and I talked of going out for pizza and ice cream but her thoughtful act of kindness was much better for all of us.
What a joy it was to watch Molly be a wonderful hostess as she prepared for the tea and served her guests.
