Dipped Graham Crackers... easy and festive... and inexpensive. (The Sprinkles are very wallet-friendly at my local Amish Bent N Dent store.)
I adapted this recipe from some other rollup recipes that I found. Amazingly, the Blossoms loved them. Cream Cheese, Taco Seasoning, Green Onions, Cheddar Cheese and Chicken
in a Tortilla...
what's not to love.
Christmas cookies, baked on our big baking day with my sister. What a great idea!
So many cookies,
so much fun,
so little stress...
I already harped a little on these Mini Mousse cups. If you don't have a recipe, tinker around and adapt, adapt, adapt. Recipes are FOR perfecting. Next time I'll try making the Strawberry Mousse, more strawberryish somehow. We were thinking maybe Mini Trifles next year. Hmmmm...
As you can see, I opt out of Pinterest Perfection for Blossom practice on the Food cards. I like the homey, handmade touch it gives.
In my many Thrift Store trips, I will someday get a plain and pretty tea pot or two. Until then, my sister (a tea party fanatic) is always willing to lend her festive tea pots to us.
The decorations were a lot simpler this year. I'm claiming Sweet Pea as my excuse. Still, the Blossoms arranged these festive bulbs on the table. And, they were so happy with it.
The point is
HOSPITALITY.
The Blossoms really enjoyed this little bit of pretty-fying our dining room. Next year, I'm hoping to snag a few new ideas from my Pinterest Christmas Tea Party board. But, this year, I rejected the Mommy guilt. They were happy. We achieved our purpose.
Much as I love Pinterest, I let go of the perfection in another area. The Three Blossoms (not to be confused with the Three Stooges) each decorated six favor bags (Hey, a Mommy's gotta be fair!). Skeeter made the sign. And the bags had a Poinsettia Hair Clippie, made by all of us. Skeeter had her first hot glue experience. (ouch - no permanent damage done though) We also included a bag of caramel popcorn, which is always a hit. I always have a million favor bag ideas, but I take myself back to the point.
Budget-friendly Blossom Hospitality
This is our pretty tree - put together and decorated by the Blossoms. I love its festive-ness!
(That pink rocking chair ornament has been around since I was in first grade,
which makes it virtually an antique, right? Especially considering the fact that I turned 33 yesterday!)
The first year I did this party, I did it for under $30. I didn't bother to total things up this year, but it didn't set us back, at an already financially crazy time of year. This tea party has taught me as much as the it has taught the Blossoms. Hospitality doesn't have to be expensive. It comes from a generous heart and it blesses people.
(all photo credit to the ever-amazing Naomi Elle Photography)
