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Mad Hatter Tea Party 3yr - White Gloves

March 2006

Lisa in Bronx, NY

Special Mention

For my 3 year old daughter's birthday party, we decided to throw a Mad Hatter Tea Party based on Alice In Wonderland.  To keep within budget, it was girls only. 

INVITATIONS:  I ordered invitations with a picture of little girls drinking tea online from Stacey M. Design.  They read: Wear your favorite dress.  We'll add white gloves and pearls. Follow (my daughter's name) down the rabbit hole to a MAD HATTER TEA PARTY just for the girls! Tea Time: (party time and date) Wonderland: (address) Tea-grets only: (phone number). 

DECORATIONS:  I downloaded a picture of a rabbit's ears sticking out of a top hat and pasted on front door along with cut outs of rabbit's feet leading up to the hat.  The hat read "Follow The White Rabbit". Inside one wall was decorated with photos of the different Alice in Wonderland characters.  All downloaded from the internet (free) and printed in color.  Using pink tissue paper, I cut out large flower shapes and over each using stick on letters (left over from last yr's party) put "Happy Birthday Peyton".  On the wall over the kids table, I downloaded a template of a tea pot from internet (free) and had it enlarged at a local copy store. Then sprinkled glitter around the teapot's edges with glue.  I also made a squiggly shape using the glitter to look like steam.  Around the teapot, I taped small pastel colored butterflies bought from Oriental Trading Company. I bought pink and purple balloons (bde) that had flower designs and had them inflated at the local party store.  The kid's table was covered with a plastic tablecloth with hearts and flower designs on it, borrowed from a friend. 

At each place setting was a purple placemat, doily and mini tea cup and saucer.  All bought from Birthday Express.  I made napkin ring holders by cutting an empty paper towel roll and covering each with leftover wedding gift wrap.  Then I placed adhesive daisies (OTC) on each and used pink paper napkins.  Pearls and white gloves (otc) were also placed at each setting.  I bought plain costume gloves from otc and decorated them with the same adhesive butterflies used on the napkin rings.  In the middle of the table was a porcelain tea pot, creamer and sugar bowl - all borrowed from a friend. These were placed on doilies bought at the dollar store.  I bought daisies and pink flowers and placed in a small vase. On each of the kids chairs, I attached large nylon butterflies, a gift from a co-worker. 

My daughters's aunts, Grandmothers, and myself were all a character from AIW.  I wore white rabbit ears, the Grandmothers were the Queen of Hearts and both wore crowns made out of construction paper with a red heart cutout attached, my sister and friend was the Cheshire Cat and Dormouse and each cat/mouse ears left over from old Halloween costumes.  My orher sister was the Mad Hatter and wore a felt top hat bought at a local party store for less than $2.  I taped a piece of paper to the hat like the Mad Hatter but it read 3/5 my daughter's bithdate. When the kids arrived, they were asked to sit down at their place setting. 

Placecards with their names was made to look like teabags by using small nylon favor bags filled with chocolate Easter Eggs candy and a string and contstruction paper name tag attached.  The Mad Hatter then asked them to enjoy some tea (made with decaf lemon tea and apple juice).  Rock candy sticks in pink and purple were put in the sugar bowl for the girls to use to stir and sweeten their tea.  Then the girls ate cookies and strawberries.  Then my friend (Dormouse) led the kids in a game of Hot Potato but we used a lemon instead.  Each girl got to pick a prize out of a gift bag as they were out so no one felt as though they lost. Then my mother in law lead the girls in a game of "The Queens Says" like Simon Says. 

As each girl was out they had to see the Mad Hatter and pick a piece of paper out of her hat.  On each piece of paper was written a color.  So the girls then were seated to officially begin Tea Time.  Finger sandwiches made of cheese and turkey and  Smuckers pbj sandwiches were served on pink paper plates with doilies.  Then Mad Hatter instructed them in etiquette. The Dormouse even showed them how to curtsey and then told the story of Alice.  Then the Mad Hatter said they forgot something and each girl shouted out the color they picked.  Then the White Rabbit (me) brought out straw hats bought at a local craft store decorated with pastel colored tulle and small butterflies (otc).  This way the girls could not fight over which color they wanted since they had already picked out of the hat.  The girls loved the hats and we of course took photos of them in their hats, pearls and gloves. 

As Tea Time wound down, the girls were given crayons and coloring pages from Celestial Seasonings Tea website.  We used this time to clear off the table for the cake.  The cake was baked by a family friend and was decorated with white frosting and purpkle and pink ribbons and matching candy flowers.  The adults were served iced tea, mini beef patties, mini bagels with cream cheese spreads, fruit and party meatballs.  The cake was served on plates found at the dollar store decorated with tea pots and cookies.  Favor boxes were pink and purple and included a pen, tea pot shaped notepad, pearls, mini tea cup and saucer (both used on the tables) and purple ring (bde).  In each thank you card was placed a photo of the girls wearing their hats.  The girls and adults had a great time in Wonderland!

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