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Monday 17 July 2017

Then we had tea

A July 6/17 article by a fellow blogger, Anvilcloudcaused me to reflect on some of the items I have from my mother. Anvilcloud mentioned, “Nobody wants your stuff,” in the blogpost. While I realized the same years ago after Mom died, AC gave me reason to pause.


My mother was never one to acquire anything fancy. She used what she had, then disposed of the remains. However, she valued bone China tea cups and had many which she left to me. I use them often and think of Mom every time. Similarly, I use my own China and crystal regularly and enjoy it. 


Anything I have would be passed on to our daughter and grandchildren. However, they will not want that stuff. The question became how to use Mom’s cups with the children today?

The solution presented itself recently when Caitlin and Sylvie, ages four and six, visited for the weekend. They always play tea party, using a play tea set and plastic sweets. But this time, we made muffins, as we often do and had a tea party using Mom’s China cups. 

Each girl picked out the cup she wanted and we drank juice-tea from the fancy cups which came from their great grandmother. We talked about the etiquette of a fancy tea and ate muffins but giggled a great deal. We practised how to avoid slurping or dinging the cup with the spoon, as we gently stirred our tea. What better use could those cups ever have? Fancy tea parties will be a regular occurrence now. 


Mom would have been thrilled!


Thanks, AC.


30 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Sue also has quite a teacup collection. Most have memories attached. And they're in a cabinet of my mother's, which also has an attached memory. :)

Blogoratti said...

Fancy tea parties sound just like it. A wonderful thought and idea indeed. Warm greetings to you!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

That's a lovely new tradition!

DJan said...

How sweet. When I was a girl, I would have loved to have such tea parties, and to learn how to be elegant, while giggling. :-)

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What a very lovely idea Marie. The girls will soon get attached to their own cup and look to pick it out each time ✨

Debbie said...

awwww so sweet!! i'm glad a/c saw this!!! we have "tea shops" in my area that serve "high tea"...i'm not fancy but it is a lot of fun!!!

Linda d said...

Love the idea. I could buy the teacups but I'd suppose I'd have to borrow the grandchildren.

Elephant's Child said...

What incredibly precious memories you are creating.

Marie Smith said...

It is difficult to part with the treasures from our ancestors, AC. That's why I'm using the cups ith the girls. We'll enjoy them now.

Marie Smith said...

We'll graduate to high tea eventually, Blogoratti.

Marie Smith said...

It is Debra, and such fun too.

Marie Smith said...

The giggling with those two sweeties is priceless, Jan.

Marie Smith said...

I imagine each will have a favourite cup, PDP.

Marie Smith said...

We'll graduate to high tea eventually, Debbie.

Marie Smith said...

Lol. Young children would enjoy a tea party with you, Linda.

Marie Smith said...

I often wonder what they will remember about their grandfather and me, EC.

Bill said...

That was a wonderful idea Marie to have a tea party using the China cups. Sounds like it went over well. A new chapter of tea parties has now begun, priceless!

Anonymous said...

I love this post. I am so happy the little ones enjoyed juice in the fancy tea cups!

Rick (Ratty) said...

The kids will remember this tea party for the rest of their lives. And they'll remember the cups too.

Marie Smith said...

It is indeed a new chapter, Bill.

Marie Smith said...

They were thrilled with it, Mildred.

Marie Smith said...

I wonder, Ratty. They are still young.

Barbara said...

Wonderful idea. I have my Grandmother's glasses and a set of my mother's china but I don't have any cups. So glad you were able to do that.

Celia said...

What wonderful memories with you the girls will have. I have all my Mom's china tea cups and had no idea what to do with them. I will give this a try.

Marie Smith said...

I hope you have as much fun with them as we did, Celia.

Marie Smith said...

You can do something special with what you have, Barbara.

Robert Smith said...

Recently I asked my daughter, who is my only relative now, what she would do with all my treasured belongings when I die, which includes my great-grandfathers old knobbly blackthorn walking stick. Her reply was "Dad, I'm too busy with my business to waste time sorting through all that stuff (?) I will call in a house clearance firm and let them have it all".

Marie Smith said...

I know Keith. It is hard to hear what will happen to our things. I think our items will be old in a yard sale.

Cathy said...

This might be the time to start a little photo collection of each tea party documenting which cup each girl chose. Maybe make it a monthly event and keep just keep one photo per month. After a while you might see a visible pattern.
Gosh I wish my grandchildren were 'little' again.

Cathy @ Still Waters


Marie Smith said...

The girls are visiting again today so another tea party is in order. Thanks for the ideas Cathy. I will be more organized today regarding photos.