Two children in costumes, one as Peter Pan and one as Captain Hook, sit at a small outdoor table having tea, carefully caring for fine china amid the greenery and pirate-themed decorations.
June 19, 2025

Tea, a Garden for the Human Spirit to Flower (Part 3)

The St. James Tearoom

Tea is a garden for the human spirit to flower, a place of Gentle Influence, a place to Create Memories.

Afternoon Tea is a perfect little garden to cultivate beautiful relationships. It is a great way to build time together with children and grandchildren! It provides a special time focused on them.

There are many ways to do this. You can provide tea for children, or explore tea together. This could be learning to make tea sandwiches or baking muffins together; it could also be training young ones how to set the table or how to have a conversation around the table with others.

Two children in costumes—one as Peter Pan, the other as a historical figure—sit outdoors at a table with tea and treats, carefully caring for fine china as they toast their cups amid greenery and ivy, enjoying a whimsical tea party.

You can have special occasion teas, maybe a princess birthday tea party—or an UNbirthday party! Tea is a lovely way to create a sense of wonder and spark imagination—in all of us! Little girls and little boys all love the specialness of tea—using the little sugar tongs, asking “one lump or two?”, using the small spoons, learning how to pour the tea with one hand on the lid.

You can use tea parties as a fun way to teach something like table manners or social etiquette. This will be a special memory for them—and they might even remember some of the etiquette lessons. If not, the most important thing has happened: there has been a time of bonding. A little more glue has been added to cement the relationship.

“I am not only responsible for my life, but for its influence.” ~John Henry Jowett

These are the questions: How might I cause the lives of those I love to flourish and thrive? How might I use tea to grow deeper relationships with the children in my sphere? 

Tea is a perfect little garden to cultivate beautiful relationships with children.

Yours for the return of Grace, Civility, Beauty, Gentility, and Excellence,

Mary Alice Higbie

A decorative brown horizontal line with loops and symmetrical flourishes in the center, ending with circular shapes on each side, evokes the warmth and elegance often associated with the definition of hospitality.
A child dressed as Captain Hook sits on a chair, startled, with a toy crocodile grabbing their foot. The scene is set outdoors beside a table adorned with a teapot and leafy decor, hinting at the importance of caring for fine china even during imaginative adventures.