Fancy China Party

Break out the good china! At my retirement community there are homes that are beautifully decorated by residents who have a great deal of class and style. As a home owner, I know the pride a person feels about their home and the items in it, and as the activities director, I try to find ways for residents to share their interests with the community.

I've had a few different programs that offer this experience. One of my favorites to host is a Fancy China Party. You can call it by another name, but here is what it is all about. I put out an invitation to the community inviting the residents to attend a tea party style lunch in our private dining room. I asked the residents to bring a set of their fancy china to set on the table in advance. Each person is given time in advance to set their place at the table. The culinary department completes the tables with the standard items that each table will need.

At the lunch, each person takes time to explain the history of their place setting. The stories were very interesting to all of us.

You will need to work out the details about the clean-up of the dishes prior to your event. We felt like we could clean the dishes and then send them home with the residents and luckily nothing was broken in the process. Make sure you speak with each resident about what they'd like you to do with their items and also with the staff in the kitchen.

This would be a great event for Mother's Day, so make a note on your calendars now and consider yourself one step ahead for May 2012!

Check out the items that will help enhance your tea party luncheon.

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