Holidays at Hogwarts: A Christmas Tea Party

I love tea parties and I especially love putting together themed tea parties. My very first themed tea party was High Tea at Hogwarts, put together for my friend's 21st birthday. At the time I hadn't read the Harry Potter books but I loved the magical atmosphere and had so much fun researching and planning her birthday.

Last year around the holidays I finally listened to all the Harry Potter books and have been waiting to revisit putting together a themed Harry Potter Tea.

Originally, I started planning this party in August as a Back to Hogwarts theme, I wanted to do it the weekend of September 1st, but timing didn't work out. I saved my ideas and projects, and it became the most perfect Christmas party theme.

This is probably my favorite and best themed party I have put together so far and that probably has to do with how many months I put into planning and creating my vision.

I created a post about the invites for this party if you want more details about how I created them. I made the invites to look like Hogwarts acceptance letters.

The table setting is what I had the most fun planning and creating. I feel like the table setting and decor is where you can really pull together your theme. I had fun incorporating Harry Potter and Christmas elements to create an elegant and magical feeling.

My theme for decorating was burgundy and gold with stars. I started with a white tablecloth overlayed with gold star tulle. I added a burgundy chiffon table runner down the center. I knew I wanted to have lots of candlelight to represent the floating candles in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. I used two different candle holder heights down the center to create variation.

In the center of the table, I also created Christmas floral arrangements using recycled Root beer bottles that I spray painted gold. I found the perfect Burgandy/Red velvet poinsettias to use in the vases and accented with frosted berries and pine branches.

Each place setting had a golden charger with plastic white and gold star plates. At each place setting each guest had a teacup and a personal tea pot.

On top of each plate was a marauders map napkin that I sewed with a unique handmade wand. When I started planning a Harry Potter Tea, I knew I wanted to have a wand for each guest to take home. I created the wands using wooden dowels and model magic clay.

Because it's Christmas I also wanted to add wrapped favor for each of the guests to take home with them. For the little packages gift wrapping I was inspired by the packages delivered by owl post. I wrapped the gifts with brown craft paper, tied with twine and sealed with a red Hogwarts Crest wax seal. Inside the favor boxes I added Hot Chocolate mix with marshmallows and mini candy canes.

Right before my guests arrived, I lit all the candles. Everything feels more magical in candlelight.

I also added some flowers, candles and Christmas greenery to the TV table. During the party I played Hogwarts ambient Christmas music from the TV.

The other major element of this party was the food and the food table. The main decor element on the food table was a set of quidditch Christmas wreath hoops. I also incorporated the same centerpieces and candles from the dining table

I had to place this cute snowy white owl in the center of the largest hoop.

For the tea party I made a trio of sweets. On the top tier, Butterbeer drizzled Shortbread Cookies. On the second tier Golden Snitch Sugar Cookie truffles and on the bottom tier Gingerbread Cookie Broomsticks and Snowflakes.

For the savory course of the tea party, I decided to serve mini savory pies. Professor Slughorn served a platter of assorted pies at his gathering on the Hogwarts express in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Mrs. Weasley also sends Harry a variety of meat pies while he is staying at the Dursley's in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

I made Shepards Hand pies and Individual Beef pies from The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. (pg. 90). I love collecting themed cookbooks and it was fun to try a recipe from

the Harry Potter Cookbook, it was so delicious we will definitely plan on making them again.

We also had tea, English tea scones and Hot Butterbeer.

After we finished our tea we had a white owl gift exchange. Each guest brought an unwrapped Harry Potter or Witch/Wizard themed gift. Each gift was placed in a brown paper bag when the guests arrived.

Using a pair of dice you pass the gifts around the table according to these rules:

5: Pass gifts one to the right

9: Pass the gifts 3 to the left

Doubles: You can switch your gift or switch the gifts of two other people.

3 or 11: Show what's in your bag or choose someone else to show what is in their bag.

Snake eyes: Ends the game and wins the ultimate gift.

At the end of the game the winner got to open the ultimate gift and then we went around the table and everyone got to open their bag and share what they got. It was fun to see all the creative gifts that people came up with.

The ultimate prize was a wrapped copy of The Unoffical Harry Potter Cookbook.

What made this party even more special was the friends I got to share it with.

Wishing you a very magical Christmas.

Love,

Meredith Joy