Christmas Tea
Today we had a little tea, these three and I. Our oldest read a part of the Christmas Story, I read some poetry about “tea time”. Our youngest poured hot tea for the first time successfully, our middle sipped through the new hole in her mouth were her first baby tooth used to be. We listened to Handel’s Messiah playing in the background.
This has been a family tradition since they were tiny little guys. We do not have it scheduled, it just happens spontaneously. We sit and read a little poetry, or invite Great Grandparents over to share a little time with us. We say please and thank you, we let the ladies go first, we try not to slurp our tea. We feel so special. You know how you feel when you put on a pretty shirt and fix your hair just right. It is the same thing. They feel so special when we put away all that darn plastic ware and give them pretty plates and tea cups and let them have a go at working with the adult things.
We got a full size tea set last year for Christmas, because the tiny play one we used to use, was just too tiny. They feel like grown ups, I feel like I am having a special time to just give them a lesson on manners without the rush of dinner, and tiredness falling down upon us.
Just 15 minutes, breaking up the day, allowing for a special space to open up right before us. Then they clean it all up and the normal roar starts up again, trucks zooming away, board games resumed, the “Mom can we….” converstaion about whatever thing they just can’t let go of. Oh how I love the tea that calms the storm. Now I have to go and sweep the dirt up on the back patio from the plant that has just been knocked over and used to fill up a dump truck.
Peace to all and a good cup of tea.
