• Tea parties aren't just for kids.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Vintage is in. Jump into this latest fad by planning a tea party for your next get-together with the ladies. Whether it's a book group, a prayer group or just a bunch of ladies getting together to gab, a good, old-fashioned tea party is a refreshing way to gather the girls.
  
  

Victorian Tea Party

• Host an old-fashioned Victorian tea party.tea time image by Kathy Burns from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Plan an old-fashioned Victorian tea party with tons of lace and flowers. Print invitations on paper lace doilies and ask your guests to dress up in their best. Dainty white cotton gloves and big floppy hats with ribbons and feathers are a must. Decorate your tea tables with lace tablecloths and centerpieces made of large vases full of brilliant roses or peonies. Serve tea and crumpets, cucumber sandwiches and other delicate finger foods.
  
  

Mother's Day Tea Party

• Surprise the mothers in your life by hosting a Mother's Day tea party. Plan your party outdoors in a beautiful garden. Drag out an old table and mismatched kitchen chairs or use this as an opportunity to pull mom's lawn furniture out of storage. Cover the table with a light, airy cloth and add a basket of flowers for a centerpiece. Bring out the best china to make it a truly special event. Serve tiny tea sandwiches and delicate confections such as truffles, meringues and petit fours.
  
  

The Menu

• Serve up some delicate confections.Tea Treats image by Vanessa van Rensburg from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  There are many alternatives to the traditional Earl Gray tea and cucumber sandwiches. Switch it up with a summery red strawberry tea made from real strawberries, red tea and pomegranate-cranberry juice. For a grown-ups-only party, try a hibiscus tea with vodka and citrus. Pair it up with delicate chai-spiced tea loaves drizzled with a confectioner's sugar glaze.
  
  

Tea Party Games

• Plan some activities.games image by Patrizier-Design from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  Every good tea party offers games to break the ice and get conversations flowing. For a large tea party, place a few random items around the tea tables and provide a plain straw hat for each table. Then ask the ladies at each table to decorate their hats using only items located on their tables or in their purses. Once the decorations are complete, choose a lady from each table to sport their creation in a fun fashion show. If you're planning a tea party for a group of ladies who know each other well, ask each to bring a picture of herself as a child. Then, everyone tries to guess which picture belongs to which adult lady.