Christmas Angel Tea, Decor, and More!

With Chris and the kids lighting up the house for the holidays, it motivated me to pull out the Holiday Boxes as well as pack up the Fall Boxes and officially commence “the changing of the gourds”. After collecting all of the autumn décor, Jessi packed up the event containers while I wiped up and cleaned all of my focus areas in our home. Starting off with a clean canvas helps calm me, and is also an event basic that continually keeps high traffic areas deep cleaned and orderly.

Then we went to town pulling out décor, ornaments, festive favorites and everything that adds sparkle. Everything was sorted so we could actually see and decide our plan of action. Keeping an inventory of items is another 3P way to save $$$ as you may forget items you already have or find ones that you haven’t used in awhile. Especially with the Christmas season, it’s ok to NOT use everything. Sometimes less is more. Did I really say that? Hahaha! But…I really do feel that way.

The above glistening homestyle centerpiece is the easiest ever to put together in a pinch. We used a muffin tin from our cup board and had large tea-lights on hand. (We stock up on these when they’re discounted!) They last longer and are available in a variety of colors by Debi Lilly…at Vons/Safeway/Pavilions stores.

Our CCM volunteer event had a Christmas theme. So we focused on quickly changing out our main focus areas with items in our Christmas Box, and Chris picked me up a few mini Poinsettia’s. By adding these, switching out a few candles, and using fresh evergreen as a filler – VOILA! We had thrown together enough holiday décor to create a festive atmosphere for our very first Christmas event. More on Merry Merry around the house with Part 2: How to’s this week!

Now back to the tea…Club Christ Ministries is one of our chosen charities that 3P provides pro-bono event management for their fundraising efforts. Here’s why:

Club Christ Ministries is a younger non-profit organization that dedicates efforts to negotiate free building space with the government or landlords in low-income areas. They do this so that school tutoring and mentoring can be provided to children in these areas. After 10 years or working and living in these neighborhoods, CCM is changing the lives of Las Vegas youth.

So starting six years ago, our parent company Meehan and Associates has had the privilege of working with Kendra and Evan in developing events that generate revenue that directly goes towards the CCM center’s operating expenses. The last two years, a May “Hearts for Hope” tea has captured the hearts of both local attendees and volunteers.

Last Monday Kendra, Jessi, and I whipped up an easy inexpensive Christmas Angel Tea that gathered volunteers (our tea committee) and we shared laughter, festive food, and fun with friends. Since all of us were at work all day Monday coming off of the long weekend, Kendra and I created our menu and to-do list a few weeks before. Our theme: Christmas Angel Appreciation for 12. Our menu came together, after doing a bit of research…we found that picking up a few items from a local bakery combined with a few home-made items was cost effective and much easier than making all of it ourselves and just as special.

Our “Merry Menu”:

–       Individual veggie quiches from Chef Flemings Bakery
–       Pastries and brownies also from Chef Flemings Bakery (Delicious!)
–       Scones from Fresh n Easy with Aunt Shari’s homemade peach and fig jams
–       Rachael Ray’s Beet and Walnut Salad (This was simple to make, yet added freshness and holiday color. Click HERE for the recipe! Thanks Rachael!)

–       My famous chocolate drop cookies (This is my go-to Christmas Cookie staple that you’ll be hearing more about )
–       Freshly brewed holiday teas (Kendra is our expert brew master)

We put the quiche in the oven to warm up while we assembled everything on platters including getting the salad and dressing made in approx. an hour. An event basic to remember: Jessi and I had the table set and ready to go the day before. This gives you a stress-free time to pull out everything you need, so that the day of the event, your food prep can be your priority.

Some 3P Event Basics:

–       Sitting 12 around our dining room table comfortably didn’t work with our dining room chairs, so we moved them out and replaced them with folding chairs. Even with folding chairs, the comfort factor and fun angel tiaras made this work.

–       Each chair was decorated with an easy-to-make “Angel Heart Tiaras” that each of us wore. We often give guests of event attendees a party accessory to wear because it instantly creates interaction.

–       We used existing angel ornaments to create a Christmas feel, and provided a special take home favor for all of our dedicated volunteers. Each favor contained an ornament, candy canes, and holiday tea.

–       Used tiered serving plates to add dimension to our centerpiece

–       Simple ornament favors in teacups also added a height element to the table.

–       Bright green paper napkins rather than linens added needed color to the table and simplified things.

Sitting around the table with Jess and the committee was a great way to kick off Christmas in our house!

For more information on CCM, be sure to visit their website HERE.

This tea was definitely yet another “Holiday Happy”. Speaking of “Holiday Happy”…we are absolutely overjoyed by the awesome responses to our “Holiday Happy” contest! We want to give you more opportunities to win! Based on everyone’s replies we’re “sweetening the tea pot”! We’re extending the contest to December 18th and with that: adding another $100 gift card to Target for those Christmas PJ’s, Elves on Shelves, Holiday Baking needs, and Tree decor that you all love. All you have to do is “Like” us on Facebook, and share a comment on our Facebook page or on the blog with your very own “Holiday Happy”. If you’ve already told us a “Holiday Happy”…tell us another one! We love it, and it enters you for more chances to win. Check back in to 3P and you might find more “Holiday Happy” surprises added to our prize package!