Feature
December
8
Dansereau House Hosts Teddy Bear Tea
by Mary Downer
Tea time used to be a special after-school treat I shared with my furry friends. When I was a young girl, I would dress up in my mother and grandmother’s fancy, worn clothes, in layers of lacy ruffles, an oversized pink floppy hat and a pair of yellowing lace gloves. I would sit down at my pint-size table and chairs with my Beatrix Potter tea set and serve tea and Nilla Wafers to my charming friends.
With their perfectly sewn smiles and bare spots from a little too much loving, my teddy bears always thought I made the most delicious tea.
While tea time has always been an option for adults at hotels like the Windsor Court, Christmas welcomes another variety. Still every bit as elegant as high tea for the older set, these special tea parties focus on a younger generation. Teddy Bear Teas have become increasingly popular in cities around the U.S. during the holiday season, including New Orleans and, for the first time, Thibodaux.
This year, the Dansereau House Bed and Breakfast will host its first Victorian Teddy Bear Tea. Keeping in the tradition of large hotels like the Roosevelt and the Royal Sonesta, the Dansereau House welcomes children of all ages to start a new tradition locally.
“I was approached by a young mother asking if we would consider hosting a tea at the Dansereau House,” said Lori Worrell, innkeeper for the Dansereau House. “There was a desire for more children’s Christmas activities locally. We were originally asked last year to host a tea, but we were very busy. This year, I knew it was something that I wanted to do, and planning got underway very early!”
Daughters and mothers, fathers and daughters, grandchildren and grandparents, and every other combination of child and loved one are invited to join in this special tea party. Children will be presented with a new teddy bear friend to share the special event with. For an hour and a half, everyone will join in a seated meal of delicious food, including scones, cookies and, of course, tea. Adults will be served one meal, while the children’s plates will have something a little different and more geared toward their taste.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be present; there will be a photo opportunity with Santa, while Mrs. Claus visits with the children. To help you get into the Christmas spirit, there will also be Christmas music and fresh snow on the ground—an amazing sight to behold as the snow falls on the front lawn of the Dansereau House.
“It really is a special occasion, where families can come together and say, ‘Wow! We’ve never had anything like this before in Thibodaux!’” Lori said.
