Tea Time

            There’s a sort of stereotype about little girls and having tea parties. It is kind of a stamp stuck on girls that when they were little they used to have tea parties. For me, some of the best memories from my childhood were from my great-grandmother when she’d make me tea. My Gigi was so sweet and gentle, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know what was what and she wouldn’t give you the straight truth. I used to love going to spend time with my great-grandmother because we’d sit down and she’d make some tea and put it in one of her fancy teapots. She had full tea sets. The teapot, the waste bowl, the sugar bowl, the tea cups, the tea cup plates, the creamer, and occasionally a tea caddy.

            My great-grandmother was in her eighties when I was able to visit her more often. One day, I was the one making the tea because she couldn’t do it. I remember cleaning the sets and boiling the water. After I’d set the tea to brew, I would stop and help her take her medicine. For me, tea parties weren’t a stereotype. It was how I spent time with my great-grandmother. When she passed away, she left me all her tea sets because it was more than a toy to me but it was still a toy. I ended up only getting one tea set, but now anytime I start to miss her I always feel better having a cup of tea.

            No matter the brand of tea that I drink, after I make it the air always smells like lemon verbena and vanilla. That makes me smile because that’s what my grandmother always smelled like. On holidays, apple pie would mix into her scent but it was just Gigi scent. Her tea set sits in a glass armoire in our dining room on display. Most of her tea sets had flowers on them or butterflies. It’s because of her that I love butterflies. It’s because of her that I will proudly admit that tea parties with my great-grandmother are some of the best memories that I have of her.