Coffee/Cocoa Station all themed out in Alice in Winter Wonderland
The inspiration for a theme for a party often sparks from just one thing I find. This time was no exception. I found this “Alice Drink Me Hot Chocolate” sign from the Etsy shop, Heart 2 Heart by Helen. I got it’s companion piece for the drink bar from there, too. I have a lot of Alice In Wonderland dishes and pieces to draw from already, so I was excited to begin. I’ve done several Alice tea parties, but never with a Christmas spin.
The coffee station was the first to be themed. My husband recently made the shelf for it. I knew I wanted to use my vintage salt and pepper Alice and White Rabbit shakers. They were the perfect size to make a vignette. The sign was the star of the show and I went from there. I added a little teapot to put by Alice and a gingerbread house. I used wintery picks of ice and snow flakes on either side of the sign. The teapot is part of my Alice dish collection. I got all dishes and serving pieces in this line from Home Goods. The top tier of shelf has a house from Target that i had be the White Rabbit’s home.
Pottery Barn drawer sets make the perfect holders for coffee, cocoas and sugars.
I got these drawers from Pottery Barn Outlet. I labeled them with the contents. The top of the drawers provides a nice ledge for the mugs which are also Alice themed. A drink me sign calls one to have a cup. The Alice in Wonderland “Welcome to Wonderland” sign came from Jim Shore.
In front of the drawer sets, a little cutting board holds a rabbit marshmallow container, peppermint sticks and salted caramel syrup. the white rabbit dishes are from Pottery Barn. They carry the line each year and I love to add to it. I use these dishes for Easter, spring, and yes, Alice parties.
The white rabbit carrying the basket has a cocoa tray perched on top. I just love this little detail
The drink bar came next to theme. This is where we serve cold drinks and later in the day cocktails if we have a party. This themed event was a brunch tea party. I served Wassail punch from Trader Joes. I had another white rabbit dish that held munchies of Chex mix, muddy buddies and gummies. The Alice glasses were from Home Goods. My mom painted the snow men. A wonderful Etsy shop called The Pink Hutch, made the lovely bead garland that matches my mom’s snow people perfectly down to the patch on the hats. I highly recommend her shop. She had great customer service and her bead garlands are just so pretty. I placed bottle brush trees that I decorated in little red bead garlands in tea cups, The Alice figurine came from Precious Moments, 
Alice themed bar
The drink bar food and drink
The rest of the decor for tea were pieces I had already. I had an Alice doll, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, and Queen of hearts that I placed around the room. The signs were made by a niece of mine. She came to a themed Alice party years ago and helped me with parts of it. I love the signs so much for their whimsy and they also remind me of a very special time. The Alice silhouette I got at Disneyland. I collect them from there.
The bench holds Alice characters and snowmen…the perfect mash up for Alice in Winter Wonderland…that Alice album was given to me by one of my students. It’s a piece of art in itself,
Close up of one of my favorites signs my niece, Torrey made
Alice silhouette
The tablescape was one long scene. Another mash up of Alice and winter. Flanking at each end of the table are two tall bottle brush trees. I got these several years back at Crate & Barrel. I decorated the bottom of the trees with mini ornaments, glass snowflakes and Alice playing cards, Near one tree is a mad hatter shaker and near the other one an Alice one. In the center was the tea tray of desserts. That’s a party pointer: centerpieces often can be functional like this tea tray. It’s functional, it’s pretty and it carries the theme across the table, The beautiful knit runner that looks like a winter scarf is from Crate & Barrel. The teacups in each end are from Mary Engelbreit. I filled them with winter florals and snowflakes. Ornaments and cards added to the whimsy.
The middle of the centerpiece and table setting
One end of the runner with the tree and teacup with winter picks. Mad hatter is ready to pour tea.
Close up of teacup. Filled with snowflakes, ornaments, and themed Alice playing cards
A another view of table with hutch in background.
The place settings were all dishes I had. I combined winter dishes with clock ones ( to represent the white rabbit’s watch). I added white rabbit pieces in as well. Each place setting had a Christmas dinner dish ( from Crate & Barrel), a dessert clock dish (from Pottery barn), an embossed snow print was the pattern on the appetizer plate (from Crate & Barrel). Stacked in it are a smaller square Alice plate ( from Home Goods) with a round divided dish for jams. The mitten came from Crate & Barrel. The petit fours are from Swiss Colony. The place tiles are from a shop called Details 2 Enjoy.
This tiered tray held the hot brunch food
Our potatoes were served in these cute white rabbit ramekins
This white rabbit dish holds the lemon curd in style.
I had a brunch menu for this tea, I served quiches and little Brie bites with fig jam. We also had little smokies (from Hillshire Farms) with bleu cheese mustard ( from Trader Joes). In the little rabbit ramekins, by place settings, were our potatoes. The desserts were a combination of store bought and homemade cookies. Gingerbread, shortbread, jam cookies and petit fours were the stars.
Close up of dessert trays
I did this whole theme for a dear friend who has a birthday in December, we celebrate both her birthday and Christmas together. One of the things I love about tea parties is you can savor the food and the conversation. We chatted away while feasting on various bite size treats,
My tea food
Alice themed “drink me” and “eat me” gift basket
The birthday girl has to have a gift. I made that Alice themed, too. These tags came from the same Etsy shop, Heart 2 Heart by Helen, that made the Alice signs. They hang on bottles. It was the perfect take home. I filled the basket with various goodies to eat and things to drink labeling each with tags of “eat me” and “drink me”
Lady hanging out with Cheshire Cat …I wore that Alice themed scarf at tea
The birthday girl, Jeanette, at her Alice tea
the tea table after we finished
Hope you enjoyed coming along to our tea party. It’s fun to have a mad tea party here and there in life. To stop and enjoy time with friends even during the busy season of Christmas. I try to build in these events to stop and enjoy it. I wish for all of you reading to have your own times to celebrate your dear ones and life.
My Alice Winter Wonderland
