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I absolutely loved Downton Abbey as the series, so I was thrilled when I heard there was going to be a movie. I finally got my hands on the new movie, and my college age daughter and I put together a Downton Abbey DVD Tea Party for it.
We had so much fun with our tea party, and the best part is that the movie is as wonderful as you hoped. The Downton Abbey DVD is an expansion to the series, and all the characters that you love are back together! The Crawleys and the staff are all preparing for a royal visit from the King and Queen!
How do you host a Downton Abbey DVD Tea Party?
First you’ve got to get a copy of the new Downton Abbey DVD, and you can find it at both Walmart and Walmart.com.
I did a little bit of research and found that a three-tiered tea stand should have sandwiches, cookies, and pastries from bottom to top, so that’s what I planned. I found it easiest to make the tea sandwiches and then go to a bakery to get pastries and the grocery store to get typical British style cookies.
Setting up the Tea Party Table
We used heirlooms we had on hand such as my grandmother’s tatted tablecloth, my mother’s vintage teapot, and the fine china that’s been passed down in our family. It was so wonderful to pull them out and enjoy them and share them with my daughter.
We put a small table in front of the couch so everything was within reach. We could easily snack and watch the movie. If you have a coffee table this will work. I have a folding camping table that is the perfect coffee table height. It’s just like a card table but smaller. Then, I covered it in a regular solid tablecloth and topped it in my grandmother’s hand-tatted tablecloth.
My mother had given me a beautiful three-tiered glass stand that was perfect for our tea party. We also used the tea cups and saucers and small plates from my china set.
We didn’t use fancy cloth napkins. Instead we used fancy paper napkins and wrapped each one in a beaded headband. These make the perfect little party favor take home gift and/or placeholder. Get the DIY to make these beautiful headbands HERE.
Tea for a Movie Watching Party
We used English Breakfast tea because I like the taste and had it on hand. We also set out sugar cubes and milk. Did you know that milk is preferred over cream as cream can mask the flavor of the tea? I had no idea.
Food for a Movie Watching Tea Party
I decided on a menu of three kinds of tea sandwiches, a variety of tarts and scones, and two types of cookies (or rather biscuits, if you’re British). I am not a pastry chef, so we went to the bakery and picked the prettiest things that we thought belonged at a tea party that looked wonderful to eat. We also bought British style cookies.
Here is what we had:
Cookies:
- Butter Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate-dipped Madeleines
Pastries:
- Lemon Bites
- Plain Scones
- Fruit Tartlets
Tea Sandwiches
- Cucumber Watercress
- Strawberry Cream
- Ham and Cheese
In addition to these, we also set out European butter, creme fraiche, and a few jams.
How do you make Tea Sandwiches?
From my research, tea sandwiches tend to be made from very thin bread with the crusts removed and often cut into small shapes. I found most often that they were made with meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, and butter.

Three Types of Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 loaves thin white bread
Cucumber Watercress
- 6 oz cream cheese
- bundle of watercress
- 1 cucumber, peeled
- salt
- pepper
Strawberry Cream
- 1 pint strawberries
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Ham & Cheese
- 8 Thin slices of Black Forest Ham
- 8 Thin slices of Cheese
- Mayonnaise
Instructions
Cucumber Watercress Sandwiches
- Peel a cucumber and cut it into half. Set one half to the side.
- Wash the Watercress and cut the stems.
- Add the cream cheese to food processor.
- Cut half the cucumber into chunks and place in food processor (or chop very fine).
- Add a dash of salt and a dash of pepper.
- Set the food processor to chop and pulse it until the cucumbers and cream cheese are all mixed together and there are no large chunks of cucumber.
- Spread thinly on both pieces of bread.
- Put a small pile of watercress on top of one piece of bread.
- Put second piece of bread on top and slice off crusts.
- Cut sandwiches into triangles.
- Store covered in plastic wrap if necessary.
Strawberry Cream Sandwiches
- Wash and hull 10-12 medium strawberries. Set 6-7 strawberries aside. Cut the rest of the strawberries in half.
- Place cut strawberries in food processor with 6 oz of cream cheese.
- Add a tablespoon of sugar.
- Pulse until combined and there are no big chunks of strawberries.
- Thinly cut the other 6-7 strawberries.
- Take 8 slices of bread and spread the strawberry cream cheese mixture over 4 slices.
- Layer about 6 thin slices of strawberries over the mixture on all 4 slices of bread.
- Top with the other 4 slices of bread.
- Cut the crusts off and cut each sandwich into 2 rectangles.
- Store covered in plastic wrap if necessary.
Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
- Get 8 slices of bread.
- Layer 4 slices of bread with a slice of cheese and slice of ham on each.
- Top additional 4 slices of bread with mayonnaise and layer over ham.
- Cut each sandwich into a circle.
- Store covered in plastic wrap if necessary.
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment , but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DowntonAbbeyAtWalmart http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
12 comments
How fun! I loved the series and still have yet to see the movie. I am excited to see it.
This sounds like a fun tea party to have with some of my friends. I’ve been wanting to see this movie, and this would be a perfect way to do so.
How adorable! I just love themed parties. I have actually NEVER seen DTA before, but I am slightly intrigued because so many people think it’s amazing!
This would be a ton of fun! I would love to attend a party like this. I am too lazy to ever set one up, but I would so go to one. I love Downton Abbey.
I really enjoyed reading this post. These are great tips. I would love to host a tea party for my friends.
I’ve never had or never been to a tea party before, but I think it is such a great party idea to have with friends. The food looks good too.
That looks like a a lot of fun, even for us who aren’t really familiar with downton abbey. I really love the colors and dishes here, so pretty.
This is such a wonderful idea. I really love it. I think I should do this with a group of friends. I know they’d have fun.
I would love to visit you for a tea party looks like you have delicious finger foods and cookies. I am not a fan of downtown abbey but tea party sure.
I never turn down a theme party! But this looks extra fun! What a perfect way to celebrate Downton Abbey and have a sweet celebration while watching it.
I have never tried hosting a tea party but planning to do it soon! Glad I came over this post. Indeed a great way to bond with friends.
This sounds like a lot of fun. I could never get into Downton Abbey as a show but I love the fun behind it