The Elven Tea Party

I make sure to occasionally host inspiring parties and sometimes invite friends over to eat good food, dance, play roleplaying games, and sit around the campfire. Please note that elves in Tolkien’s writings are usually so much more welcoming and festive than how they are portrayed in the movies, which is kind of unfair.

This winter I was fortunate to have a visit from a fellow Tolkien lover all the way from Australia, a truly enchanting elven lady with floor-length hair called Rocaille (Amy Earl). We spontaneously decided to throw a small elven tea party in honor of Faerie Magazine. This cold winter day just called for snuggling up on the sofa with warm tea and comforting food and the company of cats, creating a sanctuary from the busy modern world. My cats’ names, by the way, are Zelda and Ori. Zelda is the one with the elven circlet. She is an absolute queen and a fierce huntress, but don’t be deceived by those badass eyes. She loves to cuddle, and she gladly joins us for long walks in the forest. Ori is her young son that is already twice her size and a total sweetheart.

We dressed up in elven gowns of mossy green velvet, golden trims, and wide sleeves; adorned ourselves with elven jewelry, and braided each other’s hair. And, of course, we never miss a chance to put on some elf ears. Then we brewed some herbal tea from the garden and the forest, and sprinkled it with dried edible flowers (see recipe below). We had some sweet potato brownies (I always bake without sugar), raw food chocolate nut balls, chopped fresh fruits (apples, pears, grapes), and raspberries as well as dried fruits (figs, apricots, dates) and nuts. Later in the evening we watched The Lord of the Rings while having some snacks, like chopped veggies, dried salted lamb meat, mushrooms, and cheese—the only thing lacking was Lembas! We also found the time to spend a delightful evening by the campfire, roasting some herbal stick bread.

I live for these out-of-the-ordinary moments. I believe the world is in urgent need of re-enchantment; a restoration of our sense of connection with the sacred and mysterious, but also with our body, with the earth and with each other. It is a way to change from within and moving outward to transform the world. Connecting with the elven energies inside ourself is one way of doing it, and I hope this article has inspired you to go one step further.

For elven tea, brew:
1 liter water
3 tbsp. dried peppermint leaves 1 tbsp. birch leaves
1 tbsp. meadowsweet
1 tbsp. fireweed
A few violets
Pinch of stevia leaves