A few Decembers ago, my mom called with magic in her voice.

“I’m having a Christmas tea party,” she said. “Please come.”

My nieces and nephews gathered at a tiny table set near the tree. We sipped hot chocolate with our pinkies up, ate goldfish crackers and pretended to speak in British accents. It was hilarious fun and became one of our favorite traditions.

This year, long roads and pesky colds kept the tea party to a single guest: Miss Scarlett, and my mom fussed the tea party up in grand pink princess fashion.

Enjoy:

Even the sugar was pink.

Our guest was charmed from her pink bow to her pink toes (and wanted to play with that sugar for days).

My mom set the table in miniature splendor.

This included mini napkins that she cut out and tied with bows, complete with mini sprigs of evergreen.

Mini boxes of chocolate were our party favors:

And the (Scarlett-approved) menu included mini Oreos, mini circus cookies (pink!), mini bites of cheese in the shape of Mickey Mouse, and the following: bread in gingerbread shapes. (Cookie cutters are a tea party’s best tool.)

That gorgeous Tammie Coe cookie.

And mini pizzas in the shape of candy canes.

There were even a few pink baubles brought in just for the occasion.

Pinkies up!

Scarlett opened her gift from Granni early:

Her own tea party supplies.

My sister reports that Scarlett was so enchanted that days later, she’s STILL playing tea party at home.

Dear Mom: You are the magic in all our Christmas memories. Thank you for creating joy.