Celebrate the King's Coronation with a Tea Party

From England to the US, people everywhere will be tuning in for the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6th, 2023. Join in on the fun and celebrate in style with a tea party that's fit for royalty.

What to Eat

Tea party food is my absolute favorite! Start with some tea sandwiches. Coronation chicken seems fitting for the occasion, and cucumber with mint is always a classic. Be sure to trim the crusts and cut them into strips or triangles. We also added mini quiche to our savory course, but sausage rolls would be a delicious addition as well.

Fruit is a great way to add color to the table. My favorites are raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or grapes.

It wouldn't be a tea party without scones! Set out an assortment of jams, lemon curd, and clotted cream to spread on top.

Choose a sweet treat like cupcakes, tarts, cake, or petit fours to finish off your tea party with.

Set the Scene

Some Union Jack bunting or printable version can go a long way when it comes to decorations. You could also get crowns for each of your guests or have everyone wear a fun hat or fascinator.

Now the only thing left to do for your Coronation tea party is send out the invitations!

Host an Emily in Paris Watch Party

Feeling a need for some extra glamour and fashion in your life? Experience the sights and sounds of France in season three of Emily in Paris. With the launch date right around the corner (December 21, 2022), now is the perfect time to start planning a watch party. Invite a few of your best friends and use these tips to create a soirée that Emily would be proud of.

What to Eat

Baguette sandwiches are a Parisian staple. Head to your local bakery and pick up a few baguettes, spread some dijon inside, and layer on the ham and Swiss cheese. Serve grapes or berries for a picturesque side.

Macarons are an essential for dessert. We have a bit of a sweet tooth around here, so we also torched up some crème brûlée.

Grab your favorite drink and a few fancy glasses for a très chic lunch spread.

Set the Scene

A few decorations can go a long way for a casual watch party. Pink roses and a candle make the set up feel special. You could add pink balloons, a french flag banner, or mini Eiffel Tower figurines. To make this extra Parisian, it would be fun to hand out berets to your guests.

Ready to binge the next season? These watch party ideas are easy to pull together and are a fun way to get your friends together. All that's left to do now is send out the invites!

WISH ON A YULE PINECONE

Wishing on a yule pinecone is the perfect activity for a memorable yule party.

In this tradition that dates back centuries, participants write their goals, intentions, and wishes on scraps of paper. These papers are rolled up and placed in the gaps of pinecones, then the pinecones are tossed into a fire.

Burning the goals and wishes adds a level of participation that makes this activity more engaging than setting typical New Year's resolutions.

You could even expand this activity to get younger kids more involved. Go on a nature hike as a family and have everyone find a pinecone. You could also set out craft supplies and encourage the kids to decorate their pinecones.

My family started incorporating this yule pinecone activity into our existing winter solstice traditions. We'll have family over for dinner, bake a decorate a yule log for dessert, and finish off the night with burning our yule wishing pinecones.

If it gets too cold where you live to sit around the fire outside, then consider an indoor fireplace as another option. You could also encourage your party guests to take their pinecones home with them as a reminder of their goals.

Small holidays like winter solstice are some of my family's favorites. There are zero expectations for these obscure holidays, so you are free to set your own traditions. Are there any holidays outside the norm that you celebrate?

THE CHICKEN LOQUAT RECIPE

Every family has a collection of the recipes. The dishes that have stood the test of time and have been handed down for generations. The comfort foods they have grown up eating. The tastes and smells that take them back to memories of holidays, gatherings, and spending time with the people who matter most. The recipe pages that stick together and are covered in drips. The meals that take them back home even when they are far away.

I wanted to start sharing some of my family's recipes that have made it into the classification we like to call the recipes. First up, chicken loquat. This dish savory chicken meatballs covered with sweet loquats and tangy sauce, all on top of Calrose rice.

This recipe has been in my family ever since my great-grandparents were in Okinawa, Japan, after WWII. It's has been one of our favorites for generations, so I hope you like it as much as we do.

Do you have any classic family recipes? Make sure to share them with me in the comments. Also, if you make chicken loquat send me a pic!

Print the Chicken Loquat Recipe.

MAKE DIY CIRCUS TENT PARTY FAVORS

Circus themed parties are the perfect theme for spring and summer parties. They are entertaining for all ages, and you already have an entire list of fun games to play. Also, the decorations are majorly cute. Bonus points if you have goldfish prizes.

Circus themed DIYs have been a favorite of mine ever since 2016 when I made these Circus Tent Invitations. You guys seem to like circus DIYs too, since that post has been my most popular post ever since it was published. I've been wanting to create a new tutorial for my favorite party theme, so I created these circus tent favor boxes.

Favor boxes add an extra special touch to any party and give the guests a part of the festivities that they can take home with them. I would fill these boxes with salt water taffy and animal cookies for the perfect themed treats to snack on after the party is over. These boxes are also the perfect size to hold a single cupcake.

Watch my video tutorial to see the see the steps below.

To get started, print off the Turquoise Circus Tent Party Favor Template or the Red Circus Tent Party Favor Template and cut it out. For a high quality box, print it onto thick paper like cardstock. Normal printer paper will work, your box will just be less sturdy.

Swipe a glue stick on the tab, then wrap the paper around to form a cylinder and press the tab on the inside of the cylinder to secure.

Fold the roof down where the walls meet the roof, then fold the sections of the roof. Swipe a glue stick or use tape on the roof tab and attach it to the opposite side of the roof to form a cone. Then fold up the edges of the other shape and secure the tabs. Fold them into the walls of the circus and secure with the glue or tape.

Fold the flag in half and secure it with glue around a toothpick. Then push the toothpick through the hole in the top of the roof.

Fill your favor box with treats and place glue or tape on the remaining tab to secure the roof.

Give your guests something that will leave a lasting impression. Make sure to share all your circus themed DIYs with me by using #diyintheforest.

AMSTERDAM GINGERBREAD HOUSES

Making gingerbread houses has been a holiday tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, with my family living in San Diego, normal gingerbread houses collapse due to humidity. Lucky for me, the dancing canal houses in Amsterdam are one of my favorite holiday scenes, and can their 2D design can be built from gingerbread even in the moist California climate. The simplicity also makes this a great project for beginner gingerbread architects. Keep reading for tips on making your own Amsterdam Gingerbread Houses!

Step 1. Print off the Amsterdam Gingerbread Templates and cut out the houses.

Step 2. Make your dough. I used three different types of gingerbread to get varied colors and flavors. The darkest houses are made with chocolate, and the middle tone is a standard gingerbread recipe. The light houses were made using a normal gingerbread recipe with honey substituted for the molasses.

Step 3. Roll and cut out the dough. Place a layer of parchment paper under the dough and a layer of plastic wrap over to roll. Then use a small kitchen knife to cut around the house templates. You'll need to cut out two gingerbread triangles for each house to prop them upright.

Step 4. Bake the gingerbread according to the recipes instructions. If the dough spreads, you may need to cut the houses again while the gingerbread is still warm. Crush up butterscotch candies and spoon the pieces into the windows. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 minutes until the candy has melted. While the houses are cooling make some royal icing.

Step 5. Decorate your houses with the royal icing and allow them to harden. Then attach the triangles to the backs of the houses, allowing them to stand upright.

As always, remember to share your creations on social media by tagging @diyintheforest and sharing with #diyintheforest. Also check out my other Dancing Canal House inspired projects like Amsterdam Invitations, and Christmas Countdown.

ROSEMARY WREATH PLACE CARD

I could scroll through pictures of place settings and tablescapes for hours online, so I decided to create my own holiday place setting with the help of a rosemary wreath place card. The foliage transforms a simple place setting into something that stands out by adding interesting color and natural elements.

To make your own rosemary wreath place cards, form a small circle (about 4in diameter) from floral wire, twisting together the ends. Then take a sprig of rosemary and wind the greenery around the wire. Continue doing this until the wire is completely covered, then trim any ends that are poking out.

To include a name tag, cut some heavy white paper into strips about 1in thick and 5in long. Cut a triangle out of each end to create pointed banner ends, and write the name of your guest in the center.

Even if you're mixing up your holiday color palette, the rosemary wreath place card still looks great! Also, I'm kinda obsessed with sage green plates at the moment. Remember to share you're own rosemary wreaths on social media with #diyintheforest or send me a message with your creation!