It’ll be an afternoon of tea, treats and witchy magic at the Thyme Travelers Conservatory in Mount Laurel for their first annual Halloween Tea Party at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Guests will be surrounded by a beautiful backdrop of candlelight, flowers and herbs for a special experience as music, beauty and tea await them in a nature-inspired environment. Growing up, founder Allison Coulter would attend high tea parties with her family, so this was something that she wanted to bring to the community for the holiday.
“People can get dressed up in their Halloween costumes or a witchy outfit or a high tea outfit, and it can just be a playful and fun day,” Coulter said.
Guests can expect a tea service with their choice of a selection of teas; yummy treats like finger sandwiches, scones and desserts; mocktail options; a special witchy herbal craft and a witchy gift to take home. According to The Spruce Eats, an online food and drink publication, the addition of “high” in “high tea” differentiates it from afternoon tea, which is traditionally served in low, comfortable parlor chairs or while relaxing in the garden. High tea is served at a table with high-back dining chairs. Today, the evening meal in many working-class households is still called “tea,” but as work patterns have evolved, many now refer to this meal as “supper.” Coulter considers herself a tea lover, but the Halloween Tea Party is also about having the time to have an opportunity to connect with your loved ones.
“That’s what I associate tea parties in life with is (being) with people that I really care about and getting together with them and doing something fun,” Coulter said. “I can’t wait to fix the decor, have spooky vibes and lots of LED candles around, and herbs and flowers, and create a beautiful stunning backdrop for everyone to enjoy with their tea and their desserts and their sandwiches.”
Later this month, the conservatory will host a Samhain Dance event to celebrate their one-year anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “sow-win”) is a pagan festival rooted in ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. It’s typically celebrated from Saturday, Oct. 31, to Sunday, Nov. 1, to mark the harvest and welcome “the dark half of the year.” Celebrants believe that during Samhain, the barrier between the physical and spirit worlds breaks down, allowing greater interaction between humans and the denizens of the Otherworld. That event will feature a Halloween funky yoga dance; a craft station; tarot readings; massages; food and beverages; and a closing sound healing. There will also be an ancestor altar for guests to place a photo, memento or offering to honor their beloved dead.
Growing up in the Rancocas Woods, it was an idyllic part of Coulter’s childhood to have the opportunity to walk down to the shops with her friends on the hunt for treats and knick-knacks. After many years of traveling around the country, living in tents, a van, and a Honda CRV, she found herself once again right in the backyard where she grew up. All the herbal products in Thyme Travelers are handmade by Coulter, and many ingredients are foraged or grown right at the shop’s garden. The conservatory is about bringing people together through ritual and rest, art and practical skills, and collaboration through creating meaningful experiences for the community. For those who walk through the conservatory’s doors, Coulter wants them to take a nervous system reset.
“Reset yourself, take a breath and exhale and be transported into a nature-inspired environment that brings peace,” she said.
For more information on the Halloween Tea Party or the Samhain Dance event, visit https://events.humanitix.com/halloween-tea-party or https://events.humanitix.com/samhain-dance-2.
