How to Decorate for a Kenya Tea Party

Take your friends on an afternoon safari with a Kenya tea party that includes leopard and zebra print decor, spicy dips and curry from Kenya, traditional British scones with jam, German chocolate cake as well as playing croquet for a good cause.

Kenya culture has a bit of an unusual history. To throw an authentic Kenya Tea Party you will find yourself incorporating three different important culinary influences: spicy Kenyan dips and curries, German desserts and traditional British tea bites. This is because Germany was the first country to colonize Kenya in 1885 followed by England about 30 years later.

The theme of this party is Safari in Africa. This is your time to get out your best safari themed accessories and linens such as Zebra print, leopard print and bamboo print tablecloths and linen. Rattan and woven furniture also evokes the culture Kenya. The china can be a traditional British white or you can go for a brown earthenware look that is more German in flair.

A Kenyan tea party is perfect to throw for ten to twelve friends who just need an excuse to get together and perhaps indulge in a bit of croquet. To enhance the colonial feel you could ask your guests to dress in all in white. However much more fun would be to ask them to dress in leopard or zebra prints. Make sure the paper you send out the invitation on is also in a leopard or zebra print.

Another way to evoke the atmosphere of Kenya would be to play some indigenous African music, or at least music with a bit of a tribal sound. Many of the electronic dance bands from Germany incorporate tribal rhythms in their contemporary mixes.

As a party favor each guest could receive a little gift bag of Kenyan coffee or tea or a small donation to an African charity in their name. You could also encourage individuals to donate to an African charity by setting up a decorative donation box at the door. You could also set up bets as to who will win a croquet tournament and use the proceedings to help the Red Cross or another good cause.

Remember that the key to throwing a fantastic Kenya party is to make it a mix of German, English and Kenya culture.