Holiday Festival 2012 Preview—

Victorian Tea A Welcome Tradition For Organizers

By Nancy K. Crevier

For at least the past 15 years, Newtown Savings Bank (NSB) vice president of Mortgage Banking Maureen Birden and Carol Mahoney, Newtown Tax Collector and an NSB board of directors member, have collaborated to present one of the Annual Holiday Festival’s most popular events: The Victorian Tea. When they took over from the previous organizers of the popular event, Ms Birden and Ms Mahoney (the latter a former NSB employee) found a wealth of enthusiastic volunteers right within the Newtown Savings Bank family.

“It really has become an NSB event,” Ms Birden said of the event, which will return to The Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall for the 26th Annual Newtown Holiday Festival on Sunday, December 2. “All of our volunteers are from the bank. They bake at least half of the tea breads we serve that day,” she said. Current and even former NSB staff members from all branches join forces to set up for the Tea, cut up the more than 40 tea breads donated, whip cream, cut lemons, and brew the tea and mulled cider, Ms Birden said.

“Doing the Victorian Tea is a tradition for anyone who has ever been a part of the NSB family,” she added. “Many times, it includes our staff members’ families, too. Our bank family pitches in to do whatever we need to help.”

Masonicare at Newtown donates 30 dozen fresh baked scones every year, added Ms Mahoney, Bethel’s Blue Jay Orchards has provided the tea with cider in past years, and thanks to generous gift certificates provided by Big Y, Caraluzzis, Stop & Shop and Stew Leonard’s to Newtown Youth & Family Services, the bank is able to purchase any other goods needed for the elegant tea time.

“We’re very appreciative of all the support we receive,” said Ms Mahoney.

Newtown Savings Bank, as it has for the past several years, is the 2012 Annual Holiday Festival title sponsor, supporting the event that benefits NYFS. Tanya Truax, vice president of marketing and public relations at NSB, added that the Holiday Festival is another opportunity for NSB staff members to reach out to the community.

“The volunteering is part of our ‘NSB Care Program,’ a community service program,” said Ms Truax.

Tours of Newtown’s historic homes within the Borough; a craft fair in Edmond Town Hall (ETH) gymnasium, 11 am until 4 pm; Nutcracker performances in the ETH theater, at noon and 2 pm; the Festival of the Trees and The Gingerbread House Contest at C.H. Booth Library, 11 am to 4 pm; and the new Amazing Scavenger Hunt that starts at the NYFS building at 15 Berkshire at 11 am, all on Sunday, draw hundreds of people to the center of town. But people seem to anticipate the break for tea in the Alexandria Room, Ms Birden said.

“I think people look forward to the mulled cider and delicious scones and tea breads, and The Alexandria Room is beautifully and festively decorated for us by The Town & Country Garden Club of Newtown. Each table has a different teapot filled with a seasonal arrangement, set in the center,” she said, all of which are available for purchase.

Every year, local talent supplies music for the Victorian Tea, Ms Mahoney said. This year, visitors will enjoy the musical talents of local students and organizations, performing at various times during the Tea.

The many familiar faces that Ms Birden and Ms Mahoney see as they oversee the Victorian Tea each year are not just those of NSB employees.

“We have seen a lot of the same families each year, and even our hostesses come back. High school students Emma and Cailee Tallon are among those who have served as hostesses for us since they were little girls,” Ms Birden said. The volunteer see a lot of new faces, too, among the 400 to 800 guests that pass through the Victorian Tea the first Sunday of each December.

“[The Victorian Tea] is one of the ‘must go-to’ places for the day. I think it begins the holiday season for many people,” said Ms Birden.

 “The great thing about it is the community spirit you feel. It truly fills you with a sense of gratitude for the season, and for all of the people who work together to present the Holiday Festival each year,” Ms Mahoney said. “I know it starts our holiday season, too,” she added.

Presenting the Victorian Tea is a big job, but an enjoyable one, said Ms Birden. “It’s our gift to the community.”

Entry to the Victorian Tea is included in the price of the Annual Holiday Festival ticket. Festival tickets can be purchased at Everything Newtown, 61 Church Hill Road; C.H. Booth Library at 25 Main Street, The Country Mill at 5 Glen Road, and at the following Newtown Savings Bank locations: Main Street and Sand Hill Plaza, Newtown; Stony Hill Road and Greenwood Avenue, Bethel; Federal Road in Brookfield; Main Street, Monroe; and Main Street, Southbury.

Cost is $12 for individuals and $25 for families consisting of two adults and two children. Each additional child is $5.

Tickets cover entry to the Nutcracker ballet ($7 per person without the ticket), the Holiday Craft Boutique, the house tours, and the Festival of Trees, in addition to the Tea. Tickets for just the Victorian Tea can also be purchased at the door, for $5 per person. A charitable donation is requested for entry to just the Craft Boutique.  

Family teams of at least two members can register for The Amazing Scavenger Hunt for $25; contact NYFS at 203-426-4335 for additional information.