Library honors dolls with tea party

There is a little girl I know, who, like little girls everywhere, enjoys a tea party above everything else. She pours water into her teacups that she has neatly set up around a tiny quilt.

Her stuffed animals sit at their place settings and the family dog is cast out of the room and forbidden to return. He drinks the water.

While she sips daintily from her tiny cup with her pinky finger extended, at least one family member is expected to do the same.

She is quite the proper hostess.

The East Bonner County Library, 1407 Cedar St., Sandpoint, is celebrating this time-honored tradition with “Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! Tea Party and Awards,” Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m.

The event will include a display of dolls on loan to the library from Marjorie Gerth. The dolls will remain in the library foyer until Jan. 17.

The party is open to everyone, and guests are asked to bring a doll and a favorite teacup, plus a grandmother or aunt. If they are not available, I’m sure Mom will do just fine.

Guests are also invited to wear their best dress-up clothes to enjoy tea, sandwiches, cookies and other treats.

Everyone around the world also is invited to enter the library’s essay contest.

This year’s theme is “Me and My Doll,” and essays or poems of 150 words or fewer are eligible. The deadline to enter is noon Thursday.

For more information about the tea party and entry forms for the contest, call the library at (208) 263-6930.

Winter sports

Beginning Saturday, Riverfront Park’s Ice Palace is offering its Learn to Skate program for ages 4 and up from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. and its Learn to Play Hockey instructions for ages 4 to 7 from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Each program runs weekly for six sessions and costs $55, which includes skate rental and five free admissions to the Ice Palace after the lessons.

The five-week Parent and Tot Lessons begin Jan. 17, from 10 to 11 a.m., and is geared toward kids ages 3 to 6 and their parents. The program costs $36 and includes skate rentals and five free admissions to the Ice Palace.

For more information about these programs or to register, call 625-6601.