NATCHEZ &8212; A benefit tea on Saturday is a good way to kick off the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, said Regina Charboneau, who will host the tea at her home, Twin Oaks on Homochitto Street, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Raising awareness of the annual ballet performance of &8220;The Nutcracker,&8221; the tea also will raise funds to assist the dance troupe in its activities, Charboneau said.

&8220;The ballet is a good cause,&8221; she said. &8220;Plus I get the pleasure of having all the little girls around.&8221;

Jenna Aldridge is chairman of the tea and has helped Charboneau to prepare food and to prepare the house for the event.

&8220;We sat down together and tried to figure out a menu that would appeal to children as well as to adults,&8221; Charboneau said.

The tea will feature a hot chocolate table with whipped cream, sprinkles, cinnamon sugar and cocoa powder and also almond iced tea to drink.

A strawberry tree comes complete with white chocolate dipping sauce, Charboneau said.

Aldridge said the tea is important and was missed when it did not take place in 2005. &8220;I asked Regina about helping, and she said, &8216;let&8217;s go for it.&8217;&8221;

Other items on the menu are tomato-bacon canap/s, cucumber shrimp canap/s, smoked salmon, ribbon sandwiches, a lollipop tree with light-up Santas and foil-wrapped chocolate toy soldiers.

Other foods are chocolate-cherry mice, almond-raspberry petits fours and blackberry-cr?me brule triffle.

Tickets will be available at the door. The minimum donation is $5 per person, with larger donations invited and encouraged.