What’s On ·Empress Theatre ·Saturday, December 20
Escape the hustle of the holiday season and step into a timeless winter wonderland.
Join us for an enchanting afternoon that blends the elegance of high tea with the warmth,
music, and magic of Christmas.
Enjoy premium tea service, a decadent tiered presentation of savory and sweet treats,
a special visit with Santa, and a beautiful live holiday piano performance.
Enjoy the elegant jazz stylings of Ben Flint, pianist and music educator at
Diablo Valley College and longtime director of the Oakland Jazz Choir.
For this special Christmas Tea, Ben performs intimate solo-piano interpretations of holiday favorites —
from soulful, blues-tinged carols to warm, candle-lit ballads — creating the perfect festive atmosphere:
graceful, joyful, and full of seasonal charm.
- Pimento cheese
- Classic chicken salad
- Egg salad
- Cucumber & cream cheese
- Cranberry–orange scones
- Strawberry jam & clotted cream
- Chocolate truffles
- Raspberry puffs
- Gingerbread cookies
- Russian tea cakes
- Lemon butter shortbread
- Chef’s surprise cookie of the day
- Premium tea service (black, green & herbal holiday blends)
- Gourmet hot chocolate
- Hot apple cider
- Apple juice
- Open bar available for wine, beer & holiday cocktails
- Elegant seated tea service with tiered savory & sweet presentation
- Live holiday piano performance by Ben Flint
- A private visit with Santa Claus
- One professional high-resolution digital photo per child
- Live reading of “The Night Before Christmas”
No rushed mall lines or crowded photo stations — Santa takes time with each child in a warm,
comfortable setting, listening to Christmas wishes and sharing the joy of the season.
Between the music, twinkling lights, beautiful tea service, and a special reading of
“The Night Before Christmas,” every child leaves with a memory — and a photo — to treasure forever.
Make a night of it: dinner first in the Marquee Club, then the show next door, straight through the connecting doors and never outside. Reserve a table