Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-10
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.
From the Cottage Hearth.l

IFrOm tne cottage deartn.l
In every household we would strongly
urge the use of Christmas decorations
All, from the oldest to the youngest, should
unite in the work of gathering and prepar-
ing the decorations. There is much pleas
ure in united home work; and great good
I. will surely come from a general cheerful
obseryance Of anniversaries in the home.
And we should enlarge our sympathies,
embracing some in our kindly remem-
brance outside our immediate family.
] Christmas decorations make the ro ms
seem CHEEKY aud homelike, and in the work
itself of preparing them there is positive
pleasure Any such work Of home interest
strengthens t;.e home loye. 1t makes hap
pier and better children, as well as truer,
more devoted parents.
1t is a pity that we have not. except in
occasional sections of the Southern States,
| the mistletoe, with its curiously forked
branches, and their terminal pairs of pale
green leaves and their crystalline berries
In old England, no house would be thought
complete in it's Christmas decora ions
without it. Thanks, however, for the
holly, the laurel, the hemlock, and other
fine native evergrecrrs in tree, shrub and
vine, with which America is favored. For
some things the double ir is lovely Cedar
and the trailing evergreen are pretty when
| they are first arranged, but soon look dry.
and faded; while the he.Llock will remain
! bright and glossy us long as we care for it,
giving US 10 trouble about shedding its
leaves.
Holly, where it can he had, is of course
the special tree of the season. Its leaves
bent into various curves, its thorny points,
and its bundles OF coral-red berries, make
it tie prime of eyergreeps for decorative
purposes. 1t is a good plan to strip off the
| berries, and use IL EN- strung i'll bunches.
as the. berries get hidden when the sprigs
are worked into wreatts and devices, and
the berries bent into little punches, dotted
about the festoons here and there, look
very effective.
Laurel is a very useful green in sprays,
and the leaves may be applied with excel
! lent effect in wreaths, or overlapping one
another in borders:
Myrtle and box also are pretty in narrow
! borderings, into which colored everlasting
flowers may be introduced. Of course, If
chrysanthe NUNS, roses, carnations, &c,
can be obtained, the general effect is height
ened, and the decoration becomes more
elaborate and more elegant.
The best wreaths for Christmas decora-
tons are those made in rope of ever
green sprigs There are several ways IN
which such wreatllS are made. One way is
as follows: Get a rope or strong cord of
proper length and a quantity Of Irvine and
a handful Of evergreen twigs. Begin at
one end of the rope, which should be at
tached firmly to something. Arrange
bunch of twigs around the rope, and tie
them on with Irvine; then arrange another
bunch SO that the leaves may CONCEAL the
stocks of those already on, and give the
tWgs turn around them, fastening it
with a running knot, and so on until the
rope is finished. This must be done at the
fastening of each bunch Of twigs. Another
way very frequently adopted is in place of
a rope to use only a piece of strong Irvine
to run through the wreath so as to prevent
its falling to pieces. and instead of Irvine
to tie the twigs on, to use fine wire, which
must be firmly twisted around the tWigs.
In ali kinds Of wreaths, the thickness of
the wreath must be carefully regulated at
the outset, and evenly maintained through
out, and care should be taken that all the
foliage be turned in one direction. The
wreaths may be made OF one kind of ever
green only, or of any number OF kinds
mixed; the latter has the best effect There
should be an equal mixture of the fine
KINDS to keep the wreath light and sprayey.
The holly and bltter-sweet berries should
be SD fastened as best to initiate their nat
ural effect In fastening the wreath to IL
pillar or wall, take care not to put it on
upside down, as foliage mast not be placed
iii direc ion contrary to that of its
growth. When the wreaths are finished,
before hanging them up they should be
Kept i'll some cool place, or else they shrive
up; If necessary, little water may be sprin
killed. over them. If holly and bitter-sweet
berries are scarce, a good substitute may
be found in rose-hips, which may have
small piece of wire passed through them as
stalk, and several twisted together. Split
peas may be made to resemble holly-bef-
ries by pouring over them red sealing wax
melted in spirits of wine.
Where definite shapes are required, there
are several ways of securing the desired
effect. Some use a groundwork of tin or
perforated zinc.
Holly strung has very good effect. 1t
is very quickly done, and looks like rich
cord when finished. 1t is made by thread
ing packing-needle with the required
length of Irvine, and stringing upon it the
largest and most curly looking holly leaves,
taking care to pass the needle through the
exact centre of each leaf. Flat border
ings, to lie along PANELS of cabinets,
doors, or mirrors, &c, should be made of
leaves sewn in strips on strong paper or
yards of buckram cut in strips, and sewn
together to the required lengths. Garlands
or half-wreaths are best made on barrel
hoops for their foundation. For making
letters, there is nothing that bends to the
shape of the l.tters so we'll as crinoline
wires. Single letters are best cut out i'll
strong paper, and the leaves sewn on with
needle and thread. Borders Of ever
green's may be placed arouud the room,
and used to form attractive frames for pic
lures and mirrors. Scrolls, with notices
bidding people to be welcome and happy,
either laid on bright-colored calicoes with
holly bordering, OF else merely the word
"Christmas" done IN laurel leaves, and va