The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-12-20
Decorating for the Holidays.

The good old custom of decorating our
houses at Christmas dates back to re-
mote ages, originating, it is said in the
Roman commemoratlOn of the feast of
Saturn. 1t is a symbol of our faith in
the renewing power of the sun, that as
the seasons return, the earth will once
more be clothed with green, the trees
laden with fruit. According to an old
and poetical belief, the sylvan spirits
flock to the evergreens in our houses,
and remain unnipped by frost In dec
Grating, one great object to be attained
is uniformity. Each room should have
its special feature, the heavier and more
severe style being reserved for the hall
and dining-room.
If the walls of the hall are bare,
lattice-work of laurel-leaves has WON
derful effect. Exact measurements
should first be taken, and the founda-
ton made OF tape or strips of calico,
about half an inch wide, the diamonds
forming such lattice-work being all of
one size. They must then be covered
with laurel-leaves, each sown on sepa-
rately--a task which will furnish a few
pleasant evenings work to the younger
members of the family. Should the
walls be too large to cover entirely, a
band of the same lattice-work Just below
the ceiling, and above the wainscoting,
will be found very ornamental.
Facing the doorway, or in as conspicu-
Gus place as possible, there should be a
motto either of welcome or one appro-
pirate to the season, such as "a Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year
A Happy Christmas" Christmas
Greetings" These and other notices
can be carried out in various ways. We
will enumerate few. A slight wooden
framework covered with turkey red,
either paper or calico; a bordering of
holly or laurel leaves round; the letter
ing laid on in green leaves or white
paper, or imitation ivory, produced by
cutting the letters in cardboard, which
cover with gum tragacanth, and then
sprinkle with either raw rice or tapioca
The grains must lie quite close together,
placed in successive layers, allowing
each to dry before another is added, half
an inch being about the necessary depth.
If vanished over with red sealing wax
dissolved in spirits of wine, this has the
effect of coral, and should be put on a
white ground.
Letters in white cottonwood have a
very snow-like effect, which is enhanced
if they are slightly damped with starch
water, and then sprinkled with frosting
powder. Be careful in cutting the wood
to have the smooth side uppermost, using
it the reverse way. Instead of border
ing of leaves around the frame work,
,nin1a- no bC+ ,,,olo g
tonwood pulled into form and sprinkled
in the same manner; a blue background
being substituted for red, if preferred.
Letters in berries on white ground
are Christmas-like, and peas dipped in a
solution of red sealing-wax are admirable
substitutes for berries where they run
short. Letters made of brown paper,
rolled and fattened into the form re-
quired, then gummed and covered with
tin foil, are a novelty; if this is well
crumpled first, it resembles frosted silver.
Cardboard, straw, or zinc letters, some of
the latter perforated, so that anything
can be sewn on them, may be purchased
ready for use, and considerably tighten
the labor of decorating.
/ Garlands round pillars up staircases,
and suspended from each corner of a
room or hall to the center, will repay the
trouble of making. For entwining,
/ fat wreathes are best, and these should
be made by sewing the leaves in pairs OF
trios on strip of green calico, with
holly berries down the centre if pre-
( ferred.
+ Feather notices have good effect in
boudoirs and drawing rooms-none more
beautiful than the soft marabout feathers
found beneath the wing of the white
turkey. These on blue ground form
an exlisite symbol of snow, conveying
Christmas greetings. Industrious fingers
have wild field of usefulness, and
letters worked in point-lace united by
twisted threads, crocheted in white wool