The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-23
Christmas Trees.

All over this extensive country these trees
are planted, not only in private homes, but also
in Sunday schools and day schools; and it
would seem as If hardly any child could live so
poorly that would not be the recipient Of some
longed-for toy or sweetmeat. In the cities one
can purchase these trees already planted In
bitof plank, and partly decorated or entirely
filed with toys, and ready TO be brilliantly
lighted at any moment Yet in the country,
where one must contriye and save, and make
many of the gifts of the tree, and bake many
cakes which are covered with frosting and sugar
plums, and drive out into the woods and select
a tree, and cut it down and bring it home, there
is quite as much fun in the preparation, and
quite as much real satisfaction as in the city.
Several days before Christmas it is well to
briac home the tree, lost deep snow should
fall and it might not be easily obtained, and al
tho children must help carry it home. Select
one that has regular cone from base to sum-
NIT, and is of the proper height for your psrlor,
and lop off any branches that may interfere
with its beauty; and while selecting the tree
you can also gather quantities Of running pine.
coral pine, and princes pine wherewith to
make garlands and crowns, and wreaths for
adorning the halls, parlors, and dining room.
Also bring home largo branches Of laurels and
clusters of swamp elderberries and boughs Of
bitter sweet berries Plant your tree in a small
washtub, filled in with brick-bats or hodful
of hard coal, or anything that is heavy and will
keep it in place-fatirons will do if there is
nothing else at hand-and cover over the tub
with gayly striped afghan, or fur robe, or
flag, and upon this base many of the larger
articles. such as books, desks, ETC., can be ar
ranged.
Those OF our readers who are the fortunate
possessors of a long purse can purchase at the
fancy stores every imaginable device for decor
ating most artistically and beautifully-such as
silver doves or stuffed doves, colored glass balls,
flags Of every kind, gided stars, tiny looking
glasses that if suspended behind the candles
will reflect their light and make it bright,
bells, woolly lambs, and bonbons of every des-
cription; while in the toy shops are whole regi-
ments of dolls, from the most elegant Partisan
bellies to the knitted sailor boy for the little
baby, and vast caravans OF animals and Noa'h's
arl1s, and toys that Surp3s5 description. Butin
thousands of village homes these articles are
not obtainable, yet the children can manufac-
ture many beautiful decorations for the Christ
mas tree, in which they will take quite as
much pleasure as il they we're from the fancy
shops Of the CITY With few sheets Of gilt,
blue, scarlet, and silver paper cut iato tiny
strips four inches in length and half an inch in
width, you can make long chains to entwine
from bough to bough of the tree. With bot
tie of mucilage paste the two ends OF the strips
together until half of them are made into rings;
then make up some more by slipping one end
through two rings and joining them together.
Let the three rings become dry. and join them
into long garands. Suspend around the outer
branches OF the tree from topic bottom. Twen-
ty yards will be needed to trim large tree,
twelve for small one. These paper chains,
when once made, can be kept for years IL care
fully handled. Parch large pan OF popcorn,
and string them into chains with needle and
coarse thread. Entwine them also about the
branches, and after the presents are distributed
break up the chains into necklaces and throw
around the neoks of all the guests. II you pos
sess broken looking glass, carry it TO glazier
and have it cut into bits three inches by two.
Paste bit Of brown paper over the back Of the
glass, and bind the edges with strips of gilt or
scarlet and blue papers, and paste a bit Of rib
bon or paper at the top to suspend them from
the boughs You can not have too many tiny
mirrors. Purchase pound or two OF English
walnuts and cut them into halves and take out
the meats. Save them to put into the middle
of each small frosted cake. Purchase also
pound of sugared caraways, and fill half OF one
Of the shells with them, and paste on the other
half. Use common glue or gum tragacanth for
paste. Iusert bit of narrow ribbon in any
color at the top of the nut. Cut small round
of gilt paper and cover it with paste, and wrap
it carefully about the nut letting the folds OF
it lie evenly about the bit of ribbon. Make as
many as you can OF tnese, Ior lney are Lne pret-
test of rattle boxes and everybody likes to pos
sess such trophy. Little lace bags made Of
bobbinet lace or wash illusion, by running them
together with scarlet, blue, and gold colored
worsteds, and using bit OF it for string to
draw them together, are also very pretty and
desirable when filed with nuts, raisins, and
sugar plums for the children. Small apples
closely stuck with cloves are also nice to per-
fume bureau drawers, aud dozen or more will
not come amIss upon this most wonderful tree
A Christ child or angel, made by dressing doll
in lace and silvered wings, is very decorative
when fastened to the topmost bough of the tree.
Small candles can have bit of wire thrust
through the lower end by heating it, and then
fasten it securely to the boughs Of the tree.
Apples and oranges can also be suspended with
thread wire. Cut rings of cardboard and slip
over the candles, and they will catch their
driy,r;noc