The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-28
The Christmas Trees.

All over this extensive country these
trees are planted-not only in private
homes, but also in Sunday-schoo!s 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 al
ready planted in a bit of plank, and
partly decorated or entirely filled with
toys, and ready to be brilliantly lighted
at any moment. Yet in the country,
where one must contrive 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
sree. and cut it down and bring it
home, there is quite as much fun in the
preparation, and quite as much real sat
isfactiOn, as in the city. Several days
before Christmas it is well to bring home
the tree, lest deep snow should fall,
and it might not be easily obtained, and
all the children must help carry it home.
Select one that has regular cone from
base to summit, and is of the proper
height for your parlor, and lop off any
branches that may interfere with its
beauty; and while selecting the tree
you can also gather quantities of run
ming pine, coral pine, and Prince pine
wherewith TO make garlands and
crowns, and wreaths for adjoining the
halls. parlors and dining-room. Also
bring home large branches of laurels
and clusters of swamp elderberries and
boughs of bitter-sweet berries. Plant
your tree in q small wash-tub. filled in
with brick-bats or a 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
a fur robe, or flag, and upon this base
many of the larger articles, such as
books, desks, etc, can be arranged.
Those of our readers who are the for
tunate posessors of a long purse can
purchase at the fancy stores every i'm
aginable device for decorating most
artisticallF and beautifully-such as
silver doves or stuffed doves, colored
glass balls. flags of every kind. gilded
stars, tiny looking glasses that, If sus-
pended behind the candles, win reflect
their light and make it twice as bright,
bells, wOolly lambs, and bonbons of
every description; while in the toy
shops are whole regiments OF dolls,
from the most elegant Partisan bel3es to
the knitted sailor boy for the little baby.
and vast caravans of animals, and
Noah's arks. and toys that surpass de-
scription. But in thousands of village
homes these articles are not obtainabfe.
yet the children can manufacture many
beautiful decorations for the Christmas
tree. in which they will take quite as
much pleasure as if they were from the
fancy shops of the city. With few
sheets. OF gilt blue. scarlet, and silver
paper cut into 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 q
bottle 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 inO long garlands. Suspend
around the outer branches of the tree
from ton to bottom, Twenty yards will
be needed to trim large tree, twelve
for small Sne. These paper chains
when once made can be Kept for years
if carefully handled. Parch large pan
OF popcorn, and string them into chains