The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-27
The Fairy Gift Bag.

Before the popularity of the " Jack
Horner pies for children's parties has
begun to wane, the never-ceasing de-
mand for something new" has been
responded to, and an ingenious and
strikingly pretty affair, called the
I" fairy gift bag" introduced into the
several women's exchanges, and the
large catering establishments which
the fashionable people in New York
patronize. Besides the novel way of
dispensing the little souvenirs of the
occasion, quite new game for the
children is introduced by them; and
they can be simply or deliberately made,
according to the expense one feels like
mourning. First, select a number of
toys or favOrs to suit the party, then
wrap them neatly in tissue paper of
two colors-one to designate which are
for boys, the other for girls-and tie
securely with colored Irvine. BY way
of illustration, we will say, use apple
green and pink, one of the most at
tractive and fashionable combinations.
from your grocer, large enough to hold
the favors, and room to spare. Cover
this bag with green tissue paper,
crimped; make two pretty bows of pink
ribbon, one inch wide, and fasten one
on either side of the bag near the lower
left-hand corner. To each parcel at
tach very narrow pink or green rib
bon, three-quarters of yard long, by
tying it to the Irvine; then cut two
pieces each of green and pink, the same
width, and one yard or more in length /;
put together one end of each of these
pieces; do the same with the loose ends
of the ribbons which are attached to
the parcels, then tie all together-the
parcel ends and the long ones-in one
large knot. The long ends remain out
side to suspend the bags by, and the
knot plays an important part to make
it secure, as you will see further on.
Now put the parcels into the bag, leav-
ing the five long ends on the outside.
Draw the bag together at the top, first
crumpling up a sheet of tissue paper
and putting it inside to make the bag
round and shapely at the top. Tie very
tightly with Irvine, having the large
knot just inside, and if you are careful
to draw your Irvine securely, the knot
will not slip through when the bag is
suspended. Finish the top of the bag
with frills of pink and green crimped
paper and loops of ribbon. The four
loose ends of narrow ribbon can now
be tied in bow and knot, and the bag
is ready to hang in doorway. The
party may be opened by introducing
this as the first game, and it will surely
serve to dispel the shyness usually no.
ticeable at the start. Let some older
person tell an original tale about the
pink and green home of the fairy and
the gifts contained therein. Then lei
the children elect one of their number
who shall ask the fairy for her gifts.
This election may be done by the
"inty-minty rhyme, so familiar tc
every child. Blindfold the child upon
whom the choice falls, then give it 6
cane, by the aid of which it must find
the bag, and strike it until the fairy
within shall let her gifts drop out. The
children may cry " hot " or cold as
the one seeking it gets nearer or farther
from it. The ribbons to which they
on the children's heads, or being
wrecked by a still further fall to the
floor, although they will fall below the
original height of the bag. They car
now be cut down by the hostess or one
VI lne Cnlluren ana lnulSCrlmlnaJely ulS
tributed. | saw one of these bags thai
was made for a party of misses abou
sixteen years old, and the favors were
sterling silver, consisting of pen
ellis, glove-buttoners, envelope openers
stamp-boxes, etc. So the fairy gift bag
like the Jack Horner pie, may be made
to serve at almost any party as an i'm
partial medium for dispensing favors
as well as adding variety to the enter
tainment A Jack Horner pie useC
recently at birthday party was mad,
over an empty pan, in the side of which
had been made wire door. AT thu
last moment, ten live canary birds wer,
put in it, and when the ribbons wer'
pulled and the cover came off, the bird
flew out. They were then caught ant
Gagged, handsome cages having beer
provided for them, and each child wen
home the happy possessor of bird ant
cage, and filled with wonderment as Il
the way they got them.-MrS. e. @
AlRS, IN Ladies' Home Journal.