The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-21
Some Suggestions as to Its Decora-
tions.


tions.
From Horper's Bdxdr
In ones choice of decorations for the
Christmas tree one Is, Of course, limited by
the amount Of money that can be expended
for the purpose. However, by constantly
bearing in mind the fact that brilliance of
| color rather than intrinsic value is the de-
| sired end, comparatively small sum can
be made to provide rich crop Of fruit for
the wonderful tree
The tree itself must be chosen with care,
the branches symmetrioally balanced, the
apex forming q crown, the gresnery of the
bougbs rich and dark, and strongly redolert
with the perfume Of its native woods.
Many snowy and beautiful decorations
can be entirely Of home construction, COM
mon pasteboard serving as the foundation
for the pendant hearts, anchors, crosses
crescents, stars, etc. These forms, and as
many more as the ingenious fingers can de-
wise. are first brushed upon both sides with
liquid glue or with muoilage, aud then i'm
mersed in bowl filed with either or all of
| the following Ingredients: sand, sawdust,
| mustard seed and pounded rice. When this
rough coat is thoroughly dry, the ornaments
can be colored with any of the metallic or
| enamel paints. Tiny little flags can he
bought for a few cents the dozen,
and when stuck into the smallest aud
shiniest green, yellow and red apples,
or into little gilt and silvered cornucopi@,
prove effective and lend Fourth of July
gayety to the whole affair. Miniature
Chinese lanterns. scarcely three inches In
length, are equally inexpensive, and If sus-
pended from the tips of the branches (but
for fear Of fire unlighted) they add a festive
air, and help quite efficiently 70 fill out
| empty spaces Swapping notices, though of
the cheapest variety, contrast gayly with
the dark green Of the tree, and the gro
| tesque caps they contain provoke much
merriment.
Posies are easily formed from the fanci-
fully fringed and colored papers in which
motto candies are wrapped, and can be
| pinned IN amongst the twlgs nestled under
meath the branches, ana wreathed around
the tree trunk. Some sheets of the ex-
quisitely tinted tissue paper used In making
| paper flowers are out into narrow strips and
gummed to one another end to end to pro-
vide the needed length, aud oreped as the
paper for sachets, etc., Is creped by draw
! ing up gradually into the hand.
Yards and yards of this ribbon are thus
| cheaply provided and the festoous and ro-
settles into which they can easily be twined
exceed IN grace and lightness those Of silk
that they are intended 20 initiate. In long
| loops and tassels they radiate In all direc-
t:ons from the central stem and help sustain
the slender strands of gilt and silver 'shair, y
| as it is called. that drip from bough to
bough in glittering showers.
These threads Of gold and silver, and the
sparkling baubles of colored glass entail
greater expense, but with proper care they
can be preserved from year to year.
A ball or two of tinselled thread, or a
bunch of Japanese gold. is unwound and
strung In spirals from branch to branch,
the glittering threads serving as lines from
which the Christmas gifts are suspended.
Crabapples, strings of cranberries, gilded
nuts, red and white balls and strings OF pop
corn, canes and baskets of yellow molasses
candy or Of the gayer red and white striped
peppermint, are old-fashioned, 1t is true, but
so is Christmas-tide. yet are they ever new.
Little candles and thy tarlatan bags of
candy are affixed at every available point,
the candy acting as a weight and serving
to keep the lights away from ornaments OF
an infiammable nature.
Over all. at the very top of the tree
hovers the "Christkindchen," bisque or
waxen angel, with floating hair, with
| golden wings and arms outstretched as il
showering all its blessings upon the little
ones below.