The Portland daily press., 1892-12-22
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%tM - Until 1t is ready.
Nss>y It would seem as
| if they might share more truly the Christ
mas spirit if they assisted at the trim
ming, their gifts being tied on when they
were not around, and then if they chose
share the tree with some less fortunate
playmates after it has been stripped on
| Christmas eve or Christmas day for
| themselves.
The prettiest kind of tree is that
which contains the most ornaments that
glitter, and the most candles to show
them well. All ornaments bought should
have some shining surface, if possible,
and in preparing homemade ones see
that they possess the same quality. In
using gilt or silver paper for making
chains of rings, make the strips double,
SO the inside of the rings will be the
same as the outside, and get the best
paper obtainable. If strings of popcorn
are prepared, either gid or silver them,
or brush them over with some thin, adj
hesive substance, as gum arabic in water,
and sprinkle lightly with diamond dust.
This is somewhat expensive to start with.
| but box lasts long time, and can be
used in many ways for Christmas trim
ming and costuming.
One of the most suitable bases for a
| tree is the semblance of snowdrift
made by piling cotton batting around it
as it stands either on q table or on the
floor. The cotton is piled irregularly,
and is busted over with diamond dust
/ until it glistens. Tufts of cotton put at
| the places where the branches leave the
trunk of the tree are powdered in the
same way.
To follow out a unique plan, dress
the tree entirely in one or two colors-
say white and silver, or gold and yell
/ low. For the former arrange the cot
ton as above described, and put some
white device at the top, as a stuffed
bird, or one of those plaster images that
can be tied with string or ribbon. to
hang from the ceiling directly over the
tree. The presents are to be done up in
silver paper, and the diamond busted
popcorn strings can be interspersed
with some silvered and some left white.
If yellow is used in trimming the tree,
gid the popcorn and nuts, tying the
latter on with yellow ribbon. A large
butterfly, with gold spotted wings of yell
low paper, is placed at the top of the
tree, and the gifts are done up in yellow
tissue paper.
Butterflies are not very seasonable on
Christmas trees, to be sure, but they are
so easily made by drawing oblongs or
squares Of paper through the Sits in
clothespins and rounding the ends that
they will be extremely pretty, if not
suitable. They are light and easily fas-
tened by wire passing around their
wooden centers and clasped around the
branches. Toy clothespins make small
butterflies. Japanese napkins, used
whole or cut for the small pins, make
pretty butterflies.
| For those who do not wish or cannot
have tree Christmas trunk is sug-
gested. It will be less trouble and
scarcely any expense. Put all the gifts.
done up in packages and properly Ia
beled, into any convenient trunk, a fiat
topped one being best. Tack over the
outside of the trunk cotton batting,
| sprinkled, if possible, with diamond dust.
| A rope of Christmas green Is fastened
around the edge Of the lid and around the
bottom of the trunk. Have the cotton at
the edge of the lid fall down like a
fringe, so that when the lid is lifted it
will hang over several inches. Line the
| lid with dark green stuff or paper, in
the center of which are the words, "Mer-
ry Christmas" in gilt letters. The rest
of the green may beisprinkled with gold
stars.
The trunk is toshe brought insby two
mysterious personages in snow sfecked
garments and caps drawn over their
faces. IF desireds some one dressed as
1 Santa Claus may appear to direct where
they Shall put the trunk. He then opens
it and gives out the presents. A-hamper
or box trimmed with imitation snow
and evergreens will do in place Of the
trunk, if more available.
AS tree is specially for the children,
it would add to the scene if all the little
Juveniles were trained to sing in chorus
in imitation of the old time Christmas
waits" Any Christmas pieces that
they know or can easily learn may be
used. The singing can begin in some
distant room. becoming louder as the
door is opened, and growing still louder
as the children near the room where the
tree stands. They may remain in the
next room in sight of the tree and the
rest of the company until the song is
done, and then, Us the children in the
old ..waits were srewarded, they may
4 have their presents from the tree. The
plan Of having this graduated music is
always pleasing, gand will be especially
in keeping with holiday times. sE
F Much amusement will be caused when
I5itis fine for thesdistributien sof gifts,
n bother from a.Itree oEnet,s bE letting
+ The fasmbers Of sae company ssrn them.
I Someone makes "a speech, SAYING that
This rule is TO be adopted and inviting
every one to write down what he or she