The Progress., 1893-01-07
&aNS:Ss

to see the tree
IxsS = : until it is ready
~ 1t would seem a.
ifthey might share more truly the Christ
mas spirit if they assisted at the trim
ming, their Sifts being tied on when the,
were not around, and then if they chos,
share the tree with some less fortunate
playmates after it has been stripped or
Christmas eve or Christmas dav foi
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 SET
that they possess the same quality. II
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, ad
hesive substance, as gum arabic in water.
and sprinkle lightly with diamond dust.
This is somewhat expensive to start with.
but a box lasts long time, and can b.
used in many ways for Christmas trim.
ming and costuming.
One of the most suitable bases for n
tree is the semblance of a snowdrif,
made by piling cotton batting around il
as it stands either on 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 unique plan. dress
the tree entirely in one or two colOrs-
say white and silver, or gold and yel-
low. For the former arrange the cot
ton as above described, and put sOmt
white device at the top, as stuffed
bird, or one of those plaster images tha,
can be tied with "A string or ribbon t.
hang from the ceiling directly over the
tree. The presents are to be done up n
silver paper, and the diamond busted
popcorn strings can be intersperseG
with some silvered and some left white.
If yellow is used in trimming the tree
gid the popcorn and nuts, tying til,
latter on with yellow ribbon. A larg,
butterfly, with gold spotted wings Of vel
low paper, is placed at the top of th'
tree, and the gifts are done up in yellow
tissue paper.
Butterflies are not very seasonable o.
Christmas trees, to be sure, but they art
so easily made by drawing oblonSs OF
squares of paper through the Sits in
clothespins and rounding the ends tnGt
they will be extremely pretty, if no;
suitable. They are light and easily fas-
tened by wire passing around THEN
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 q tree q Christmas trunk is sug
gested. 1t viii be less trouble and
scarcely any expense. Put all the gifts,
done up in packages and properly la
beled, into any convenient trunk, fiai
topped one being best. TACK over tht
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 al
the edge of the lid fall down like q
fringe, so that when the lid is lifted II
will hang over several inches. Line the
lid with dark green stuff or paper, in
the center of which are the words, 'Mer-
~ Christmas" in gilt letters. The rest
of the green may be sprinkled with golo
stars.
The trunk is to be brought in by two
mysterious personages in snow hecked
garments and caps drawn over then
faces. If desired some one dressed as
Santa Claus may appear to direct where