Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-12-16
HOW TO TRIM YOUR TREE.
Do it Properly and You will Not Re-
greet the Money Ex-
pended,

Of all things for Christmas, Christ
mas tree is indispensable in a house
where there are children. The exploring
of overlooking stockings will not give
half the pleasure that comes from the
discovery of real live tree, with
gray-bearded, snow-specked Santa Claus
peeping from its branches.
1t matters not how small the tree, if it
be prettily decorated. In this it is chief
ly the first cost which counts. The same
ornaments, with very few additions, will
do year after year.
AS for the tree itself, there are five
different kinds, all beautiful in them
selves-the pine, hemlock, spruce, cedar
and balsam fir. The prettiest Of all and
consequently the most expensive is the
cedar covered with small gray berries
The smallest of these trees cost IS cents
and the largest as high as 81. Ordinary
trees of good shape and bright, green
color range according to size from 80
cents to 81.
1t is most convenient to have the tree
placed at once in a holder, but the price
of this may be saved by mounting the
tree in a deep box well packed with
earth. The tree must be well braced,
and the box be as nearly square as pos
sible. The box should be painted with
green enamel.
The decoration of tree, unlike the
building of a house, begins at the top.
Custom has made it almost imperative
that a figure of Santa Claus occupy this
the most conspicuous position. The fig
ures sold in the shops for this purpose
are made of either cardboard or plastic
and cost from 15 cents to rs cents. Ex-
cept for very large trees the 35-cent size
will answer admirably. The figure may
be held in place with wire or strong
black thread.
Stock should now be taken of all the
articles which are to be used for decora-
tons. Tinsel plays an important part in
this, for it gives a brightness and gilt
ter obtainab ole from nothing else. Strings
of popcorn are also useful. Both white
and red popcorn may be procured already
strung, or it may be bought in bulk very
cheaply. With a needle and strong
thread it is easily strung. Each string
should be from three to four feet long.
Cranberries scattered at frequent inter
walls along the strings add color to them.
Strings of silver and gilt balls and
balls of raw cotton make pretty and
effective decorations. Shreds of raw
cotton may also be sprinkled over the
tree. This does very nicely to represent
snow. English walnuts, either natural
Or gilded may be tied with ribbon and
added to the other materials. You can
not have too much. Quantity rather
than quality make tree beautiful A
dozen or more dolls, made of bright
colored tissue paper, should be added if
there are any little girls in the house.
Candy canes and sugar animals OF every
conceivable kind are always appreciated
by the youngsters.
Little pasteboard boxes may be had
at any drug store, and when touched up
with gilt paint, filled with candy and
tied with ribbon make very pretty orna-
ments. Last of all, the candles, If 1t
is intended that the tree be lighted. See
that these are very securely fixed IN
their sockets, so that there can be no
possibility of their falling.
All these articles should be spread out
around the tree before the work of dec
Grating begins, so that a glance will
with. Then commence at the top and
festoon the popcorn and strings of glass
balls in graceful loops selecting tie
most prominent branches for fastenirgs.
and covering up as much as possible any
bare spots The cotton balls, walnuts,
candy boxes and figures come next. Tie
the lighter articles at the tips Of the
branches and the heavier further in.
The tinsel may represent icicles, and
the more thickly it is hung on branches
and twigs the better. Last Of all add
the candles. Fasten the holders at the
forks of branches This prevents them
slipping See that the candles are per-
fectly upright and have a clear space
above.
Small presents may be placed on the
tree and larger ones around its base.
The tree must, of course, be set before
decorating, in the room in which it is to
remain, unless it is a very small tree,
in which case it may be decorated in
a room to which the children seldom go:
On Christmas morning it may be carried
to the nursery while the little ones are
enjoying their breakfast or exhibiting
their toys in some other part of the
house. In this way the sudden appear
ance of the tree will seem all the more
wonderful. Philadelphia Times.