The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-11
ideas tor ddln1nen

A correspondent writes to the Phila-
delphia ..Press':-Will you kindly
give on the Wenaan's Page some
ANTS concerning chiidren's parties! eA-
oeet ia give Il birthday affair forsa small
bov Of six years and would like to know
now to amuse the children. VIII it be
aecessary to send out written Invitations?
&c so. on what kind of paper, how word
ed? What should be given as souvenirs
and can you tell me what a Jack Horner
Die ISL What kind of refreshments should
be served? Should the candles be placed
about the birthday cake or has this gone
put of fashion,"
The Womanis Page is always at the
service of its readers in their difficulties.
The questions asked by the present cores
pondent are of general interest and are,
therefore, answered in our columns.
Taken in time and with some thought
and care expended upon it, there should
he no difficulty whatever in making the
Nttle ones pass a jolly afternoon, With
plenty of frolic and laughter
The AFFAIR should occur in the afternoon
of course. Evening parties for the little
tots are unsuitable. Begin at three
o'clock and continue it to six. Or at four
to last till seven.
1t would be well to invite some women
friends or a few young girls to help out
with the affair, as children, left to them
selves, are apt to feel shy and i'll at ease.
Yes. invitations may be sent if the af-
1air is TO be a large one. Otherwise the
Invitation could be given informally and
verbally by calling L on the mothers of
the children you wish to ask.
*
For informal invitations use a small
sheet of rough white linen note paper, I'M
ruled, with envelope TO fit. The ordinary
formula is as follows:-
Master John Brown requests the pleas
Are of your company from four to seven,
on the afternoon of october the 1st, eigh-
.een hundred and ninety-seven.
For my. own part 1 much prefer the
Informal little note from one mother to
another, which could be worded in some
thing like the following formula
My Dear Mrs. Kilbright:-
The children are asking a few young
friends for the afternoon of October /,
from four to seven. May we hope for
che pleasure of welcoming your little son
and daughter?
Very cordially yours,
MARGARET KENT.
The refreshments at an affair for chill
aren should be of the simplest. Ice
cream and cake, fruit sherbet and BON
Dons are quite sufficient.
But the small guests can. if preferred,
De seated around a table and a4simple
supper provided. Bouillon or clear soup
Of yoqne variety, sandwiches, cold meat,
iruit. sherbet and cake. Milk and weak
4aaFa " u = ,~,,oV
The entertainment may consist of dane
ing or of old fashioned games-hunt the
slipper, London Bridge and the like, which
are always popular.
Then there are many new ideas which
come in excellently for an occasion of the
kind.
A doh party is one of these. In the
Invitation each guest is asked to come
,ostumed as a doll of some variety.
There will be bride dolls and negro dolls,
indian dolls, rag babies and Fauntleroys
and this sort of an affair is equally
good fun for boys and girls.
For a party confined to little girls a
iolls reception is a great favorite. Each
sniai mother brings her best doll in Sum
day array and no further suggestion for
she passing of a pleasant afternoon will
pc needed.
A cobweb party has been already de-
scribed in the Woman Page" A pea
put hunt. in which the nuts have been
pidden' in all available parts of the room,
IS another suggestion. The youngsters
are turned loose in the apartment and
told to find the nuts. Prizes for the
greatest number found are given-they
may consist of any simple little article
2f which children are fonda book, a
box of bonbons, etc.
Again you might introduce a guessing
feature. Provide "a watermelon or a
tauash and get the children to guess at
The number of seeds before cutting it.
Give prizes for the guess which comes
nearest. Or, fill a bottle with orange
seeds and suggest guessing the number
contained therein.
Al Jack Horner Pie, about which the
correspondent asks, is much on the order
of the Grab Bag. the Hasty Pudding, etc.
A huge basin. bowl or tub is filled with
sawdust and in this are hidden away as
many small parcels as there are guests.
Each parcel, wrapped in tissue paper.
contains some little gift which may, if
desired, costs but five cents, or even a
penny. The pie is served with a large
wooden spoon an deaeh small guest re-
ceives one "helpingt' containing a gift.
AS to the cake and candles. Yes. 1t
is till the thing at children's parties to
surround the cake with these tapers.
But our correspondent should understand
that they are not a requirement. In fact,
the cake itself can be dispensed with at
will.
For souvenirs. 1 believe that these are
not generally in use. They can, of
course, be given if so desired.
they will consist of depends entirely upon
the purse of the mater familias.
Anything from tiny boxes of bonbons
Upward might be chosen. Little silver
desk in which children delight
PEN, pencil, stamp box. Small note
books with pencils attached. For the
little girls minute pincushionsy needle
books, etc. The variety is endless.
What enchanting ideas our large shops
are showing in shoes for evening wearll
No former year showed as dainty an
output, and no can now be abso-
lutely chic as to evening gowns unless
her footgear is charming.
A recent idea is having the evening
shoes to match the gown in color. To
have thera fashioned even of a portion |