Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-27
TO AMUyE QUESTS
AT NEW YEARS:

]
New years eve belongs especially
to grown-ups, and since they are
bound to entertain or to be enter
tanned. few suggestions in this line
may not come aIniss.
For a quiet homo party, where
dancing is not engaged in, nothing
could be more amusing than a button
sewing and button-hole working con
test in which the men do all the sew
ing.
The hostess prepares beforehand as
many kinds of cambria, four or five
inches il length, and two inches wide
neatly stitched around the edges by
| machine. as there are to be men in the
party. At one end Of each band a
three-quarter inch button-hole is cut.
4 threaded needle and a horn button
of suitable size are added to the outfit.
Each man is given one of these
bands. and he must choose one Of the
women present TO. be his teacher.
Then he must set to work and make
the best button-hole possible. His
teacher may tell him to set the
stitches and what to do, but in no case
shall she sew for him. A half hour is
| allowed for the work, and the man
who succeeds in making the very best
button-hOle and sews the button on
most acceptably wins a first prize,
which if he prefers ne may present to
his instructor.
| For Men to Lauuh.
Then, as an opportunity for the
women to exhibit their skill in whit
| Ting a special tournament is arranged
and a large sheet is spread in the cen
ter of the room to catch the WRITINGS.
The women choose their instructors.
but in no case shall they white for
| them. Each instructor provides his
pupil with block of soft wood and a
| jack-knife. A good sized jug is set in
| the center of the sheet and each wo-
man is requested to white her piece
Of wood into the right shape and size
| for stopper to the jug. It is surpris-
ing to note the liability of an unused
whittier to, make a success of this
| experiment, but there is no end of fun
in it, and probably the very last per-
son expected is the one to win the
prize.
SpooniDg apples or potatoes is an
other contest, and it has the merit of
being easily arranged. Set dish of
apples upon the table and place an
other of the same size at the farther
end of the room. No. 1 may choose
a man to assist her in carrying these
apples one by one in teaspoons leach
person may have but one spoon). from
the full dish to the empty one, placing
them in neat arrangement upon the
dish. This feat must be performed
without help by hand or foot in get
ting the apples into the spoon and
keeping them there. No. may choose
man and strive to accomplish the
same in less time than the first couple
Of course the couple win who make
the quickest time and do their work
acceptably to the council of judges
appointed to pass upon the game.
First, second and third prizes-usually
the apples divided into three equal
portions-are awarded to those who
make the quickest record.
A calendar dinner party on New
Years eve can be made interesting by
representing the months of the year.
The table should be set for twelve, !
and each lady should represent by
costume, jewels and flowers one
special month. If it desirable to have
twelve men also each man should rep
resent the special holiday which be-
longs to the month chosen by the lady
he is to escort. For instance, Miss
January wears the beautiful garments
of the traditional New Years maiden,
while her escort appears as the rep
resentative society man of New Years
day.
Miss February appears in frostbe
decked costume, and her escort dons
the colonial garb suited to represent
Washington's birthday.
Miss MARGINS dress bristles with
Fittings and furbelows and furs express
sive of the clustering month, and Sir
March may wear wig and gown, as
representative Of March 4 and the in
augural.
ApriPs maid wears yiolets and
hunts the crocus in the wooded dell"
while "April's lad may play, forsooth,
at April fool" May time and May
day walk hand in hand. June has
June training" an old-time holiday
in New England in which the state
militia met for sham battles. July
has brother Jonathan and the 4th
August and Sir Augustine are best
represented by eycursionists Sep
TENDER has Labor day, and October
in gorgeous apparel brings that most
interesting of holidays, Allhalloween.
While November, Gin gold and gray
and brown" gives us THANKSGIVING
day, and December crowns the year
with Yuletide and all its Christmas
gayeties.
If preferred, Old Year and New Year
may be represented by two extra
guests, with New Year at the head of
the table and Old Year at the foot.
Odd devices in flowers and jewelry
form crescents widening to the full
of the moon" and all the signs of the
zodiac may be represented in silvered
| decorations both for costume and
| table. If possible the hostess should
place at each plate the special month
| flower belonging to it, or, in case this
is not convenient, the flower associ-
ated with that month may be chosen
l