Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
NEW YEAR PARTY
A Lively Plan That viii
Insure a Jolly Time.
PROGRESSIVE ANIMALS
WIT IN PUZZLE CARDS AND PIC
TURES.
Chinese Customs on the First Day in
Thei1 Calendar, January
22.
PROGRESSIVE AMIN AIS

now about the only people who really OBJ
serve New Year day. and even John China
man does not oil up his queue and make HIM
self orientally attractive on the first day of
January. His New Year celebration. which
is the greatest holiday OF the Chinese year.
falls on the ed day of the month. This
day is the only Sunday in the entire cees-
tial year. and the people stop work. put on
their best clothes-new ones II there be any
at hand-and take the only bath they In
dulge In during the year They call on
their friends, rejoice generally and enjoy
themselves to the greatest possible degree.
Red-the most brilliant reds over every
thing The presents given are WRAPPED In
red paper and the signs and symbols over
the little laundry and curio shops are of
this bright color. Eggs are painted red
and offered to the gods. At night the sky
is lurid with red lights, which the China
man burns to scare away the devils Of
misfortune and any evil which might Turk
around and bring bad luck. One custom
the Chinese have which many members Of
the occidental race would find embarrassing
is that of being Obliged to pay all debts on
New Year day. In China a creditor may
enter a debtors house and help himself to
anything he wants In this land of the
free we extend our privileges u the stranger
within our gates; consequently tho Americ N
Chin Chin does not have to spoil his holi-
day by settling up accounts.
Another popularity they have which we
might adopt to advantage is the curiously
frank one of offering their small vices for
sale, so they may start the new year with
a clean record. 1 hardly believe American
sins would find a purchaser even If they
were put on a bargain sale counter. How
ever, in Chinatown children are seen run
ming through the streets crying, Il want to
sell my little lies" or Who wants to buy
my bad temper and my vanity?'
Good Resolutions.
We Christians keep these little frailties
deeply hidden from human eye," and on
the first day of January, when good reso-
lutions are in order, we mentally deter
mine to lead a new life." But as a popu-
lar humorist remarked. the regeneration
often comes after a series Of "relapses and
recoverieS.'
The night before New Year Is the gala
time. Country clubs give cotillons and ar
range amusements of all kinds for the en-
tertainment of members and their friends.
But the jolliest affairs are the home parties
given to watch the old year out and the
new year in,
The latest plan for lively New Year
eve at home is the progressive animal
party Twenty guests Is a comfortable
number to ask to this merrymaking, which
is easily arranged. Four tables with pol
ished tops will have to be provided for the
game. A small square of lace or dainty
dolly of some kind is placed in the center
of each table, on which Is vase of flowers.
The flower at each table should Dc differ
ent, one vase holding holly. another mistle
toe and the other two poinsettas and car
nations. The general progression of the
animal game Is arranged exactly as for
progressive euchre. The players draw num-
bers to decide the question Of which table
each shall begin at
A Mysterious Ten.
At the first table the players will find
ten small visiting cards, on which are
written mysterious words. These words.
the hostess explains, are names Of we'll
known animals with the latters twisted
around in a confusing fashion. At first
sight the word q almost unrecognizable.
For instance. elephant might be written
patenleh, and so on.
Pencil and paper are placed on the table,
The cards are passed from one person to
another, and each player tries to disen-
tangle the words.
Ten minutes are allowed for the reading
or the riddles, and at the expiration Of
that time when the bell rings the two play
ers who have worked out the greatest num-
Der OF animal names progress to the next
table.
At the second table the game takes a
different phase of the same animal subject
For this contest written description of
not over fifty words of some animal keep
ing the name a secret, Is required Of the
players. At the end of five minutes these
descriptions are passed around the table,
the animal described in the paper of two
other contestants pass at a touch OF the
bell to the third table.
A Few Chips, Too.
Here the object Is to guess an animals
name by means of chips. Each chip has a
letter on 1t, and they are turned letter-face
down on the board. The players In turn
lift one OF these chips and call out an ami
NAL whose name begins with the letter re-
vealed. The person first to name an animal
scores point. The two to whose credit
the greatest number Of points can be placed
trtumphantly move up as the bell sounds
to the last and decisive head table.
The fourth game is founded upon a series
OF puzzle cards, each card representing in
picture or pictures an animal. For ex-
ample seal could be depicted with an
envelope closed and sealed with wax, or, to
make matter a little more complicated an
imposing legal document is drawn up and
a great seal affixed in the lower corner
A hare is easily represented by the pic
ture Of a woman with beautiful long hair
These cards are passed from hand to hand
and examined. and when player discovers
the meaning OF the picture he announces
the name and claims the card. AS at the
other tables. the two persons holding the
greatest number of cards succeed and when
the total IL summed up the two players who
have made the best score at all the tables
get the prizes
The quickest and simplest way to make
the puzzle picture is to collect lot Of ad-
vertsing pages from magazines, and in q
short time the art work IL ready.
For Clever Fingers.
The home tally cards are pieces Of water
color cardboard cut and colored to repre-
sent leopard without hts spots. Instead
Of the usual stars as counters beauty dots
OF black court plaster punched with a
marker are placed on the leopard's body to
indicate the points made by the contest
ant. When ribbon of brownish yellow is
attached to the animals ears he is ready
to be pinned an a tally card to a woman's
corsage or a mans coat lapel Prizes
apropos of the occasion would be a copy OF
wild Animals Haye Known or Jungle
Book" The BOBBY gift may be prize pig,
either of home manufacture or a lovely
true-to- pigdom pink composition affair with
q blue ribbon tied around his neck.
When the game IL over and the New Year
has been cordially welcomed with toasts
and greetings the materials used in the
games are cleared away and the pretty CEN
terpisce and flowers on the tables are in
place for the little supper which follows.