The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

vinesA is newer than the evergreen wreathes with which all are familiar and which shed dry spikes long be-
 In mildier climes summach can be gathered. h all its scarlet beauty, and used to make brilliant the house al Christmas time. whiie along the Cult coast branches of shining magnolia foliage make a beautiful green decora- tion which may Serve as background for color of lighter and brighter sort.
 NHhas mihs' ta61s *efix9 shse maidenhar ferns aGd poinsettas, whose spreading scarlet\ leaves seem particularly vivid and beAutiful when mingled with the delicacY of fern sprays. A single pCinsetta >Naid here and there upon the cloth, wiGh loose sprays of green as background makes brilliant table, and the idea might be carried out by having can dle shades of green foliage with "a single poinsette on the outer side. Holly decorations combine very well with these magnificent flowers, but the blossome are moro striking when used with foliage alone.
 Crysanthemums form an effective decorative scheme for Christmas adornment and when the frost has not yet done it's work, the small out dc'or variety, which blooms all winter where snow does not fall, makes the most fascinating candle shades and garlands for the dinner table, in gold or in copper red or in many lovely shades of pink
 Many people press bright ciolored autumn leaves and sprays of leaves in preparation for holiday decorations, and good results are secured by pin- ming leaves over candle shades and sprinkling them over the table cloth. Oak and maple leaves are particular ly pretty. Quaint little dinner cards may be enriched with a leaf lor two With bronze or red ribbon.
 Quite an original idea for a young peoples Christmas dinner illustrates the sentiment of having all the na- tons 'of the earth joined in ceIebrat- ing the great festival day of the Chris tan Church, by dressing a doll to rep resent each prominent nationality even to having cunning Filipino ana Sandwich Island belle. an Ice land maiden, little Laplander, and so en- gathering all that would be picturesque. When all the dolls are dressed they are tied to candlesticks so as to conceal the standard, and each doll holds in one hand a strand or evergreen of flowers that is fasten- ca In turn to a large Christmas bell "l holly, mistletoe. or some Christ mas foliage, high above the center or the table. Or a tall Santa Claus doll may hold the bell aloft and be hung over with small, bright cornu- copias of candy. sewed to harlow red ribbons. for each child. The candlee shade above each doll should be dec orated with star of Bethlehem. Children love Christmas story and sentiment. and some such table decora- ton would delight them.
 If an overhead decoration is un- desirable, a looking glass in the mid del of the table might be sb covered With evergreen as to form the points or shining star. the whole edged with flowers
 The boy or girl who comes home from school or college for the holi- days Is always pleased if some compli- ment is paid the college which they attend. A dinner in which the shades Tor candles are made of panels em- blazoned with college flags and pen nants is sure to be a success among the young people. Small. college fans are useful in making these shades when 'one has not the time nor pa tience to paint the decorations nor sew them on in bits of silk.
 It Is pleasant to depart from usual customs at Christmas time and have dolls and briownies and odd conceits of any kind to supply the place of stereotyp% candiesticlzs and eande-