Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17
A HOLIDAY NOVELTY.
What a Wonder Ball in Ger
many Means.
CARRIED OUT HERE
PLANNING A LITTLE SURPRISE
FOR EACH GUEST.
Hidden in Wrappings and Wound With
Innumerable Yards of Irvine
The Opening.
Written for The Evening Star.


Whenever ideas are wanted for Christ
| mas celebrations I always apply-not to
the Lady from Philadelphia but to the
Lady from Germany. and she has never
failed me yet.
We have had various novelties In the
last half dozen years at our Christmas
party, and as the last holidays approached
I wasted no time cudgeling my own brains
for suggestions, but at once appealed to
her.
why not have wonder ball?" was her
response, after little bordering. and in
reply to my question as to what a wonder
ball might be, she went on to say that all
girls In Germany In her young days had to
learn to knit, and, in order to make the
task more alluring. various small gifts
were wrapped up In the ball of yarn, or
wound in rather SO that from time to time
they came to light, and the greater the in
dustry of the little maiden. the oftener she
was rewarded by the small surprise dis
closed by the unwinding OF the lessening
ball.
The idea took my fancy at once, and 1t
was carried out very completely and on a
large scale. About thirty-five relatives
and friends were to be at our usual gath
ering. and, of course, each one was to be
remembered, and as gifts could not all be
chosen for their especial adaptation to a
wonder ball, We had to do considerable
planning to SO arrange the presents as to
make it possible to pack them and wind
them into ball-like shape.
Made Tidy Bundles.
We made everything as compact as might
be, first wrapping each article separately
and tying it securely. Some things seemed
hopeless when we began, for among them
was a pair Of antique cut glass decan-
tiers. several framed pictures, muf box
and other equally awkward shapes to be
considered.
When, however, we had well considered
everything. the difficulties disappeared as
we worked; the decanters were packed each
IN a wooden starch box. the pictures were
well protected by heavy pasteboards. and
at last, with four large balls of very heavy
cord. We were ready to really begin tne
wonder ball, which was no chi!dS play to
wind, can assure you.
A Big Ball.
It took several hours of hard work ana
careful management to wind that great ban,
which was about the size OF a bushel bas-
ket when done; but. with all the irregular
shapes to incorporate, We had kept 1t SYM
metrical and the packages looked most in
terestingly mysterious as they peeped forth
from the intricate meshes OF the winding.
To add to the fun OF the distribution
every present had original verses attached
to the outside of the wrapping describing
the contents, also the name of the person
for whom it was intended
- There were no toys included, as the party
was to be for grown people, with the ex-
ception of two children, both beyond the
toy age; to emphasize their presence. how
ever, 1t was arranged that they should
have a prominent part In the little program
Of distribution.
The Eventful Date.
The evening came. likewise the guests
On strong table In the front drawing room
was the huge ball. arousing everybodys
lively curiosity and comment. Only
glimpses of paper-wrapped bundles could
be seen through the meshes of the cord,
but placard on the top announced its iden-
tity.
Behold German Wonder ball,
l hold a gift for each and all;
So come and view me while you may,
Like great snow balls. III melt away"
Alter all had assembled the guests We're
seated In circle around the front and
back parlors, with the wonder ball in plain
view of every one. The master of ceremo-
MES cut the cord and carefully. with the
help of the one small hoy, single package
at a time was extracted which was hand
ed to the one little girl of the party. She
standing where all could her, read the
name of the person for whom it was in
tended, and then the little rhyme attached
while the recipient came forward and OPEN
ed the gift and. after everybody had thus
had a glimpse. retired to a seat again, and
the next package was handed out.
Where the Wit Came In.
OF course. the verses added much to the
fun of the occasion, as the making of them
had added to the fun of preparation, for
the poetess 90 had had some hard subjects
to make rhymes for One picture, for in
stance, was blue print brought from Hol-
land Of pretty peasant girl. and the coup
let finally evolved was:
When this fair. pictured maid you see
And memory's bells go ring dingn',
Again you II smell the salt air
And tread the beach of Scheveningen.'
By the time thirty-five gifts had been |
opened and passed around, the nonsense |
verses laughed over and the big wonder |
ball thing of the past, the evening was |
well-nigh spent, and the dining room was
the next attraction, where the usual holly |
decked table told of the Christmas season, |
and showed forth the Christmas cheer |