The Washington times., 1905-12-17

n rs always more or less Of guam
dary how TO arrange Christmas
greens, yet one that is well worth
puZziing out A new version of
old-time laurel wreaths is trimmed with
a shower of pine cones. tied to the top
Of the wreath with narrow red ribbon,
caught into loops and ends and knots
that mingle with the cones in a pretty
confusion.
Chunky branches of balsam, with its
long. slender needles and dull brown
cones, fills room with a rich, spicy
smell that brings back visions of the
woods in summer, and, incidentally,
proves mighty decorative. And. after
Ill, nothing is much prettier than great
branches of holly. flung together at hap
hazard, and tied with bows OF wide
scarlet ribbon.
Framing windows and doors, and
banking mantels in green, gives a room
a very festive appearance, indeed, while
for the center of the window come
wreaths of holly, with a bit of mistle-
toe directly on top. and wonderful
wreaths made of red immortelles. with
perhaps a bell Of the immortelles sway
ing, ever so slightly, from the ribbon
which holds It. Single red bells seem
almost ready 10 mingle with the chimes
of the church bells; and great five
pointed stars-Symbolic OF that star
which led the wise men on their mem
orable way-are stirring IN their utter
simplicity.
To make a background for a Christ
mas tree-a background of green-an-
other tree may be sacrificed. But a
'scraggly" one will do for it. Cut of
all the branches. and tack them 10 an
old screen; or, lacking that, use a small
clothes-horse, weaving the branches in
and out until there's little or no bare
epace: and, by the way. that makes a
very pretty background for the little
CHRISTMAS play you may be giving, or
for a small table. set out, after the Ger
man fashion, with fruit and candy and
little cakes.
Dinner-tabIe decoration is becoming
more and more of a Christmas custom
even when there are only the usual
members Of the family to he present
Somehow, Il seems 4 legitimate par
OF the feast.
Miniature Christmas trees make th'
most seasonable of all centerpieces, bu
II is hard 10 find a really perfect httli
tree To supply this need come aru
ficial trees. full and branching, some o
them fitted out with brackets for Ih'
green red and white candles Wnicn ar
an Inevitable part of the trimming. o
course, there are wonderful, effects to b.
gained by the use of dozens OF the lttl
electric lights, using bulbs in III
Christmas coiors. Whole fairy forests
made of a group Of four or five trees
may De made beautiful by the glimpse
OF glowing color scattered all througl
them. II they are set on mirror
with the edge of IL banked with holly
the eject IS heightened
But electric lights and wiring are ou
OF tfn reach of most of US. unless on
of the youthful members OF the famil
Is aspiring to become an electrician
and b 10 be depended upon at all sucI
snom,nts. The true old-fashioned wa
of trimming the tree was with lad
applei--those little red and white ones
nuts, and with small candy canes an
clear .oys; or glittering balls, and, abov
all quantity Of the inexpensive Httl
bells night be used.
4 eer Of carnation, or of red roses
even II short-stemmed bits Of holly-i
q mos effective centerpiece. Five low
three-ided dishes should be used, ar
ranged around another low dish-pref
erably round, forming a flve-pointe
star any awkward spaces between IN
dishes ,an be covered by the arrange
rnent o the flowers
While red is the cheeriest color 70