Evening star., 1925-12-04
Preparing for Christmas
Timely Suggestions for Holiday Gifts and for the
Dinner-Needlework That Is Worth While.
Confectionery Items.
Confectionery Items.

Bags for household use are always
appreciated as Christmas gifts. a
novelty is the cat bag, which makes
a practical receptacle for mendinC
and other sewing materials. Such q
bag could be cut out of coarse linen.
with the outlines of cat or cats
head worked In black wool silk.
\ soiled-linen bag makes another use
ful gift. This can be cut in envelope
shape and ornamented with a design
representing a few Sarmens hanging
on a clothesline.
Other useful gifts are cot cover
made of Teddy bear material and
stenciled with amusing designs or
appliqued with Cretonne motifs, a
nightgown case made in the pillow
case design and embroidered with a
humorous pattern Of black cats, a
baby bib of linen worked in colored
thread a set of table mats and baby
bonnet of embroidered lace.
Oriental wares are much i'll demand
this season for Christmas gifts, both
practical and decorative. a great va
T---E of lacquer, enamels, dolls, bas-
kers and other articles make attrac-
tive and novel Christmas gifts. Among
some of the most delightful of these
novel wares are Chinese tassels,
which are so decorative when hung
onto thin silken cord and worn
with dark dresses. These tasSelS are
especially attractive, because they
never become knotted. They are
made of brightly colored silks and
the heads" are richly ornamented
some with bindings of gold thread,
others with beads.
Bought for their delightful ColorinS
Chinese
hToideries make special appeal to
many women. These narrow pieces
of embroidery make effective and de-
lightful pictures when framed in a
very narrow black frame. cushion
covers of Chinese embroidery are very
fashionable. The embroidery may
also be framed TO make a tray. Small
screens may be made 10y framing
choice pieces of Chinese embroidery
and fitting the frames with stands.
These make delightful, eXpensive-look
ing articles and yet the cost is "ery
little.
Christmas Needleworll.
Embroidered hats in the most at
traCtive turban and tam -shanter de-
signs are being displayed by all the
best millinerS and are not hard to
make. Most of the smart closely fitting
turbans have plain brims and en-
broidered crowns. Velvet is frequently
used for these hats. and is covered
with hand embroidery in which silk
wool, and beads are mixed together
IN the most attractive patterns. Small
shapes. with turned-up brims trimmed
with silver paSsementerie and steel
beads are novel. a model with a
domed crown of suede. with an edg-
ing of steel beads on the kid brim. is
a D1-i q hrn aYsN
on a tam-o-shanter matches that on
the big sleeves of the coat with which
il is worn.
Leather is still much used this sea =
son for dress trimmings. The newest
kind is brightly colored and is cover
ed with a fooled broche pattern in
gold. In another novel leather trim
ming a cross work of gray and red
suede straps forms "A checked band
edged with black chenille. In this and
other colors it is used on cuffs and
collars. Wide insertions for dresses
show a bold flower design in black
or colored leather edged with gold,
the scarlet and green being specially
effective. Very smart is design Of
black patent leather on transparent
Colored tinsel grounds. These trim
mings are sold by the yard and are a
boon TO the home dressmaker and gift
maker.
Hand in hand with the fashion for
velvet is the popular desire for vel
Vet trimmings. The loVeliest effects
are produced with velvet applique
flowers. hand-painted in natural colors
on chiffon dresses, and the velvet
petals of artificial flowers are pulled
off and applied straight onto the gown
in some cases.
Christmas Dinner.
A Goose for Christmas.-If you de-
eide to have a goose, be sure to
choose a young bird with yellow, pill
able feet, the webbing of which may
be easily torn. Red. stiff feet indicate
age. The bill of young bird is also
yellow and pliabe, the under bill
breaking easily if bent. The skin
should be smooth and white and the
breast plump. Pluck the goose, draw,
wipe il inside and out with cloth
wrung out of hot water. cut off the
feet and the pinions at the first Joint,
remove all soft fat from the inside
and stuff the body of the bird with a
sage-and-onion stuffing. Truss it for
roasting, cover the breast with
creased paper, and roast in a good
oven for the first 5 minutes, after
which the heat should be gradually
decreased. The time depends upon
the size of the bird. but it takes at
least one and onehalf hours. Baste
often, and a short time before the
cooking Is finished, remove the paper
-four the breast and baste it with a
little butter to froth and brown il.
Remove all skewers and strings and
pour round little good gravy. Gar
nish with cut lemon and pass more
gravy and apple or tomato sauce.
Roast Saddle of Hare.-Remove the
head, shoulders and legs of the hare
which can be used for jugged hare or
for soup, then stuff the saddle with "A
good forCemeat, sewing up the ends
and the opening down the front.
Either lard the back or tie slices of
fat bacon over II. Cover with
grea Sed paper and put the saddle on a
baking tin and roast in a good oven
for about 80 minutes. Baste with a
little milk and dripping first. and later
with dripping alone. Keep it well
hasted, as the flesh of a hare is in
Clined to be dry. When nearly done,
remove the paper and bacon. dredge
the hare with flour, and baste. Re-
move all strings or any skewerS, and
serve on a hot dish, garniSh with
forcemeat balls and pass brown to-
mato or onion sauce or brown gravy
favored with red currant or crab
apple jelly.
Holly Fruit Cake.-This requires one
cupful Of butter. two cupfuls of