Evening star., 1942-06-03
Lawn Parties
Are Fun in
Summer
Entertain Friends
This Way When
Moon Is Full
By Kay CaldweH
and Alden Harrison

With the possible exception Of in
durable cynics and persons espe-
cially susceptible to mosquitoes, al
most everybody thinks dancing out
doors is fun. So-let's dance out
doors on some moonlit night be-
tween now and September.
Gather a congenial crowd OF
pastel-clad maidens and white
suited lads, turn them loose in q
romantic setting of soft lights and
shrubbery, and forget the fact that
a dew-dampened lawn isn't exactly
an ideal dancing surface. AS a
matter of fact, even this basic fault
of lawn parties can be overcome
with little ingenuity.
Pine needles distributed gener-
o,lsly over the grass will solve the
difficulty. A concrete or asphalt
tennis court, driveway, a smooth
terrace or a specially built wooden
platform will make a good dancing
spot when covered with powdered
wax or cornmeal Surround the
floor" with garden and porch
chairs and tables arranged in inti-
mate little groups, and you'll have
handsome setting for your party.
AS for lighting, unless you want
to rely exclusively on the real moon,
better rig up an artificial one on
the nearest corner of the house or
a handy tree Use strong electric
light bulb in an ordinary green
drop shade, with the bottom COW
cred with yellow tissue paper or
cellophane Be sure there is space
between the bulb and the tissue so
that YOU won't have small fire on
your hands before the evening is
over. Or, if your bulb is strong
enough, you won't need a shade at
all. Just place the light in a white
cardboard box and cover the open
end with a circular moon of tissue
paper.
For additional lighting-if you
want it, and why should you-use
extension cords with colored bulbs
placed on convenient tree limbs.
Your refreshments might be fruit
punch served from an old-fashioned
lemonade stand in one corner OF
the ward, with small sandwiches,
ice cream and perhaps coffee to top
off the evening. Or If you really
want to be clever, follow the ex-
ample of one girl we know, and set
up a regular soda bar, with foun-
tain boy from the corner drugstore
in attendance.
For this little project you'll need
bottles of sizzle water, generous
freezer of ice cream, sirup in two or
three favors, whipped cream and
somebody with little soda mixing
know-how. Tall paper cups will
solve the .dishwashing problem, and
don't forget your straws and long
spoons. Bottled soft drinks may be
added to give variety to your menu,
along with cocktail crackers or tiny
sandwiches.
Incidentally, you can make swell
eodas without ice cream. An inch OF
sirup, an inch and a half of coffee
cream, cold soda water and some
vigorous tossing from one glass to
another, produce really delicious
drink. Try it, varying these pro-
portions to fit the size and shape of
your glass.
And perhaps you'd better have a
little music, just in case somebody
breaks away from the soda bar or
the cozy lawn chairs long enough to
dance. This is easily provided by
moving the radio or record player
out to the porch or lawn, or plac-
ing it just inside an open window.
Add a few novelty dances to mix the
crowd and keep them laughing, and
you have all the ingredients Of one
grand summer get-together.
For novel summer entertain
ment, try our Forget -the-Heat"
party. Complete plans are in
cluded in a leaflet of that name
which you can get for cents
(stamps or coin). Just write to
Kay Caldwell and Alden Har-
rison, in care of The Evening
Star.