The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-12-24
Family Reunions
Are Yule Custom

Christmas is honey time. Fam
lily dinner parties and reunions are
traditional part of the holiday sea-
son in America, and this year more
than ever we will be celebrating
Christmas at home.
You can add a festive note to
these family get-togethers by turning,
them into Christmas parties. Don't
plan anything elaborate-just think
UP some simple invitations and
game or two. Your regular Christ
mas decorations will provide the. set
ting.
For the invitations cut out paper
snow balls, Santa Clauses or Christ
mas trees and write or print the in
vitat;on in ink OF contrasting color.
Or buy small candy canes and at
tach red paper tag with the invi-
tation in white ink. If you're am
bilious you might try writing verse
for these invitations. ~
From ordinary paper bags you
can make party hats and head bands
for the guests. Turn the top edge
of the bag back in roll until the.
that is the right height. Paint or
paste a Christmas design on these
hats and they will be ready and
waiting for the party. For the head
bands cut strips of paper bag 2Hz
inches wide and decorate with gold
stars, paper Christmas trees, holly,
poinsettias, or cotton snowrnen.
.
Christmas Toy Introductions.
When the members of the group are
rot acquainted with each other, this
game will work out very nicely. Give
each person a small tag on which
has been written the name of some
toy or object or subject of Christ
mas On the back of each of these
/ tags are written commands such as
Introduce yourself to Teddy Bear"
See that the train meets the wag-'
on" Discuss the price of eggs
with tie Top" These cards must be
prepared eforchand and arranged
50 that everyone keeps moving about
Introducing and being introduced to
each other.
''Tip."-fn English Game used at
Christmas Time. Have nuts, can
dies. Pop corn balls, etc., piled in
center of table One player leaves
the room and the others select an
object as Tip" The absent play
er is called into the room and selects
an object. He must avoid Tip"
and may have anything he gets If
Tip is chosen he loses his turn
and must forfeit anything he has
already won. A new Tip is cho-.
sen each time player leaves.
A Pop Corn Relay-This is lots of
fun. Divide contestants into two
groups. At one end Of the room are
fastened the ends of two long strings
of very strong linen thread with a
needle on each of the other ends,
stuck in stationary cork lying on
table beside two bowls of popcorn
with exactly the same number. OF
kernels in each. Each player threads
q kernel Of corn on the string and
runs with it to the other end Of
the room. The contest continues UNI
til one bowl is emptied by Q team.
Greeting Contest. Write out the
well-known poem, 'The Night Be
fore Christmas" on slips of paper,
one line to slip. Separate the odd
lines from the even lines, and give
the odd slips to the men and the
even ones to the women. Read the
poem and announce that each play
err is to find the person holding the
line thatThymes with his. The part
pers aresthen given pencil and paper
and told to write as many forms of
Ghristmas greetings as they can in
Ave minutes. The winning couple
receives q peppermint candy cane.
Some Of these suggestions for
Christmas fun have been taken from
The Christmas Book, by Marguerite
lexis, Q compilation of background
materials and suggestions for cele-
brating Christmas. The material in
cludes interesting facts about Christ
mas customs in other lands, ideas
for parties and social activities, lnu-
sic, drama, decorations, and refresh
ments. The book is available for so
cents from the National Recreation
Association. Sl5 Fourth Avenue, New
York City.