WHEN MOTHER
LETS US GIVE A PARTY

DRESSING UP

A BOOK THAT TELLS LITTLE FOLK HOW BEST TO
ENTERTAIN AND AMUSE THEIR LITTLE FRIENDS



By ELSIE DUNCAN YALE



ILLUSTRATED BY ADA BUDELL

NEW YORK
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY
1909

Copyright, 1909, by
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY
NEW YORK
All Rights Reserved
———
Published, October, 1909

TO
MY DAUGHTERS
WITH THE HOPE THAT THEY MAY ALWAYS BE
“GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY”
THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

[1]

INTRODUCTION

There is nothing that is much more fun than a party, is there? Mother hasn’t forgotten the days when she set a little table in the attic with the dolls’ tea-set, and had cambric tea and jam sandwiches. As for a birthday party, why it doesn’t seem a bit like a birthday without a frosted cake and pink candles and ice cream in forms—but there! That was to be a surprise.

Birthday parties only come once a year, of course, but there are other parties in between, afternoon teas on the piazza or in the playroom, or in the barn, if you are so fortunate as to have a barn. These parties oughtn’t to mean extra work for mother, for you can have them all yourself, if mother is willing.

So when she says, “Yes, you may have a party,” after you have hugged her, and told her she was the dearest mother in the world, you can begin to get ready.

[2]

[3]

INVITATIONS

First of all, for the invitations. Choose your prettiest note paper, and don’t forget to write very plainly the date of the party. If you are just going to have a little afternoon tea, you can simply write,

Or if you are going to have a larger party, you can write:

Be sure to send your invitations in time for your friends to write replies. Mother will need to know just how large a birthday cake to bake, and how much ice cream to freeze!

[4]

[5]

GETTING READY

If you are going to have many parties, there are quite a number of things which you can keep on hand, all ready to use when you need them. An old trunk or box, or barrel will be nice to have on purpose for “dress-up” clothes. Put away in this all the old hats, and dresses, and shawls, in which mother lets you dress up. Then they’ll be safe, so that no one will throw or give them away by mistake, and you’ll always know just where to find them.

It is a good thing to have wooden picnic plates on hand, and these will be very useful for outdoor parties. Mother may object to your using her good china, for sometimes plates will get broken when you are just as careful as you know how to be. So you can decorate your wooden plates very prettily by cutting out the flowers or figures which are on paper napkins, and pasting them on the plates. Then they will do nicely for your lawn or piazza parties.

It is a good plan to have a supply of paper napkins and you can buy them by the hundred, or by the dozen. If mother is afraid to let you have her pretty table cloth or lunch cloth for fear it might get stained, you can get a lovely paper table cloth with napkins and little dishes, for twenty-five cents.[6]

You might suggest to your relatives when Christmas or your birthday is near, that a set of tea cups, or plates, or little spoons would be a very acceptable present.

A folding table is very useful when you have afternoon teas on the piazza or lawn, and this can be bought for a dollar.

You can make very dainty baskets for candy and salted nuts, from little paper cases costing fifteen cents a dozen, and crepe paper at ten cents a roll. Five or ten cents will buy a pretty souvenir, and every child enjoys something to take home from the party.

So you see a party isn’t such a great deal of trouble, and I’m sure the “best mother in the world” will let you invite your friends to come and see you quite often.

[7]

PARTIES YOU CAN HAVE WITHOUT MOTHER’S HELP

Usually, when mother’s friends call on her in the afternoon, she serves them with tea and wafers or cakes. Perhaps she lets you help her. Now when your friends come to see you, very likely mother will sometimes be willing for you to make a pitcher of lemonade, or a few jam sandwiches, for them. Try to serve these very daintily on a tray, using the napkins which you have all ready.

Here is a very valuable secret. When mother says, “No, I can’t let you get your refreshments ready yourself,” do you know the reason? She is afraid you will not do it tidily, and that she will have to set the kitchen in order after you have finished. So put the sugar box back in its place, don’t leave the breadboard out, and set everything back just where you found it.

Then I’m sure that the next time you ask mother she will say, “Yes.”

So if she allows you to make lemonade, or cocoa for your friends, here are the recipes:

For one glass of lemonade take the juice of half a lemon, mix with two teaspoons of sugar, and add one cup of water. To make fruit lemonade add a few strawberries, or cherries, or bits of pineapple, or slices of orange to the lemonade.[8]

For one cup of cocoa, mix a teaspoon of cocoa with a teaspoon of sugar, and then mix with one tablespoon of boiling water. Stir it well till the lumps are all out. Put a half pint of milk over the stove (being careful not to burn it), when it “wrinkles” on the top, pour the cocoa in, and let it boil a few minutes, stirring so that it will not scorch.

FOR SANDWICHES

Soften the butter a few minutes before you use it. Butter the bread before cutting off each slice, and cut very thin. Then lay the buttered slices neatly together and trim off the crusts. The sandwiches may be filled with jelly, jam, chopped hard boiled egg, chopped meat, or nuts.

CANDY PULL

Of course you must have this party in the kitchen, and either ask your friends to bring gingham aprons, or provide aprons for them. Have nice bright tin pans ready for your candy, and get together everything that the recipe calls for. If mother is willing you can make two kinds of candy at once on the stove, one for “pulling” and one for “nut taffy.” Although you can easily make the candy yourself, mother had best be on hand when you are working over the fire. This is a good party for a rainy day.

[9]

A candy pull is lots of fun.

[10]

FUDGE PARTY

For a fudge party, you will need aprons of course, and permission to use the stove, or perhaps your big sister’s chafing dish. Get your materials together, and when your friends come, you can have just as good a time as the girls do at college. “When Mother Lets Us Cook” will tell you just how to make your fudge, and then you will have one less thing to learn at college.

This is a good party for a rainy day.

POP CORN PARTY

For this you will need popping corn, and several poppers. If you only have one, maybe your guests will bring theirs.

You can take turns rubbing the corn from the ears, and popping it.

This is another rainy day party.

[11]

Come with a skip and come with a hop,

I’ve some corn that you must pop.

[12]

SEWING BEE

Mother will approve of a sewing bee, you see if she doesn’t! It is a most industrious way to spend an afternoon! Invite your friends around, and ask them to bring their dolls, their work baskets, and material to work with. (Of course this is just a girls’ party! Boys are left out!) If it is warm weather, it will be pleasant to sew on the piazza or lawn, and if it is too cool for this, the playroom will be pleasant for your sewing bee. Of course the boys will say that you do more talking than sewing, but show them that they are wrong by getting some pretty clothes made for your dolls.

At the end of the afternoon clear off your sewing table, cover it with a dainty cloth and serve afternoon tea. (It is queer to call it tea, when you have cocoa or lemonade!)

[13]

Come around and stay to tea,

We will have a sewing bee;

Bring your needle, thread and thimble,

Tongues and fingers will be nimble.

[14]

[15]

PAPER DOLL PARTY

For this party you will need as many paper dolls as you have invited friends, and of course this, too, is just a girls’ party. Boys are out of it! Beside the dolls, get colored tissue or crepe paper, scissors, and paste. Arrange a table, at which to work, and when all your guests have come, you can begin dressing the paper dolls. Let each choose her own materials for the dresses. If you like, you can give a prize for the best dressed doll, mother to be the judge.

Then for refreshments lemonade, or cocoa and sandwiches will be nice, or if mother is willing, ice cream and cake. The refreshments can be served on the table, on which you are working, if you like, for it will only take a few moments to clear away the work, and arrange it for a tea table.

[16]

[17]

CLOTHES PIN PARTY

For a Clothespin Party you will need a couple of dozen clothespins, and plenty of colored tissue or crepe paper. In one corner of the invitation you can draw a clothespin. The clothespin party is very much like the paper doll party, except that you dress clothespins up for dolls, in the colored paper. You will be surprised to see what pretty dolls you can make. Mother can decide who has dressed the prettiest dolls, and give a little prize. Your friends will enjoy playing with the dolls they have dressed, until it is time for refreshments. You can serve “afternoon tea,” or something more if mother is willing.

[18]

[19]

INDOOR GARDEN PARTY

For the indoor garden party, you will need a large sheet for a screen, and plenty of pictures cut from magazines and catalogues. These pictures must be of houses, barns, stables, trees, animals, anything that will have place in an outdoor scene. You will also need a paper of pins, some large sheets of white paper, and, if you like, a couple of little gifts for prizes, such as a box of crayons or a box of paints.

After your friends have come, arrange the sheet in place, and pin in the center a large picture of a house which has been cut out. Now let your guests help themselves to the pictures which you have cut out, each taking one. For example, one child may have a barn, another a rose bush, another a dog kennel. Blindfold each in turn, and let him pin the picture on the sheet. When all have finished you will have a queer-looking landscape, for a dog kennel may be on the roof and a rose bush growing from a lawn mower!

After this game, get out your sheets of paper, scissors, and pictures which you have ready. Let each one try making a garden with his eyes open! Paste a house in the center of the paper, and arrange trees, bushes, fountain, etc., about it as[20] tastefully as possible. Then after mother has decided which is the best, you can give the prize which you have bought.

You can serve your refreshments from a little table just as you would at a garden party.

[21]

CHRISTMAS SUNSHINE PARTY

This is really the very nicest kind of a party to give. Just try it and see for yourself! For this you will need plenty of narrow, red (or red and green ribbon) holly seals, nice white wrapping paper, and any other things which make holiday packages look “Christmas-y.” Be sure not to forget a jar of paste. Buy some of the beautiful copies of famous paintings, which are sold at a cent a piece, and cards on which to mount them, at two cents each. If mother can let you have some colored cambric-pink or blue-you can use it for scrap-books, and you will also need scrap pictures and plenty of old magazines from which to cut pictures. Have ready a couple of dozen holly napkins, and three pounds of candy.

Write your invitations on paper with a holly decoration in the corner, and ask your friends to bring any toys which they are willing to give away.

Then when the children come there will be plenty to do. Two can cut scrap pictures from the magazines, another can make the scrap book from the pink or blue cambric.

The pictures will need to be mounted, and when you do these, just paste the corners to the mount.[22] They must be wrapped prettily in white paper, and either sealed with holly seals or tied with ribbon, or both. These are nice gifts for a hospital.

Two other children can attend to the candy bags. Lay a holly napkin right side up on the table and put a handful of candy in the center. Now draw the corners together, and tie firmly with ribbon, around the candy. Smooth out the corners, and you will have a pretty candy bag.

The toys which have been brought will need to be wrapped nicely and tied with ribbon, so the afternoon will pass quickly. Perhaps mother will let you serve creamed chicken, peas, potato chips, ice cream and cake to your guests, for after such a busy afternoon they will surely be hungry.

This is a very good way to entertain your Sunday school class.

[23]

EASTER SUNSHINE PARTY

This is very much like a Christmas Sunshine Party, except that you will need a number of little baskets, candy Easter eggs, lavender or yellow ribbon, lily or violet napkins, and little chickens or rabbits which you can buy for a cent a piece.

Then you can make little Easter gifts for other children and have a good time while you are doing it. Tie up the candy in the Easter napkins just as you did in the Christmas napkins, and let the children arrange pretty Easter baskets.

This is a good party to give to your Sunday school class, and your teacher.

[24]

DOLL’S CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY

This is also a Christmas holiday party. For this you will need either small evergreen branches for the Christmas tree, or better yet, the little dwarf trees in pots. Ask mother to let you have some of the ornaments from your own tree, and have plenty of colored paper, paste, scissors, also popcorn, needles and thread, and tree hooks. If you can have a little netting, some colored worsted, and candy, you can find use for them. After your friends have come, make the ornaments for your trees, such as gilt and silver stars, strings of popcorn, and chains of colored paper. Using a doll’s stocking as a pattern, cut the net in the shape of stockings, overhand two pieces together with colored worsted on three sides. Fill these bags with candy, then overhand the top together and hang on the tree.

Hot chocolate with sandwiches is nice for a winter afternoon, and your friends will enjoy it after they have finished trimming their trees.

[25]

Come spend the afternoon with me,

Be sure to bring your dolly;

We’ll trim for her a Christmas tree,

Now won’t that be real jolly?

[26]

[27]

A CHRISTMAS SEWING BEE

A Christmas sewing bee is very much like any other sewing bee, except that instead of making dolls’ clothes, you make Christmas presents. Ask the other girls to bring whatever gifts they are working on, and you can spend a busy afternoon together. Christmas time always comes more quickly than you think it will, and it is a good plan to have your presents ready early. So I’m sure mother will approve of a Christmas sewing bee.

INDOOR PICNIC

This is a nice party to give during Christmas week, when the Christmas greens are still up, and you have so many new toys that you want to show your friends. For this party you will need evergreens, an old covering like a “drugget” for the floor, large baskets, wooden plates, and refreshments such as you have at a picnic.

Before the children come, fill the baskets with sandwiches, devilled eggs, cookies, fruit, and cake, and whatever else you like to take when you go on a picnic.

Trim the playroom with greens, and cover the floor, so the picnic won’t hurt it. When your guests arrive, you can play outdoor games, just[28] as if you were at a real picnic. When it is time for refreshments, the children can help you bring in the baskets, and can set the table in true picnic style. Instead of a pitcher of water, use a pail and dipper, and if you have lemonade, that should be in a pail, too.

You will find that an indoor picnic is a great deal of fun.

[29]

INDOOR PICNIC FOR DOLLS

You can have this same kind of a picnic for your dolls. It will be great fun to make swings, see-saws and slides for them, but be careful not to let the dolls play too roughly, for they might get hurt!

Then of course you must get out your little china tea-set for your refreshments, and serve “cambric” tea and jam sandwiches.

[30]

AN AFTERNOON IN HOLLAND

This is a party which your friends will be sure to enjoy. Write your invitations on paper decorated with Delft scenes, or else upon cards cut in the shape of a Dutch shoe. Ask mother to please make you a Dutch cap of lawn, and then with a red or blue dress and a kerchief you’ll be a young Hollander. Have ready as many Dutch post cards as you have invited guests, also scissors, and a wooden shoe apiece.

First play “Going to Amsterdam,” which is the same as your old friend “Going to Jerusalem.” Then while your guests catch their breath after this very exciting trip, bring out your Dutch post cards and give one to each child, with a pair of scissors and an envelope. The post cards must all be cut into irregular pieces for puzzles, and then the pieces put in the envelope, being careful not to lose a single piece. When all the puzzles are cut, let each child pass to his right-hand neighbor. Then allow five minutes to put the puzzles together, after which you pass puzzles again. If you have not invited many guests, you can keep on passing puzzles till you have solved them all.

Now for the game of “Wise Men,” which is really a German game, but will do very well for[31] a Dutch party. Choose three children for the wise men. These three enter the room, and are asked, “Who are you?” They answer, “Three men traveling hither from the East.” Then comes the question, “What kind of men are you?”

“We are good, honest men.”

“What is your trade?”

The “wise men” must then go through the motions of some trade, such as baking, ploughing, building, etc. The others must guess the occupation meant, and as soon as they have guessed three other wise men are chosen.

A more restful game is Dutch Housewife.

One child is chosen for “Housewife” and she must ask contributions for her kitchen. So each in turn offers to give some article used in the kitchen, such as a stove, dishpan, plate, etc. Then the “Housewife” must ask each player ten questions, and to each question, the article contributed must be given as the reply. Whoever laughs must pay a forfeit. If you have promised a dishpan, and the housewife asks, “In what do you ride?” you must of course answer, “A dishpan.” It’s hard not to laugh, and almost everyone has to pay a forfeit.

The supper table can be set in Delft blue with a small windmill for a centerpiece, and at each[32] place have a wooden shoe, filled with chocolates. Mother would be sure to say that a regular “Dutch lunch” would mean a visit from the doctor some hours later. So instead of pickles and cheese, and all the other indigestibles that the grown folks enjoy, serve chocolate with whipped cream, sandwiches, chocolate bonbons, and honey cakes. (These latter you can buy at any German bakery.)

I’m sure your friends will all vote this “Afternoon in Holland” a great success.

TO MISS WISTARIA

[33]

JAPANESE TEA

This may be given indoors or on the piazza, according to the season of the year. Send your invitations on note paper with a Japanese decoration in the corner, and address each friend by some Japanese name such as Wistaria, Chrysanthemum or Cherry Blossom. If this is to be an indoor tea, arrange one room to look as much like Japan as possible, and this can be done by taking the furniture out! Place straw mats on the floor to be used for chairs. Little bamboo plant stands, and footstools will do very well for tables, and a few plants will decorate the room nicely. Maple branches at the doorways or artificial cherry boughs will give a very festive air.

Japanese costumes can be easily managed. All you need is a kimona, wide sash, and a few little fans for your hair. The sash should be tied under your arms with a “butterfly” bow in the back, and your hair should be dressed high, and ornamented with tiny fans. If you haven’t a kimona, borrow mother’s, and make a deep hem in it, so that it will be the right length.

If you want to be very “Japanese,” your friends can remove their shoes at the door of the room. They must address you very respectfully,[34] and speak of your “magnificent home,” while you, according to Japanese rules of politeness, should thank them for coming to your miserable hut!

Have a few checker-boards, and a game of Halma in readiness, for checkers and backgammon are Japanese games, while Halma is very much like a game which represents the fifty-three post stations between Yedo and Kioto. Call the starting place “Yedo,” and your goal “Kioto” and you have almost exactly a Japanese game. Charades are favorite amusements of Japanese children, and so is a game like our “Authors.”

It would be very interesting if mother would read aloud a Japanese fairy story, for you would all enjoy it.

Refreshments should be brought in on a lacquer tray and served on the low stools, and of course you will need Japanese dishes. Tea, dainty little cakes and bonbons would be a good choice for refreshments, but it would be an excellent plan to set a plate of sandwiches on your tray, too, for the Japanese menu might not be sufficient for an American appetite.

[35]

JAPANESE TEA (Outdoors)

For a Japanese Tea on the lawn you will need the same costumes as for an indoor tea. The refreshments, too, are the same, and the piazza can be easily arranged in Japanese style.

If you are fortunate enough to have plenty of room for your party, a kite-playing contest will be great fun, and you must be sure to get the queer “bird” kites that the children of Japan love. Puss-in-the-corner is a Japanese game (did you know it before?) and so is Blindman’s Buff.

Japanese girls and boys enjoy battledore and shuttlecock, and when they play, whoever fails must have his face marked with charcoal.

The Japanese children are fond of playing ball, too, and they use a ball wound with silk of different colors.

By the time that you have tried all these games, you and your guests will be quite ready to sit down on the straw mats, and enjoy Japanese refreshments.

[36]

TO JACK-RUN-A-RACE

[37]

HIAWATHA PARTY

This is a party for the country, and though it sounds like a boys’ party, the girls will enjoy it, too.

For this you will need a target, one of the new guns which shoots rubber-tipped arrows, several boxes of beads, a set of quoits, boomerangs (which you can buy for twenty-five cents at a toy store), a football, and a number of prizes. These may be Indian baskets, birch bark canoes, or anything that is Indian. For your costume you can buy a “Hiawatha” or “Minnehaha” suit from a dollar up, or for twenty-five cents you can get a kind of Indian apron which is stamped on muslin, all ready to cut out. Write your invitations on birch bark, with your pyrography set (if you have one), and ask your friends to wear Indian costumes and to take an Indian name for the occasion.

A Hiawatha Party should be a field day of outdoor sports, so arrange a program of races, (obstacle and hurdle races would be fun) and have a prize for each winner. Quoits is an Indian game, or at least, the Indians play a game very much like our quoits, and when your guests are tired of this, set up your target for an archery contest. The girls will enjoy making bead necklaces,[38] and if they have brought their dolls, each doll must be strapped to a board in “papoose” style, and be fastened to her “mother’s” shoulders.

Indians are fond of football, although they don’t play by rules, for they simply kick the ball about, and each tries to keep it as long as possible.

Boomerangs are very fascinating toys, which will sail through the air, circle around the object you aimed at, and come back to you.

When the braves and squaws have grown hungry, the kettle of steaming “venison” should be brought in, and the whole tribe sits down around it. It is not really venison, but stewed chicken, which the “tribe” probably prefers to venison, and with it are passed hot cornbread and ears of corn. Berries may be served in birch bark[39]
[40] dishes, and little birch bark canoes are good for souvenirs.

The Braves and the Squaws.

After supper the whole tribe should take part in an Indian war dance about a camp fire, and then, having said farewell to Hiawatha and Minnehaha, return along the trail, each to his own tepee.

[41]

DAFFODIL PARTY

Plenty of “daffy-down-dillies” will be used for this party, also materials for making them of paper (you can buy this already prepared), brown tissue paper, yellow and green crepe paper, clothes pins, yellow baby ribbon, and as many little gifts as you have invited guests. Get a shallow wooden box about two feet long and one foot wide and fill it with sawdust. Wrap your gifts in the brown tissue paper, so that they will look like bulbs. Now fasten each to the stem of a daffodil (you may use paper daffodils if you wish) and “plant” them in your box of sawdust. When you have finished, your box will look like a bed of daffodils, especially if you cover the outside of the box with green paper. Arrange vases of daffodils around the room, or piazza. It would be a very good idea for you to wear yellow sash and ribbons with your white dress. Then you’ll be a “daffy-down-dilly” yourself! After your friends have come you can give each one materials for a paper daffodil, and whoever makes the prettiest, should receive a little prize. Next you can dress “daffy-down-dilly” dolls, using clothes pins, and the crepe paper, and of course the one whose doll is the best should have some reward.[42]

After you have played whatever games your guests will enjoy the best, lead the way to the fairy daffodil bed, which is, of course, your wooden box. Then let each pull out a daffodil, and find the surprise hidden at the root.

Mother will probably decorate the table in yellow for you, and of course in the center will be a big bowl of daffodils. Chicken salad, potato chips, rolls, frozen custard, cakes with orange icing, and salted nuts, would be a very good choice for refreshments, as they would carry out the yellow plan. It would be an excellent idea to give each one of your guests a few daffodils to take home.

[43]

BUTTERCUP PARTY

This is just the party for the country when the buttercups seem to be nodding their yellow heads to you and saying, “Come and pick us!”

The invitations for this party may be neatly printed with gilt paint upon a white card, or else written on note paper which has a buttercup decoration.

You will need to have ready a number of little yellow baskets—as many as you have invited children—two or three pounds of “buttercup” candies, and a sheet on which mother has drawn in yellow crayon, a large buttercup without any stem. Cut out of pasteboard or cloth a stem to fit this buttercup.

It would be a good idea for you to wear a white dress with yellow sash and hair ribbons.

After your guests have come, first of all you can have a buttercup hunt. Give each child a yellow basket in which to collect candy buttercups. Mother has hidden the buttercups for you, having first wrapped each in paraffine paper. (They would be sticky if she didn’t do this!) After you have filled your baskets, and if you choose, have given a prize to the one collecting the most buttercups, you can announce a buttercup contest. This is exactly like a donkey[44] party, except that the blindfolded one must pin the stem on the buttercup. It isn’t as easy as it would seem!

Next you can play “Buttercups and Farmer.” This is a form of blindman’s buff, for the “farmer” must be blindfolded. Take a space on the lawn about twenty feet square for the “field” and place the “farmer” in the center. The “buttercups” (who are the rest of the children) may take their places anywhere in the field. When ready to begin, the farmer says,

He is then allowed to take eight steps, while the buttercups must not move. If he touches a buttercup, and names the child who is the buttercup, that one becomes farmer. If the farmer fails to touch a buttercup he must be led back to the center of the field again.

When it is time for refreshments, the table can be set out under the trees, and if mother is willing, your girl friends will enjoy decorating it with buttercups. For refreshments you can serve chicken sandwiches, lemonade, little cakes iced with orange icing, and ice cream in yellow paper cases. A little girl who gave this party said that it was a great deal of fun.

[45]

TULIP TEA

As tulips are the national flower of Holland, a tulip tea is only another form of a Dutch party. The Dutch games may be played, and for a surprise, a tulip bed should be arranged, just as the daffodil bed was.

The same refreshments may be served at your “Tulip Tea,” as you had for your afternoon in Holland, but your table decorations will need to be different. The very prettiest centerpiece you can have would be gay red and yellow tulips in a Japanese flower-holder. If you do not own one of these latter, give one to mother for her birthday, for they do not cost much, and are much prettier for flowers than a vase.

The candles should have red and yellow shades, and a little “tulip” lamp should stand at each place as a souvenir to take home.

[46]

CLOVER PARTY

Perhaps you have near your house a clover patch where four-leaved clovers are whispering “Come and find me!” Then of course you must have a clover party! Press as many clover leaves as you have invited guests, and decorate each invitation card with one of the pressed leaves. Write the invitations in green ink. There isn’t a great deal to get ready for this party. Ask mother for a sheet, and either you or she can draw in green crayon a large, four-leaved clover. Cut from green cardboard four leaves which will exactly fit this outline. Have ready a large paper bag filled with nuts and candy, a stick twined with green paper for a wand, and as many green baskets as you have invited children. Do not forget to have several “clover” pins, to use for prizes.

After everyone has come, you can announce a four-leaved clover hunt, and reward the lucky finder with the clover pin, as a prize.

Next comes the clover contest, which is almost the same as the famous “Donkey Party.” Fasten up between two trees the sheet upon which the four-leaved clover has been drawn. Blindfold each child in turn, giving him the four clover leaves to pin in place, and give a prize to[47] the one who has come nearest to the right places.

“Bees in Clover” is a lively game which all will enjoy. Mark off a line by means of string, which shall be the boundary of the “clover patch.” The farmer stands in the clover patch, and tries to keep the bees (the other children), out of his clover. As soon as a bee crosses the line, the farmer tries to touch him, and if he succeeds, the bee must stay and help him catch the others.

When you are tired of this game, ask mother to hang the bag of nuts and candy high up, where you can reach it with the wand, and give each child a basket. Now blindfold each in turn, and let him try to be the “lucky” one who will strike the bag with the wand and break it. When the bag is broken the candy and nuts will come tumbling down, and then there will be a general scramble to gather them and fill the baskets.

Refreshments should be served on the lawn or piazza, and the table should be prettily decorated with clover blossoms. The refreshments may be tongue and lettuce sandwiches, grape lemonade, cakes with pink icing and cherry ice. It would be a good idea to serve the sandwiches from picnic plates decorated with clover.

[48]

[49]

ROSE PARTY

In June, when the roses are blooming in the garden, or climbing over the piazza, you must be sure to have a rose party! Give it on the lawn, if you are fortunate enough to have one, or else on the piazza.

If you do not mail your invitations but have them left at your friends’ homes, tie each note with pink ribbon to the stem of a pink rose.

For your party you will need to have ready “Rose Ring Toss.” If you have a set of “ring toss,” wind the hoops with pink paper, and if you have not a set, you can easily make one, by winding different size embroidery hoops with pink paper, and driving a stake in the ground where you are ready to play. Have ready, also, a number of pink bean bags.

The first game to play is “Drop the Rose,” which is just like “Drop the Handkerchief,” except that you use a long-stemmed pink rose (be sure and trim the thorns off!).

This can be followed by “Rose Ring Toss,” and of course you know that this is played by standing some distance from the stake, and trying to throw the rings over it. The large ring counts five, the next ten, and the next fifteen.[50] Mother will keep score for you, and she can decide what number will win the game.

A party wouldn’t be complete without “London Bridge!” But as this is a rose party the “pillars” of the bridge can offer each child the choice between a red rose or a pink rose. Next you can enjoy a game of bean bag.

By this time you will be ready for refreshments, and mother will not have any difficulty in decorating the table, with plenty of roses at hand. In the center of the table should be a “Jack Horner” pie, in the form of a large paper rose, and from this “pie,” pink ribbons run to each place. (A Jack Horner pie can be bought, all ready to set on the table.) Little candy boxes with a rose decoration will be just the thing for souvenirs to take home. For refreshments have creamed chicken, or chicken salad, rolls, small cakes iced in pink, salted nuts, pink bonbons, and strawberry ice cream. To serve the ice cream in a very pretty way, take small flower pots, and scrub them well, till they are as clean as clean can be. Then they can be filled with strawberry ice cream. Next, chocolate is grated, on the top, until the pink is covered and it looks like a little pot of earth. Now stick a pink rose in it, as if the rose were growing in the pot, and[51] you will have a “dainty dish to set before a king!”

After you have finished, when mother gives the signal, pull the pink ribbons and out from the Jack Horner pie will come a present for each of you.

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[53]

DAISY PARTY

When the fields are full of daisies, and they are growing in the parks, too, ask mother to allow you to go and gather some, and then you’ll be ready for a daisy party. Of course this is an outdoor party!

When you write your invitations, sketch a daisy in the corner (a daisy isn’t hard to draw!) and color it with your crayons. For your party you will need a sheet like you had for your buttercup party, except that a daisy is drawn, instead of a buttercup. Daisy ring toss is like rose ring toss, too, except that the rings are wound with yellow and white paper. You will need, also, some little gift, as a prize for the one who pins the stem to the daisy. If you like, you can make a few yellow and white bean bags.

It will not be hard to entertain your friends at the daisy party. “Drop the Daisy” is a lively game like “Drop the Handkerchief.” Daisy ring toss will be a great deal of fun, and every one will enjoy trying to pin the stem to the daisy. You can have a merry game with the yellow and white bean bags, and then will be ready for refreshments. If your guests are girls, they will enjoy helping you decorate the table with daisies, but perhaps mother will prefer to do it herself.[54]

For supper, serve chicken salad, rolls, deviled eggs, white and gold cake, and vanilla ice cream. Have the ice cream cut in round slices (it should be packed in a can for this) and in the center, place a round of lemon jelly, to resemble the center of the daisy.

[55]

SOAP BUBBLE PARTY

This is either an outdoor or an indoor party, but if the weather is warm, very likely mother would prefer that you gave it out doors. Mother Nature’s green carpet isn’t easily spoiled. For this party you will need gingham aprons, pipes, bowls, soap, and small tables, as well as several prizes. You can blow bubbles with a penny clay pipe, but nowadays there are fascinating “bubble” sets which cost twenty-five cents. With these you can blow the most remarkable bubbles, and with each set are directions for fancy bubble blowing, which will keep you busy the whole afternoon.

You can have contests, and give a prize for the largest bubble, the one that lasts the longest, the one that floats the highest, etc. Mother will probably be willing to “umpire” and award the prizes.

For refreshments, serve sandwiches, fruit lemonade, ice cream and lady-fingers.

CHRYSANTHEMUM PARTY

This is just the same as a Japanese tea, except that since it is in chrysanthemum time, it must be an indoor party. Decorate your rooms with[56] chrysanthemums instead of artificial cherry blossoms, and be sure to wear a chrysanthemum in your hair, tucked over your ear.

Play the games described for the Japanese tea, and serve the same refreshments.

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VALENTINE PARTY

Valentine’s Day is an ideal day for a party, and if mother says “yes,” why, send out your invitations right away. Use heart-shaped cards, and seal the envelopes with tiny “heart” seals. Of course your preparations for the party will depend on how much money you have to spend, but here are some ideas that have been tried, and are a great deal of fun. When you are sure of the number of guests, buy heart-shaped boxes, large red cardboard hearts, gifts, and make small red bags, enough for each child to have one. Borrow mother’s scissors, a jar of paste, and hunt up any old magazines or catalogues that may be in the house. Place a gift in each “heart” box, wrap each box up neatly, and tie with scarlet ribbon. A few vases of scarlet carnations, and strings of hearts looped about, will give the room a very festive air. Hide the candy hearts around the room, where they will not be found too easily. If you wear a red sash and hair ribbons with your white dress, you will look like a real little Valentine girl, all ready to receive your guests.

The first “number on the program” may be a Heart Hunt, so give each child a red bag in which to collect the hearts which he finds. Next[58] comes a heart auction, and mother can be auctioneer and sell at auction the heart-shaped boxes. The “customers” bid with candy hearts instead of money, and nobody can make more than one purchase.

Then St. Valentine’s candle (which is a red candle in a candlestick) may be lit, and placed on a table. Each child, in turn, must be blindfolded and stand ten paces away from the candle. He turns around three times, takes ten steps toward the candle, as he supposes, and then tries to blow it out. The one who is successful in this, will be very fortunate through the coming year.

Next distribute the pasteboard hearts, and let each guest write his or her name on them. Now pass to the right-hand neighbor, who must decorate the heart with pictures cut from catalogues or magazines. For instance, Dorothy’s heart will be ornamented with pictures of dogs, birds, hair ribbons and candy, for these are Dorothy’s favorites. Jack’s heart will be decorated with pictures of automobiles, motor boats, guns, and fishing tackle. Each heart is supposed to show just what the owner is fond of.

Then supper can be served, and since it is Valentine’s Day a “hearty” supper will be just the thing.[59]

Red carnations and red-shaded candles make a pretty decoration, or if mother is willing to take more trouble, a Cupid may occupy the place of honor in the center of the table. From his bow, narrow red ribbons extend to silver cardboard arrows, which are at each place, and serve as “place cards.” “Coup jacques,” for the first course, sound interesting and are as nice as they sound. Fill sherbet glasses half full of small pieces of pineapple, orange and banana, then cover with cherry ice, smoothing the top over carefully. Oysters in heart-shaped pattie shells, heart-shaped sandwiches, heart cakes, and bonbons, and ice cream in the form of hearts, will make a very nice Valentine supper, and there should be a dainty Valentine souvenir at each plate.

When your guests say “good-bye,” they’ll tell you that they have had a lovely time. See if they don’t!

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[61]

A Dance of Grandmother’s Time.

[62]

GEORGE WASHINGTON PARTY

Very probably George Washington never had a birthday party, as he lived in the days when children were “seen and not heard.” So it would be a good idea to have a party in his honor on his birthday. Of course you will need old-fashioned costumes, and these will probably be found by ransacking the garret. But if, like Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, the garret is bare, you can easily borrow a skirt of mother’s, fasten it under your arms, tie a sash in Empire style, put on a kerchief, and there you are!

All that you will need to have ready for this party will be silhouette paper, and cardboard mounts for the silhouette pictures.

The afternoon may be spent in playing old-fashioned games, such as “London Bridge,” “What is my Thought Like,” “Proverbs,” “Going to Jerusalem,” and “Mulberry Bush,” ending up with a Virginia reel. Then while you are resting, mother will make a silhouette picture of each one of you. You must sit in front of a lamp so that your shadow will fall clearly upon the wall or door. Then the paper should be fastened so that your shadow will fall on it, and an outline be made with pencil. This outline is to be cut out, and pasted upon a cardboard[63] mount, and there is a fine silhouette portrait! These portraits can be hung about the room, as an art gallery, and you can have a great deal of fun trying to decide “who’s who.”

By this time you will be ready for mother’s old-fashioned supper, so you will sit down at “early candle light,” and enjoy stewed chicken and waffles, hot biscuit, preserves, cake and ice cream. If mother wishes to be very “colonial” she will have a large ball of popcorn in the center of the table. A box of bonbons in the form of a three-cornered hat, will be a nice souvenir for each guest.

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ST. PATRICK’S PARTY

As St. Patrick’s Day draws near you will see so many fascinating little souvenirs in the stores that you really can’t help asking mother to let you have a St. Patrick’s party. I hope she will say “Yes!”

In the corner of your invitations should be a shamrock or an Irish hat, and you can buy these cards just before St. Patrick’s Day. For your party you will need two pounds of candy “shamrocks,” as many small baskets tied with green ribbon as you have invited guests, a sheet upon which a shamrock has been drawn (the one you had for your clover party will do), and a smooth, white stone, for the “Blarney Stone.” Beside these have ready two dozen potatoes, a couple of tablespoons, two shallow baskets and three prizes.

Of course, before your friends arrive you must pin a green bow on your dress, since this is the day for “The Wearin’ of the Green.”

First comes the shamrock hunt, so give to each child a bag or basket, and sharp eyes will soon find the shamrocks which have been hidden about the room.

Next, have the potato race in the hall, and of course you know how to have a potato race![66]

Place the potatoes a foot apart in two long rows. Let two children race first, and they must lift the potatoes on a spoon, one by one, and carry them back to the basket. Whoever drops one is out of the race.

A box of candy decorated in green will be a good prize for the winner.

As a rest from the excitement of the potato race, the shamrock contest may come next, and this is just like the clover contest at your clover party.

Last of all, your friends must all kiss the Blarney Stone, for of course you know that whoever kisses the Blarney Stone will ever after say nothing but pleasant words. Place the stone (which you have had well scrubbed) in the center of a table and blindfold each of your guests in turn, and let them try to kiss it, and whoever is successful will be fortunate ever after, as the fairy tales say.

The supper table can be decorated very prettily for a St. Patrick’s party with green-shaded candles and ferns. After the lively games the “company” will enjoy creamed chicken with peas, potato chips (it wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s supper without potatoes!), cakes with pistachio icing, green mint candy, and although pistachio ice cream would carry out the green[67] color plan, yet it would be better to have vanilla, as there are many who do not care for pistachio. It would be a good plan to have a little souvenir at each plate.

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[69]

EASTER PARTY

There may be “Blue Mondays,” but surely Easter Monday is one of the brightest, happiest days that ever dawned. Of course you are anxious for your friends to see the Easter gifts which you have received, so if mother is willing, send out your invitations for an Easter party, not forgetting to seal them with a lily seal.

For your party you will need colored tissue paper (as many different colors as you will have guests), also a small basket apiece, and plenty of little rabbits, chickens and eggs. Buy a couple of pounds of jelly eggs, and have ready a medium-sized, shallow basket. If this is a “girls’” party, have ready eggshells from which the egg has been blown, also scissors and paste. Don’t forget a little gift for a prize, and be sure to have for each guest an egg, upon which his or her name is marked.

Before the children arrive, wrap the chickens, rabbits and eggs separately in the colored tissue paper, the same number in each color, and hide them about the room. Hide the jelly eggs, too, but of course these need not be wrapped.

Then you can begin your party with an “Easter hunt.” Give each child a basket to gather “treasures” in, but (this is important!) he can[70] only keep articles wrapped in the color with which his basket is tied. Of course with jelly eggs, “finding’s keeping.” Next in order comes “Tossing Eggs.” This sounds startling, but jelly eggs won’t make any trouble. Place the basket at one end of the room. Now, let each child stand nine feet distant and try to throw twelve jelly eggs into the basket. The one who is the best marksman wins a prize.

A race with the small Easter eggs is “run” just in the same way as a potato race, except that teaspoons are used instead of tablespoons.

The girls will enjoy trying their millinery skill by making tissue paper caps or bonnets for the Easter eggshells, and mother can decide which “egg lady” deserves a prize.

The supper table for the Easter party can be made very pretty indeed. A hen on a nest will be a good centerpiece, and scattered here and there on the table place fluffy little ducks and chickens. Your guests will greatly enjoy creamed chicken with peas, deviled eggs, ice cream in the form of lilies, or in lily paper cases, bonbons and fancy cakes.

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RABBIT PARTY

Your older sister will tell you that she knows all about rabbit parties, and that for this festivity you will require cheese and a chafing dish. But she’s very much mistaken, even if she has been to college. What you must have for your rabbit party is a sheet with a rabbit drawn on it, and a pair of cloth ears to pin on the rabbit. You’ll also need a small candy rabbit, some modeling clay (and aprons!) and three prizes, but these are all, for this isn’t a college party.

Of course your invitations have been written on paper which is decorated with a bunny.

Your first game can be the rabbit contest, and for this let each child in turn be blindfolded and try to pin the ears on the rabbit. A prize will reward the one who pins them the nearest to their proper place.

Next snip out with sharp scissors two small holes for the rabbit’s eyes. Divide the children into two groups, and let the first group go “behind the scenes.” Then one after another can look through the rabbit’s eyes, and the outside group must try to guess who owns each pair of eyes. It is harder than you would think. Then the groups can change places, and the second group be guessers.[72]

Next get out your modeling clay and aprons, and the whole party can model rabbits. The sculptor of the most life-like rabbit will of course deserve a prize.

“Magic Music,” or “Rabbit Hunt,” is the next game. Choose some one to leave the room. Then hide the candy rabbit, and mother will begin to play softly. The “hunter” must be guided by the music, which is soft as he is far from the hiding place, but grows loud when he is near. If there is time before supper, the children can “settle down,” while mother reads aloud a “B’rer Rabbit” story.

“B’rer Rabbit” is king of the supper table, too, for he sits proudly in the center, holding pink ribbons like reins in his hands. These ribbons run to each place and are fastened to whatever souvenirs you have chosen to give your friends. “Baby Bunting” dolls would be nice for them.

For refreshments, serve sandwiches, rabbit cookies, candy, salted nuts and ice cream in rabbit forms.

[73]

MAY DAY PARTY (Outdoors)

It does seem as if May Day ought to be spent in the woods and fields, under bright blue skies. So if the weather man will be so very obliging as to prophesy a mild May Day, why then let’s off to the woods for a May Day party. Ask your guests to bring baskets for gathering flowers, and it would be a good plan to have a trowel with you to dig up ferns and plants.

If you can have your May party near a brook, a boat race would be a great deal of fun, and you can provide boats for your guests. “Still Pond” is a good game for a May party, and so is “Puss in the Corner.”

Mother will pack up a picnic luncheon for you, and the “first picnic” of the season will surely be a success.

MAY DAY

May Day always makes us think of a May pole, and May dance, and a pretty queen crowned with flowers. But May Day is apt to be chilly and disagreeable, so you couldn’t very well think of tripping around the May pole with your winter coat and your overshoes on. But how about a Sunshine May party for your Sunday-school[74] class? If mother is willing, invite your teacher, the girls (for this is a girls’ party. We’re sorry, boys, but you really wouldn’t enjoy this!) Buy some colored crepe paper and a couple of dozen round paper cases such as are sold for fifteen cents a dozen. Paste and scissors will be needed also. When your friends come you can all busy yourselves making May baskets from the crepe paper and the paper cases.

When they are all finished they may be filled with spring flowers and sent to a children’s hospital. Wouldn’t you enjoy a pretty little basket of flowers if you were sick?

Then it will be a simple matter to “clear up” and set the table for afternoon tea. But perhaps the “best mother that ever was” has decorated the table in the dining-room with spring flowers, and has prepared an appetizing supper of creamed chicken, peas, potato chips, cake and tutti-frutti jelly. That would be better, even, than afternoon tea!

[75]

Queen of the May.

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FOURTH OF JULY PARTY

Mother will highly approve of a Fourth of July without fireworks, and when you ask to have a Fourth of July lawn party she will be quite sure to say “Yes.” If you haven’t note paper with a firecracker in the corner, why, you can get out your box of paints and do the decorating yourself. A red firecracker isn’t hard to draw and paint. For this party you will need two dozen tiny flags (the paper ones will do nicely), two tape measures, three shallow baskets, of different sizes, three red, three white and three blue bean bags, an archery set, with red, white and blue target. Beside all these, have on hand plenty of candy torpedoes, and as many red, white and blue baskets as you have invited children. Don’t forget to have several prizes ready.

An archery contest will be a great deal of fun, and you can use a gun (instead of a bow) with rubber-tipped arrows. Each circle in the target counts a certain number of points, and mother will probably consent to be score keeper.

Next comes a “soldier” game. Divide the children into two companies, and let each company stand in a row, facing the other, with a line drawn on the ground between them. The first row sing, to the tune of “Mulberry Bush,”

[78]

The second row sing:

The first company answer:

The second company then sing:

Jimmy and Tommy join hands across the line for a tug of war, and whichever one is pulled over must join the enemy’s forces. At the end of fifteen minutes the side which has the most “soldiers” wins.

Next comes “bean bag toss.” Arrange the three shallow baskets one inside the other, and let each child stand ten feet distant. Now, he must toss the bean bags into the baskets, and a bag which falls in the center basket counts fifteen, in the next, ten, and in the outer one, five.[79] Give a prize to the child who wins the most points.

After this you can have a flag race. Choose two of your guests and give each twelve flags and a tape measure. The flags must be set in the ground one foot apart, and the one who has his row set out first wins. The children can run in couples, then the winners should race, and the victorious “flag planter” should be rewarded with a prize.

Next you will all enjoy a torpedo hunt. Distribute the baskets, and if you search in the grass, and among the bushes, and on the piazza, you will find torpedoes hidden. These won’t “go off,” but, better yet, they are filled with candy.

By this time you will be wondering if it isn’t supper time, and, sure enough, mother appears to lead the way. The table has been set in patriotic style, with red, white and blue paper tablecloth and napkins. At each place have a tall “cannon cracker” filled with bonbons, and in the center of the table may be a red, white and blue “Jack Horner” pie. Tricolor ribbons run from this to each place and are attached to a place card. Serve sandwiches, ice cream, lemonade and cake. After you have finished, draw your[80] ribbons, and out of the pie will come a gift wrapped in red, white or blue paper.

Mother may be tired from the “party,” but she will be happier than if you had been playing with firecrackers all day. Just ask her!

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HALLOWE’EN PARTY

Although mother says that you are not old enough to stay up late for a Hallowe’en frolic, very likely she’ll let you have a party in the afternoon. You can darken the rooms and have just as good a time as if it were an evening party. Now’s the time to go to your “dress-up” trunk or barrel and get out all the treasures you have put away there. Buy masks, so that each of your friends will have one, for it wouldn’t be Hallowe’en without “dressing up,” would it?

Have ready a rather shallow box (about six inches deep) filled with sawdust, and in this box bury a number of gifts—one for each child whom you have invited. You will need a small shovel, too.

Have ready also several quarts of peanuts, plenty of red apples, and the favors which come in the form of walnuts. These you can make yourself, if you like, by cracking walnuts carefully so that the halves will be perfect. Place inside the shell one of the printed “fortunes,” which you can buy, and glue the two halves of the shell together. If you make the “magic” walnuts yourself, only do one at a time, or else you will have trouble putting the halves of the shell together.[82]

When your friends arrive you can invite them to “dress up” in the masks and clothes which you have ready, and then you can have a jolly time playing “Going to Jerusalem,” “Spin the Platter,” “Magic Music” and others. Then all can unmask.

Now invite your guests to sit down at small tables, or they may all draw up before a large table, and give each twenty peanuts, a saucer and a long hat pin. When the signal is given, each must spear the peanuts, one at a time, with the hat pin, and put them in the saucer. This is quite a good deal harder than it sounds. A prize should reward the one who finishes first.

Next fill a tumbler with flour, press it down tightly and turn it out in a mold. Stick a dime (which you have washed) in the top of this mold and set it on a small table. Form in line and march around the table, and each in turn must cut a slice from the mold, straight down. Whosever slice makes the mold fall in, must lift out the dime with his teeth.

Shadow pictures will be a great deal of fun. Stretch a sheet across the room and divide the company into two groups. Arrange a light so that shadow pictures can be made on the screen. Now let the first group go “behind the scenes,” and one after the other pass between the light[83]
[84] and the curtain. The audience must guess “Who’s who,” so, of course, the others must try to fix themselves up so that their shadows will not be recognized. After all of the first group have been guessed, the second group can be “actors.”

A Hallowe’en Party.

“Bobbing for apples” means a tub of water and a great deal of splashing, so mother would probably say “No.” Instead, hang the apples on strings from the ceiling, and try to bite them, while your hands are tied behind you.

When you are tired of this, announce a “Trip to the Klondike.” Lead the way to your sawdust box and let each in turn dig till he finds a gift wrapped in yellow paper.

You’ll be ready for supper by this time, and when you see the dining-room table you’ll say “Oh!” Mother will have a yellow pumpkin jack-o’-lantern in the center, and here and there over the table she has placed little black cats, and doll witches and brownies. The sandwiches will be served on wooden plates decorated with black cats. Beside these, she will have for you gingerbread, cookies, nuts, fruits and nut candies. Of course, she hasn’t forgotten the Hallowe’en cake in which is baked a thimble, a new penny and a ring.

Try this party and see what a good time you’ll have.

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COLONIAL GARDEN PARTY

This is a girls’ party, and perhaps your Sunday-school class would enjoy giving it on the church lawn. You will need quaint, old-fashioned costumes, and very likely you can find them in the attic, in great-grandmother’s trunk. Ask mother to dress your hair high and powder it.

You and your classmates can serve old-time refreshments, such as frozen custard and pound cake, or “election” cake, fruit punch (which you can make like fruit lemonade) and ices.

Arrange a program of old-fashioned music, such as “Ben Bolt,” “Nancy Lee,” “Kathleen Mavourneen,” “Blue Bells of Scotland,” and others. Your musical friends will be glad to help you, and your teacher will take charge of the refreshments, while you and your classmates serve the guests. You can probably make quite a good deal of money by this party, especially if there are summer hotels in your town.

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THANKSGIVING

After the Thanksgiving dinner, it will be a good plan to have some lively games for the whole family. Otherwise it’s more than likely that you’ll get into some mischief, at least, the boys will. So here are some games which you’ll all enjoy:

First of all, suppose you try “It.” This is just as foolish as it sounds, but it makes a great deal of fun for all. Choose some person for “It.” He must leave the room, and when he comes in again, must do his best to make the others laugh. They, on their part, try their best not to, for the first who laughs becomes “It.” So the unfortunate “It” dresses up in some queer style and tries to win a smile from his audience, while they watch him very gravely. It is discouraging, indeed.

Suddenly there will be a titter, a giggle and then a burst of laughter from every one, and whoever starts the laughter must change places with “It.”

Next try “Telegrams.” This calls for pencils and paper. Give each player eight letters of the alphabet. From these letters he must arrange a telegram, each word of which must begin with the given letter. For instance, if the letters “S F M B H S A P” are given, the telegram[88] may be, “Send for mother. Billy has swallowed a pin.”

Dumb Crambo is a good game for older people as well as young folks. Divide the company into two groups and let each choose a captain. One group must remain in the room, while the other goes out. The inside group decide on a word of one syllable which can be acted. Perhaps they choose “chat.” Then they tell the others that the word rhymes with “bat.” The second group tries to guess the word, but must act out their guesses in pantomime. They may try “hat” or “mat,” but not until they have acted “chat” will the others applaud them. Then the groups change places and the second group becomes audience.

“Spin the Platter” is a lively game for Thanksgiving afternoon. The players must draw up their chairs in a circle, and each must have a number, odd numbers for the boys and even numbers for the girls. One child stands in the center and spins a wooden plate or tray, calling at the same time a number. The one whose number is called jumps up and tries to catch the platter before it has stopped spinning, and if he fails to do this he must pay a forfeit.

Other games which you will enjoy playing on[89] Thanksgiving afternoon will be found in the chapter on “Additional Games.”

So Thanksgiving afternoon, which you children are apt to find rather long, will pass very pleasantly, indeed.

A HOLLY LUNCHEON

Wouldn’t it be lovely if mother let you give a luncheon during the holidays? It would be quite “grown up.” A holly luncheon would be just the thing for Christmas week, and your friends would enjoy seeing all your pretty Christmas gifts. You can help mother decorate the table with holly. Have a large bowl of it in the center and a pretty spray at each place. Use holly napkins, of course. Here is a good menu for you:

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ADDITIONAL GAMES—MENAGERIE

A new game which you will enjoy playing is called “Menagerie.” Choose one of the children for “keeper” and blindfold him. After he is blindfolded, each of the others must choose the name of some animal. The “animals” then form a circle around the keeper and march about him till he gives the order to “halt.” Then he calls for an animal to come into the “cage” (the circle), such as “bear.” The bear enters the circle and, standing near the keeper, growls. The keeper must guess the name of the child who is the bear, and if he fails he must be keeper again. If he guesses right the “bear” becomes the keeper. Each child, when called into the circle, must make the noise of the animal he represents.

CRITICISM

To play criticism, choose one of the children to be criticised. Now let another child take pencil and paper and ask each one to whisper something about the child who was chosen, writing the remark down so as to remember it. Then he must read these sayings and the one who is criticised must guess who said them. For instance,[91] Jack has asked every one to say something about Marjorie. When he has finished he turns to Marjorie. “Some one says you have pretty curls.” Marjorie guesses Edna.

Jack: “No, you are wrong. Some one says your blue sash is lovely.”

Marjorie: “Grace said that.”

If Grace was the one she must take Marjorie’s place.

Of course only pleasant things must be said about each other.

MUSICAL NEIGHBORS

This is an old-fashioned game which you will be sure to enjoy. Divide the company into two groups and blindfold one group. The blindfolded children must then be seated so that there is a vacant chair beside each of them. Then others must quietly sit down, so that beside each blindfolded child sits one who is not blindfolded. A chord is played on the piano and then a familiar tune, such as “Yankee Doodle.” All the children who are not blindfolded must sing and the blindfolded ones must guess from the voice who is sitting beside them. Whoever guesses right is allowed to remove the bandage from his eyes. Of course in singing each one tries to disguise his voice.

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HUNT THE RING

Stand in a circle and hold a cord whose ends are joined together, having first slipped a ring on the cord. Choose some child to stand in the center of the circle. The ring is slipped from one to another, always keeping it hidden by the hands, and the one in the middle must catch hold of the hands of whoever has the ring. If he can catch a child with the ring really in his hands then that one must go in the center of the circle. Of course the ring must be slipped from one to another very quickly.

SLIP THE RULER

This is very much like “Hunt the Ring,” except that instead of standing in a circle you must sit down in a row. One child must stand in front of the row, while the others pass a ruler from hand to hand in regular order up and down the line. He must try and catch the ruler, and whoever is caught with it in his hands must exchange places with the other.

BEAST, BIRD OR FISH

This is a game in which you must think quickly. The leader of this game says, “Beast,[93] bird or fish,” then quickly pointing to one child calls, “Fish! one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!” While he is counting ten the other must name some kind of a fish, and if he fails the leader has another chance. If he succeeds he becomes leader.

SHOUTING PROVERBS

This is a game which makes plenty of noise. Send one child from the room and choose some proverb, such as “A stitch in time saves nine.” Give each player one word of the proverb and call the “outsider” in. When he gives the signal you must each say your word, altogether. If he doesn’t guess from the noise what the proverb is, you must repeat it twice more for him. If he can’t guess then, he must go out again, and you choose another proverb.

BEANS

Divide the children in two companies, standing in line, facing each other (like a spelling match). The leader of each line has a handful of beans, and when the signal is given the beans are passed down the line from one to the other. The last[94] player places his in a bowl, and whichever side has the most, wins, for beans that have been dropped are not counted.

WHAT IS MY THOUGHT LIKE

Probably grandmother played this game when she was your age, for it is very old. To begin the game, the leader asks each child in turn, “What is my thought like?” and each in turn mentions some object, such as a rose, a book, an orange, etc. Then the leader says, “I was thinking of Ethel.” Turning to the first child he says, “You said my thought was like a rose. Why is Ethel like a rose?” The answer might be, “Because she is pretty.”

The next is asked: “Why is she like an orange?” “Because I am fond of her.”

So each in turn must give some reason why Ethel is like the object he named.

POST

To play Post arrange the chairs in a large circle, while one child, chosen for postman, stands blindfolded in the center of the circle. Each of the others must now take a name of some city or town. When ready to begin the postman calls,[95]

“A letter is going from Washington to London,” and the children who have chosen these names must change places, while the postman tries to catch one. Whoever is caught must be postman and give up his place to the former postman. If the postman calls, “All the letters are going,” every one must change his seat, and there is a general scramble, in which some one is sure to be caught.

CHARADES

These are always a great deal of fun, for they mean “dressing up,” and who doesn’t enjoy that. Some good words for charades are car-pet, pilgrim-age, tea-sing, in-dolent (inn-dough-lent) and child-hood. Of course you will need mother’s help when you play charades.

HOW, WHEN AND WHERE

Send one player from the room and then choose some object, such as a flower. Call him in again and let him try to guess what you have chosen. So he must ask each player in turn, “How do you like it?” The first may answer, “I like it pink.” The next, “I like it fresh,” etc. The guesser then asks each in turn, “When do you like it?”[96] and the others reply, “When I am going to a party,” “When I am sick,” “When I am going to make bread,” This last will be puzzling because it means another kind of flour. If he is not able to guess when he has asked all these questions, he can go round once more with the question, “Where do you like it?” Whoever “gives it away” must be the one to go out.

PEANUT GRAB

For this game place a pile of peanuts on a table. Now form in line and all march around it. Each one, as he passes the pile of peanuts, takes a handful, and when all have marched past they can count to see who has been able to hold the most in his hand.

FEATHERS

This is a game in which you have to “pay attention,” and perhaps you have played it at school. You must all sit in a circle and let your hands hang down from the wrists. The leader of this game begins, “Cats have feathers, dogs have feathers, rabbits have feathers, geese have feathers.” The minute he names something that[97] really has feathers, you must all raise your hands and wave them. Whoever doesn’t do this must pay a forfeit. As the leader must speak very, very quickly, it is easy to be “caught napping.”