Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/504

 CHILDREN 480 When each child has had a parcel knocked down to it, if more presents remain, more money can be distrib- uted, until all the lots have found owners. For a Christmas party it is a pretty idea to wind a red ribbon round the hammer, and to wrap up all the par- cels in scarlet crinkled paper, tied up with Christmas ribbons. An Animated Christ- mas - tree is another very pretty and origi- nal way of distributing small Christmas gifts. The tallest child should be chosen to represent the Christ- mas-tree, and must wear a dress made of frills of green crinkled paper tacked on to a white Princess petti- coat, the petticoat making a firm founda- tion, to which the pre- sents, as well as some coloured glass balls, can be temporarily attached with a stitch or two. A little pointed paper cap, adorned with a shining silver sequin star — which can be bought i'^r 4Jd. at any fancy drapers — com- pletes her attire. She may be led into the room by the hostess, who proceeds to cut off the gifts, and distribute them amongst the guests, or she may be disclosed by the removal of a screen or by the throwing back of folding-doors. In this latter case she can be arranged as a sort of Christmas tableau, standing in a big red bread-pan — for flower-pot — with extra presents, in the shape of books and toys, piled up round her feet. If a wee girl, dressed in a white crinkled paper frock with paper wings to represent A live Christmas' tree with the fairy from the top to distribute the presents The Fairy from the Top of the Tree, is provided to cut down the pre- sents, and hand them to the little guests, it makes the prettiest Christmas scene im- aginable. A Magic Coal-box is another splendid way of distributing Christ- mas gifts. The presents — which must all be of a rather small size — are neatly done up in black paper, fastened with black sealing- wax, to represent knobs of coal. These parcels are then piled into an empty coalscuttle — a brass or copper one looks prettiest, or one shaped like a witch's cauldron does ex- tremely well — and the children come forward one by one, and, after being armed with a pair of tongs, are direc- ted to help themselves to a lump of coal. As soon as they realise that the coals are Christmas presents in disguise, their surprise and delight know no bounds. Father Christmas with his Sleigh of Snow- balls makes a delightful guest at a small chil- dren's party. When the first excited greet- ings from the little ones are over, he proceeds to distribute the snowballs from his sleigh, and then, when a present is found concealed in the heart of each, much rejoicing ensues. The Father Christmas seen in the illustra- tion was represented by a small boy of six and a half, wearing his own dressing-gown, liberally adorned with cheap white fur. The sleigh had a big cardboard dress-box for its foundation, and the presents were wrapped first in white crinkled paper, and then in cheap white mus- lin, while, to e'ive a The Magic CoaUbox : every piece of coal has a present Father Christmas arriving at the party drawing his snowball'laden sleigh