414 
American Agriculturist, December 15, 1925 
Home-Made Christmas Decorations 
Pretty W ays of Fixing the Tree and House-Other Holiday Ideas 
You cannot buy a better lantern than 
the Embury Supreme. Compare it 
in every detail with lanterns of other 
makes. We invite this comparison 
because we want you to see what the 
Embury has been doing in the way 
of improvement. 
No. 160 is one of the most popular 
styles. It has the short globe, the 
improved burner, one inch wick, 
which gives 20% more light, and burns 
35 hours. Windproof and rainproof. 
Order from your dealer. If he 
has none in stock we will mail 
postpaid on receipt of price. 
NOTE—When ordering by mail, be sure and mention No. 160 
EMBURY MANUFACTURING CO. 
WARSAW, Dept. F, NEW YORK 
EARN $110 TO $250 MONTHLY , Traffic Inspector. PosU 
tion guaranteed after completion of 3 months’ home study 
course or money refunded. Excellent opportunities. 
Write for Free Booklet G-84. 
Stand. Business Training Institute, Buffalo, N. Y. 
T O provide a proper atmosphere for Christ¬ 
mas jollifications nearly all of us decorate 
our houses; while in a majority of homes the 
Christmas tree too calls for decorations. If 
pennies must be carefully spent, many of 
these may be made at home and the whole 
family can help. 
With a few red, green, or red and green 
bells (crepe-paper) of various sizes; a roll 
each of red and of green crepe r paper; a few 
yards of silver tinsel; some picture wire; some 
gilt] paper; some' old, small boxes; a pair of 
scissors; and perhaps glue and thread, a large 
assortment of Christmas “fixin’s” may be 
made. 
To decorate the living-room, cut long strips 
of crepe paper (four or five inches wide), one 
strip of red and one of green. Twist them 
loosely together until an equal amount of each 
color shows from each side. Hang these in 
festoons from opposite corners of the room, and 
from the sides, having all strips cross at center 
of room. Catch all together there, and hang a 
bell or other ornament at this point, having all 
fastened securely to ceiling, leaving graceful 
drooping strips in all directions. Hang bells 
or wreaths in the windows. Home-made 
wreaths are very nice if one is clever at making 
them. A sprig of mistletoe in one or more 
convenient places will contribute to the amuse¬ 
ment of the occasion. 
Evergreen branches with their woodsy 
fragrance are an appropriate decoration too. 
Also red berries from shrubs. 
When the Tree Is Decorated 
For the tree, the simplest home-made 
trimming and one furnishing a lovely contrast 
in any light is just the plain old-fashioned 
popcorn strings. 
Select all big puffy kernels and string them 
on thread, using a fine needle. Make as long 
as possible and by careful handling they will 
keep from year to year,—not as a matter of 
economy but once strung, the work of pre¬ 
paring them need not be repeated unless 
desired. We think the corn doesn’t taste 
very good after being hung on the tree, as we 
leave our tree up for about a week, and the 
corn dries out. 
Strings of tinsel and ornaments with tinsel 
catch the eye. To make attractive ornaments, 
cut a strip of wire and shape as desired. 
Cover with tinsel and you’ve a firm, long- 
lasting ornament. Any number may be made 
quickly. A big tinsel star is nice for the top¬ 
most branch of the tree. Artificial snow (non- 
inflammable) is showy. I do not approve of 
candles on a tree. 4 
Candy boxes which look very pretty are 
easily fixed up at home. Take a small square, 
round or oblong box and cut from gilt paper a 
star large enough to cover the box top. Cut 
another star of the same size from cardboard, 
glue the gilt on to it, then glue the completed 
star to the box top. When the box is filled 
with candy a strip of two of gilt paper may 
be glued on to keep the cover on, and a loop 
of ribbon attached to hang it by. 
Popcorn Is Inexpensive 
A decoration which always pleases the 
kiddies is the popcorn bag. We put quite a 
number on our tree to allow for passing them 
out to anyone who may drop in, and to allow 
the kiddies one each for every day we have the 
tree up. 
We use mosquito netting in colors (green, 
red and white) for our popcorn bags, and 
those we open at home are usually laid aside to 
use next year, another labor saver for the last 
busy hours before each Christmas Eve. Most 
of them are cut in stocking shape firmly sewed 
with twine in a matching color, and each has a 
drawstring at the top'. These bags are filled 
with popcorn, a few nuts and some colored 
candies. 
Here is a “stunt” that perhaps not many 
have tried, but it is well worth trying. If you 
are giving any “hankies” to members of your 
family, fasten them (folded four-square) by a 
corner to branches of the tree. They may be 
pinned on with a common pin, and a bit of 
paper with the name of the recipient attached. 
We leave them on the tree, as we think they 
.are as pretty decorations as any. 
Use Even the Holes of the Doughnuts 
When getting the holiday “eats” ready, 
how many save the “holes” of the doughnuts 
and make little men to surprise the children? 
Mother always did that and we children loved 
them. Just fry the bits of dough and use 
tooth-picks to join them together for arms, 
legs, body and head of each doll. They are 
cunning. These may go in the stocking or 
may be carefully hung on the tree by means of 
a bit of black thread. Fancy cookies, apples, 
oranges, etc., may be attached in the same way. 
Such trimmings please children more than 
tinsels and fine ornaments, I believe. 
t Last, but not least, it is a lovely thing for 
each family who can possibly afford one to 
own a crib and set of figtires representing the 
Nativity. These may be obtained for as little 
as one dollar and their lesson and effect on 
childish] minds is immeasurable. Little folks, 
as well as we older ones, are often prone to 
forget the real significance of Christmas and 
think only of the modern gainful aspect of 
it. Lessons learned by observation when one 
is a child stay by through life, and this 
greatest lesson of all should] not be neglected 
by any parent. It is too beautiful.—• 
Mabelle Roberts. 
A CHRISTMAS TABLE FOR 
CHILDREN 
HEN a family reunion on Christmas day 
includes a good many children, a separate 
table for them will not only save much con¬ 
fusion, but what is more important, will keep 
the children from eating the rich foods pro¬ 
vided for the other guests. 
A pretty decoration for a children’s Christ¬ 
mas table is made by covering a table with 
plain white oilcloth just cut to fit. All 
around the edge fasten a frill of bright red 
crepe paper. This decoration is especially 
suitable for a circular table. Christmas gilt 
stars or silver bells can be pasted in a circle 
around the doth just inside the plate line. 
A round mirror framed in tinsel makes a 
pretty centerpiece. A small Santa Claus 
riding across it in a papier-mache sleigh 
will amuse the small guests. 
A Jack Horner pie is always popular with 
the children. Make it with red crepe paper 
and cotton batting, using a large shallow tin 
pan for a foundation. Place little gifts or 
homemade bonbons wrapped in colored paper 
inside, attaching red ribbons which come 
through slits in the crust and reach to each 
plate. At the close of the meal, have the 
children pull on their ribbons and pull out their 
gifts. 
Another table decoration that the children 
will like is a little toy auto filled with dates, 
raisins and figs or with mixed nuts. _ Have a 
dressed-up doll for a chauffeur. 
The menu for the children’s table may con¬ 
sist of turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, 
mashed squash, baked onions and creamed 
cauliflower. Serving each child individually, 
so they will not be tempted to eat too much 
of any one food, is a good plan. 
Of course there should be some nuts and 
homemade bonbons with which to end up the 
meal and little dishes of ice-cream with thin 
slices of a wholesome cake.—H. A. Lynan. 
Helping the boy to build his own sled is 
combining pleasure with profit for both your¬ 
self and the boy 
\yZr. „ _ __ 
nothing else in the living room,Ma?' 
AA-8 
HARTFORD 
FIRE INSURANCE 
COMPANY 
Hartford, Conn. 
Gentlemen: 
I own (manage) a.„acre farm. 
Please send me a free copy of your 
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Name.. 
Address_ 
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Send for the ff^e copy of the Hartford Farm Inven¬ 
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Hartford, Conn. 
Mail this Coupon P'D'P'p' 
for the booklet. It is A ALL 
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