CHAPTER XXII

CHRISTMAS DEVICES

“Christmas gift! Christmas gift! Ah, I've caught you! Hand over my present!” With a gay laugh the children exchange this salutation, without a thought of the request ever being granted, but simply for the fun of being the first to call out the Christmas greeting. Sometimes the forfeit is paid, usually with a handful of nuts or candy, a pretty trifle or anything the captive happens to have convenient at the moment. The giver enjoys the fun fully as much as the recipient, and with a hop, skip, and jump departs in hopes of likewise finding a fellow-playmate or some member of the family off guard, that she may, in turn, be the first to wish a “Merry Christmas” and claim a gift.

=An All-day Christmas Pie=

is a charming device for delivering gifts intended for one person, and the fun and expectancy last the entire day.

Cover the outside of a new tin pan with plaited white tissue-paper, and paste the paper along the top and over the bottom edges. Decide on the number of gifts you intend the pie to contain, and cut a corresponding number of slits in the circular piece of white tissue-paper which is to form the top crust (Fig. 552). Wrap each present in a bright-colored piece of tissue-paper, and tie with a narrow ribbon [Illustration: Fig. 552.] of like hue (Fig. 553); be sure to fasten the knot on top of the package securely, so there will be no possibility of its slipping from the parcel when it is jerked out of its bed of bran. Fill the pan with bran or sawdust, arrange the gifts on top in the order you wish, then put more bran over the parcels, heaping it in the centre; thread each ribbon through its respective slit in the cover and bring the cover [Illustration: Fig. 553.] cautiously down over the pudding without tearing. Gather the edge a little at a time with your fingers, and paste it down over the sides (Fig. 554).

Paste a double-edged fringe of white tissue-paper around the top edge of the pie. To do this, fold several [Illustration: Fig. 554.] slips of paper, as in Fig. 555; fold again through the centre and cut in a fringe (Fig. 556). Open the fringe, gather it in the centre with thread and needle, and at short distances sew on tiny bells; then fasten the fringe in place (Fig. 557). Puncture a hole with a large needle in the centre of the top of the pie, and insert a twig of holly.

Cut as many small squares of writing-paper as you have ribbons, label each with the hour when the present [Illustration: Fig. 555.] [Illustration: Fig. 556.] is to be drawn, slip them on the ribbons near the ends, and below each tie a little silver bell, as shown in illustration (Fig. 557).

If there are to be only three packages, let one be drawn in the morning, another at noon, and the last in the evening. If more, distribute the gifts as evenly as possible through the day.

=The Magic Fireplace=

is another means of delivering the Christmas gifts, and the delight of the children when they see their presents come tumbling down the chimney in a way they have only dreamed of, will repay the thought expended in preparing the surprise.

The Magic Christmas Fireplace.

Two wooden packing boxes, one about four feet square and a foot and a half deep, the other somewhat smaller but of nearly the same depth, form the framework of the fireplace. Stand the large box on its side—the longest side if the box is not exactly square—and the smaller box within it as shown by Fig. 558. Remove the top pieces of both boxes (A B, Fig. 558), and over the top of the small box tack a piece of doubled light-weight wrapping paper. At each end of this false cover fasten securely a piece of strong twine, then puncture two small holes near the centre of the paper and pass the ends of the twine through them, drawing it down as shown by letters C D, Fig. 559. Saw the board, which was taken from the top of the small box, into two pieces, and place them in a slanting position reaching from the top edge of the small box to the upper corners of the large one (letters E F, Fig. 560). The [Illustration: Fig. 558.] boards are kept from slipping by small nails driven half way into the edge of the small box. Cover the spaces at the sides and top, between the two boxes, with heavy brown wrapping paper, tacking it smoothly down along the edges. This paper should be marked to represent bricks. Pile a few sticks of charred wood on the inside hearth [Illustration: Fig. 559.] and, to make it appear that they are still smouldering, tack red tinsel paper upon them here and there.

Into the receptacle at the top of the mantel (letter G, Fig. 560) place all the presents, resting them upon the paper top of the small box. Things [Illustration: Fig. 560.] that are easily broken should be covered with soft wrappings, for in the grand climax, when the toys roll pell-mell down into the fireplace, the fragile articles might come to grief.

When the last package has been stowed away, replace the top of the large box. Decorate the completed fireplace with evergreen, and bring the two strings, C and D, which hang down upon the hearth, outside, looping them back over tacks at either side of the fireplace, as shown in Fig. 560.

At the appointed time the group of eager children will stand and gaze with awe at the wonderful and mysterious fireplace, which, like a fairy house, has shot up in a night.

Two persons, one on either side, must grasp the strings tightly, and simultaneously give a pull. With a ripping, tearing sound the paper gives way and whiz! bump! bang! the toys come tumbling down, rolling and bounding out on the floor.

Because it is Christmas we find ourselves longing to render little services, to make others happy and cause their eyes to brighten and sparkle with pleasure, for this is the season of giving as well as receiving, and the privilege belongs to all.

If there is a little convalescent in your family or among your acquaintances, one who will not be allowed to share the Christmas dinner, prepare for her a

=Christmas Tray=

You can make it very attractive.

Have a Christmas tree for a centre-piece (Fig. 561), a very modest yet charming little affair—only a wee tree fashioned from a branch of boxwood, beautified with homemade toys and decorations cut from gilt and bright-colored papers. Use a large-sized button-mould for the tree stand; push the end of the stem into the hole in the centre of the mould, and the tree will stand alone. Should you have no boxwood, take any green twig and turn it into a miniature Christmas tree by trimming off the ends of the branches until the little tree somewhat resembles a cone in shape. It will require only a few moments to [Illustration: Fig. 561.] make the tree, and the sick child will exclaim with pleasure at the sight of it.

A house with

=Santa Claus=

climbing down the chimney (Fig. 562) is, in reality, a piece of prosaic bread and butter transformed. After spreading the bread with butter, cut out the door with a sharp, small-bladed knife; then the two windows, and the chimney. Procure a jolly little paper Santa Claus and fasten him in place by making an incision in the top of the chimney and inserting one leg of the figure; serve this on as pretty a plate as you can find, preferably a decorated one.

A Christmas pie is another form of bread and butter. Cut the shape out with a large-sized tin biscuit-cutter, and after buttering the bread mark it into wedge-shaped pieces. Cut a slice or two (Fig. 563), leaving the rest to be cut by the child. If permissible, a little white sugar sprinkled over the top of the pie will enhance its appearance. Layer [Illustration: Fig. 562.] jelly cake is made of two round pieces of bread and butter, spread lightly, with a [Illustration: Fig. 563.] layer of chicken jelly placed between and over the top of the cake. Odd designs are always attractive to children and may be introduced in

=Serving Toast=

Make the toast very carefully, allowing the bread to turn only a light brown on both sides, and keep it hot between two hot plates. Toast should be eaten immediately after it comes from the fire; it loses its delicacy [Illustration: Fig. 564.] [Illustration: 150] by being scorched or served warm or stale instead of fresh and hot. After the rest of the meal is ready on the tray and the two plates are heated, set several tin cake-cutters in the oven to heat; then make the toast with a fork, not a toaster, one piece at a time, and as each is done, cut it while hot into queer forms with the warm cake-cutters. Arrange the pieces on one of the hot plates and cover them with the other. The child will be entertained by the fanciful shapes (Figs. 564, 565, 566), and eat them with a relish.

In place of the family roast, a lamb chop will probably have to do duty as the

=Pièce De Résistance=

Select the best cut and broil the chop skilfully over a clear fire. Let it be well done but not burned; sprinkle with a [Illustration: Fig. 567.] little salt and pepper. Have ready some fringed tissue-paper and wind it around the end of the chop; decorate with a pretty sprig of Christmas green tied with a narrow ribbon (Fig. 567). Eggs of blanc-mange (Fig. 568) [Illustration: Fig. 568.] are made by using empty eggshells as moulds. The shells must be wet on the inside when the blanc-mange is poured into them to harden. If it is best for the patient to have only a little blanc-mange, mould in small shells and serve one or two.

=Jelly=

is acceptable and can be given in most cases of illness. Instead of using a regular mould pour the liquid jelly into a wineglass, and if the white of an egg has previously been beaten up with the jelly, it will rise in a white foam at the top of the glass; after the jelly has hardened the resemblance will be so close it will be difficult to believe the glass does not contain wine (Fig. 569). The child will enjoy this little make-believe. If fresh

=Apples=

are allowed, cut them as Southern people cut their watermelons (Fig. 570). Slide the knife-blade in the side of the [Illustration: Fig. 571.] apple, and cut downward, making a slanting outward incision about an inch and a half long; draw out the knife, insert it again at the top of the first cut and make another slit in the opposite direction, the two slits forming the letter A without its cross piece. Again take out the knife and, commencing at the bottom of the second cut, bring the knife upward and outward, as in the right side of the letter V; continue cutting these points until the last one meets the first, being careful to push the knife to the centre of the fruit at each cut. When finished pull the two halves of the apple apart.

Plum pudding the child cannot have, but a fine baked apple will answer the purpose and may be made almost as attractive. Select a baking apple free from all flaws, wash it well and “bake to a turn”; serve steaming hot, with a sprig of holly in the top (Fig. 571).