STY OF NEW YORK. Party Pastimes for the Up-to-Date Hostess CHAPTER I.-PASTIMES FOR JANUARY A A New Year's Toast Here's to the old year! Drink, boys, drink. Here's to the New Year stretching ahead, For the New Year LL over the world New Year's Day is a joyous season, and the custom of giving presents is a most ancient one. In olden days the Romans carried gifts of dates and figs wrapped in gold leaf to their senators with small bits of money. In the time of Shakespeare there were some very odd gifts associated with New Year's Day, among them an orange stuffed with cloves, or a gilt nutmeg. In France it is the general custom to present one's friends with a gift at New Year's, and I find many people do it here. Many of us love all occasions on which we have the opportunity of remembering our loved ones. Here is a charming verselet.to accompany the gift from a sweetheart: Another year of smiles and tears, Diaries and "Line-a-Day" books are always acceptable gifts, and doubly valuable if inscribed with a sentiment like this, written in the giver's own hand: My sheets invite But better still A blotted scrawl All those who contemplate having friends to watch the New Year come in will welcome this invitation and close the envelope with a "bell" seal, or write the message in gold on a white bell-shaped card; add hour and address with name of hostess: Soon the midnight bell will chime, Greetings for the New Year CHILD of eternity, child of the silence, Wise with the wisdom sages have left thee, Lift up the veil that covers thy features, Rainbow a promise over the darkness, Bury our yesterdays, foolish and empty, Leaving the mound unmarked, untended, Then shall the morrows find us valiant, Scorning fear,— Meeting thy glance with glance undaunted, A New Year's Eve Party THIS really clever affair was original with the hostess. There were twelve guests. Each one was assigned a month in the invitation, and she came dressed to represent that month. Then each girl had the privilege of asking a man who was to come representing an event or prominent person associated with the month represented by his fair lady. On arriving, it was most interesting to see the ways the girls took to represent the months, and their escorts the events. For instance, an animated firecracker accompanied "July," a Santa Claus came with "December," who was clad in pure white with a chaplet of holly. There was an informal dance, and at eleven o'clock refreshments were served. The guests all watching the hands of the clock, at five minutes before twelve arose, joined hands and sang, "Auld Lang Syne." As the hour sounded, the hostess opened the front door for the passing out of the Old Year and the entrance of the little New Year. There was a fortune cake containing a good wish or a prediction for each one. The latter were tightly rolled and concealed in gilded nutshells. The place cards were cut in bell shape and had little calendars on them tied with a knot of red ribbon. The one who guessed the most events or characters was presented with a wee travelling clock; the other two prizes. were calendars. Party for New Year's Eve THE invitations were on bell-shaped bits of red cardboard, with lettering done in gold. The wording was to |
