The side which succeeds in filling its bowl first is victorious.



TORN FLOWERS.



Prepare a table full of different colored tissue paper, bottles of mucilage and white cards, one for each guest.

The players sit around the table, the hostess gives each a card and announces that each one is to make a flower out of the tissue paper, but as there are no scissors each one must tear his paper and every one knows how hard it is to tear tissue paper. Each one keeps the name of his flower a secret. As they are made they are pasted on the cards. Each card is numbered and when all are done "tearing," the cards are collected and placed on a table for exhibition.

The player guessing the greatest number of flowers correctly receives a prize. The game may be varied, as either animals or vegetables could be torn.



SPEARING PEANUTS.



Fill a cup with peanuts, two of which are blackened with ink on one end.

The guests play one at a time. No. 1 sits down by a table, empties the cup of peanuts in a pile on it and is given a hatpin with which she spears the peanuts one at a time without disturbing the pile, and places them back in the cup. A few minutes is allowed each player; when the time is up, the peanuts in the cup are counted, the blackened ones count ten apiece and the plain ones, one.

Tally is kept for each player and a suitable prize is given to the one who succeeded in securing the largest score.



PEANUT HUNT AND SCRAMBLE.

Before the guests enter the room, hide peanuts in every conceivable place, behind pictures, under chairs, on the gas fixtures, among the ornaments, five or six in vases, etc.

Give each guest a paper bag as he enters the room into which he places all the peanuts he finds. Allow a certain length of time for the hunt, then collect all the bags and select a good tall person who stands on a chair and empties the contents of each bag on the floor as fast as he can and a lively scramble for them ensues, then the one who has the greatest number of whole peanuts collected deserves a prize; the others can eat their peanuts as a comfort.



MUSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

A blackboard and different colored chalk will be necessary for this game.

Give each guest a slip of paper on which is written the name of some song.

The leader announces that each one in turn steps up to the blackboard and illustrates his song in the most vivid manner possible. Each player is numbered and after No. 1 finishes his drawing the others write their guesses on paper opposite his number and No. 2 erases the former drawing and illustrates his song. Thus each one takes his turn, allowing time for the others to write their guesses.

When all have had their turn the correct list is read by the leader, the players checking their own lists. Prizes may be given to the one having the most correct answers and to the person who illustrated his song the most artistically.

Suggestions for songs are "Sweet Bunch of Daisies," "The Four-Leaf Clover." "My Old Kentucky Home" may be illustrated by drawing a house in the outline of the state of Kentucky; "Home, Sweet Home," by a house and a jar of sweets near it; "America," by the outline of North America.



AN APPLE HUNT.

The hostess should prepare beforehand cards four inches square and outline on each an apple by dots concealing the outline with other dots. In one corner of the card is stuck a needle containing enough green thread to outline the apple. These "apples" are then hidden by groups, five in a group, in different parts of the room.

A set of directions is prepared such as, No. 1, "Look under the mat"; No. 2, "Look under a certain rocking-chair," and so on. Five of these directions are sufficient, the last one telling where the apple is hidden. There are different sets of directions lettered A, B, C, etc., five in a set, all lettered alike; the group of five apples being at the end of each set of directions.

As each guest arrives he is given No. 1 of some set. Following that, he finds No. 2, and so on, until he finds the five apples, one of which he takes, finds the dotted apple, threads the needle and outlines it with the green cotton. The one who succeeds in finding his apple first and makes the neatest outline is the winner.



SHOUTING PROVERBS.

The more playing this game, the merrier it will be. Send one of the players from the room. The others decide upon a familiar proverb which he is to guess when he returns. Suppose the one chosen is "A rolling stone gathers no moss." Beginning with the leader and going to the left each player in turn takes one word, thus the leader has "a," the next "rolling," the next "stone" and so on, repeating it until every player has a word. If the company is large two or three might have the same word.

When the one who was out is summoned in, he counts 1,2,3; when he says 3, all the players shout their word. It will be very confusing and hard to hear any one word, but after the second or third trial, one word which was heard above the rest might suggest the whole proverb.

The player who is out is given five trials in which to guess; if he does not succeed, he must go out again, but if he has listened attentively to one or two, and has guessed correctly, the player whose shouting gave away the proverb is then sent out and the game continues as before.



BAKER'S DOZEN.

This game is just for two and is similar to Tit-tat-to. Make a drawing like the illustration and the game is ready.



No. 1 chooses a figure which No. 2 must try to guess by indicating with a pencil dot or mark at the side of the different spaces, until he has guessed the number chosen.

The numbers in the different spaces marked by No. 2 are added to his score; and those unmarked are added to No. 1.

Suppose No. 1 chooses 13, and No. 2 marks first 4, then 10, 9, 5, 2, and finally 13, the sum of all these (43) will be No. 2's score, while the sum of the numbers unmarked (48) belongs to No. 1.

The game may be played as long as is desirable, but it is more exciting to have a fixed number, such as 300 or 500.



PEANUT CONTEST.

Place two small bowls on a table at one end of the room, at the other end of the room on a table have two bags of peanuts and two knives.

The players may choose partners in any way desired. The partners play together.

The leader gives a signal, watches the time and keeps tally. When the signal is given a player, with his partner, steps to the table containing the peanuts, each takes a knife and when the leader says "go," each places as many peanuts as he can on the blade of the knife and carries it with one hand to the other end of the room, where he deposits the peanuts and returns for more. As many trips can be made as the time will allow. Three minutes is good time.

When the time is up the leader says, "Stop," and the number of peanuts in each bowl is counted and accredited to the two players. Each pair takes turn in playing, time and tally being kept for each until all have played.

The list of contestants is read aloud, the partners who succeeded in carrying the greatest number of peanuts to their bowls receive a prize.



DEFINITIONS.

Provide each player with pencil and paper. The leader has a dictionary which she opens at any place and selects a word which the rest are to define.

The players write the word and their definition of it on the slips of paper. When the leader taps a bell all the slips must be collected and mixed up in a basket or hat.

Each player then draws out a slip and the definitions are read aloud in turn. The leader decides which one has written a definition most like the one in the dictionary. The author of the best one rises, receives the dictionary, gives out a word and the game proceeds as before.



ALPHABETICAL ANSWERS.

Prepare cards with one letter of the alphabet on each, omitting V, X, Z. Of course if the company is large, several will have the same letter.

The cards are pinned on the guests, and it is announced that no one must answer any question presented to him except by a sentence commencing with the letter on his card, the answer being given before the questioner could count ten.

No two players can question a person at the same time, and no one can give the same answer twice.

If a player begins his reply with a wrong letter or does not answer in time, his letter is taken from him by his questioner, who adds it to his and he then has the privilege of answering with either of his letters. The player who is without a card is supplied with one again but after the third trial he is out of the game.



PITCH BASKET.

Select a number of small fruit baskets, all the same size, and have a box of checkers handy. Suppose you have five, on the bottom of one mark 20, on another 15, on two, 5; and on the other, 0. Place the baskets in a row on the floor so their numbers cannot be seen.

Choose sides, giving the red checkers to the leader of one side and the black checkers to the other. One side lines up about 10 ft. away from the baskets, the leader giving each player a checker; if there are any left he keeps them and has the privilege of throwing them. Each one in turn throws his checker into any basket, trusting to luck that they fall into a basket with a number on it.

When all have played the leader turns up each basket to see its number and counts the number of checkers thrown into it. If there were two in basket No. 20, it would count 40; if 3 in one basket No. 5, it would be 15; if four in the other basket No. 5, 20; and if there were 3 in basket 0, it would count nothing. Thus the score for that side is 75. The players on the other side line up and play as the others did. The order of the baskets must be changed by someone not of that side, so no one knows which is which. Their score is added up.

The game continues until a certain number, 300 or 500, has been reached. The side scoring that number of points first is victorious.



WHO AM I?

As the guests arrive pin a card with a name of some noted author, statesman, or poet written on it, on their backs, so that every one can see it but themselves.

Of course, each person wants to know who he is, so the guests talk to each other as though they were the person whose name is on the other's back, but do not mention the name, and from the conversation, they have to guess who they are.



PROGRESSIVE PUZZLES.

The players are provided with pasteboard cards 2 inches square, and scissors. At a signal, given by the hostess, they must cut their cards in four pieces, the cuts must intersect in some place, but the card can be cut in any other way.

When the cards are cut and the four pieces mixed, they are passed to the player at the right, who has to put the four pieces together correctly.

A certain time is given for each puzzle and each time it is passed to the right, until each player has his own puzzle again.



TIT FOR TAT.

Plan to have an even number of guests invited, half ladies and half gentlemen.

Provide thick boards for each lady, also a hammer and paper of tacks, and for the men, plain hats (untrimmed) and material for trimming, also a paper of pins.

When all the guests arrive set them to work. The ladies have to hammer as many tacks in straight, in their boards as they can, during the allotted time, while the men trim their hats, choosing their material from that which is provided. When the time (which may be as long or as short as you wish) is up, the men put on their respective hats and pass before the ladies for inspection; the one having the best trimmed one receives a prize.

The men inspect the work of the ladies, and the one who has hammered the most tacks into her board "straight," receives a prize.



EYE-GUESSING.

Hang a sheet or screen in a doorway between two rooms and cut six holes, the size and shape of eyes, each pair a distance apart, in it, some up high and some down low.

Choose groups of four to go behind the sheet, the rest of the guests staying in the other room.

Three of the chosen four look through the holes at a time. The short ones can stand on chairs and look through the high pair, while the tall ones can stoop down, thus confusing those who have to guess who the pairs of eyes belong to.

A short time is given for guessing each group, and then the next set go out.

The guesses are written on slips of paper and after all the eyes have been "examined," the correct list is read by one who stayed behind the sheet all the time.



THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Any number can play this game. The players stand in a line around the room and number themselves, beginning with one, until each has a number.

The leader, who has no number and who has charge of the game, begins by saying—

"The Prince of Wales has lost his hat, all on account of No. 1, Sir;" then No. 1 says: "No, sir, not I, sir, No. 5, (or any number he wishes), sir." Then No. 5, repeats what No. 1 said, giving another number instead of 5; but if he fails to respond, then the leader says, "No. 5 to the foot, sir," and then all those who were below No. 5 move up one, and thus their number becomes one less.

The leader begins again and he must be very quick to send those to the foot, who fail to respond.



COMMERCE.

The guests are seated around a table, each one having a pile of fifty beans in front of him. The leader has two packs of playing cards, one of which is used for an auction sale, one card at a time being sold to the highest bidder, who pays for it in beans.

When all the cards of the first pack have been sold, the players arrange their cards and beans on the table ready for business.

The auctioneer then holds up the second pack and announces that he will call the cards off one at a time, and as he does so, the player who has the duplicate of that card must give it up to the auctioneer.

After each calling there is a little time allowed to buy or sell the cards, the object of the game being either to have more beans than any one else, or to have the duplicate card which is at the bottom of the second pack, thus causing a very exciting time as the second pile diminishes.



LAUGH A LITTLE.

The players sit in a circle with one in the middle for leader. The leader must be one who laughs heartily and is very quick.

He begins the game by throwing a plain, white handkerchief up in the air, as high as he can, and while it is in the air, everyone must laugh, but the minute it touches the floor, there must be perfect silence. The leader must catch those who are still laughing and send them from the ring.

The game goes on until every one is out of the circle. If there should happen to be one who doesn't laugh when the handkerchief is on the floor, he surely deserves a prize.



LOCATION.

Choose two leaders who select sides. One begins by calling the name of some town or place and then counts ten. While he is counting, the opposite opponent must answer where the place is. If he fails to answer before ten is counted, he must drop out.

Then the leader of the other side takes his turn, and challenges some player of the opposite side.

The side which stands up the longest, wins the game.



FASHION NOTES.



The names of various fashion papers, such as "The Delineator," "The Styles," "Le Bon Ton," "Ladies' Home Journal," are written on cards, which are cut so that it requires the two parts to know what the title is. Distribute these among the guests, who hunt for the corresponding part, thus getting their partners; crayon and paper is given out and the ladies are requested to draw and color a gown representing the one she has on, while the men are asked to write a description of the gown.

The drawings and descriptions are collected after time is allowed, and placed on a table for display.

Prizes may be awarded to the partners having the best drawing and description.



STRAY SYLLABLES.

Prepare long strips of paper on which the guests are requested to write several words of three or more syllables, leaving spaces between each syllable.

When this is done, cut up the words into the syllables and mix thoroughly. Then each player draws three syllables and tries to construct a word.

If a word can't be made of all three syllables, maybe it can be made of two, but if it is then impossible to construct a word, the player must wait until the rest draw three syllables again, and perchance he may be able to construct two words, using the syllables he could not use before.

The one constructing the most words, wins the game.



QUAKER MEETING.

All the guests sit in a circle and the leader begins by saying: "This is a very solemn occasion." He then twirls his thumbs and looks very solemn. Commencing with the player to the right of the leader, each one in turn repeats what he has said, very solemnly twirls his thumbs, and keeps twirling them, until each one has repeated it, and it is the leader's turn again.

He then says, "Sister Jane died last night," still twirling his thumbs. This goes around the circle as before. Then the player to the right of the leader says, "How did she die?" and he replies, "Like this," moving his right hand up and down. Thus each one tells his neighbor, and makes the motion just as the leader has done.

After each one has said this, still repeating the same question and answer, the leader moves his left hand up and down, too, thus both hands are going; the next time both hands and the right foot are moving; then both hands and both feet; next, hands, feet, and head, bobbing up and down; last, fall back in the chair uttering a hideous groan as if dead.

No one must laugh during the whole game; whoever does, must leave the circle.



MAGIC MUSIC.

One player is sent from the room and the rest decide upon something he must do when called in.

When this has been done he is summoned by magic music which is made by having one of the players strike on something which will make a noise. If there is a piano, so much the better, if not, a piece of metal or a bell will do.

As he nears the object which he is to find the music grows very loud, and faint when he is far away.

Suppose he is to take a flower from a vase, and give it to one of the players. As he nears the flowers, the music grows louder and louder, and if he touches one, it stops; then he knows he has to do something with it. If he smells it, the music grows faint, and he knows he is wrong. As he starts to give it to the players, the music varies until he has given it to the right one.

Someone else then leaves the room, and the game goes on as before.



PATCHWORK ILLUSTRATIONS.

For this game it is necessary for the hostess to collect a large number of pictures from magazines, advertisement pages or papers. These are placed in the center of a table around which the players are seated.

Each guest is provided with a paper at the top of which is written a quotation. The hostess announces that each player is to illustrate his or her quotation with the pictures provided. The pictures are pasted on the papers, and if necessary, a background can be made with pencil or pen and ink.

The papers are then arranged on a table for inspection and a prize is awarded for the best illustration.



BIOGRAPHY.

Provide the players with pencil and paper. The leader then announces that a biography is to be written, and the first thing to write is the name of some person in the room; the paper is folded over so the name cannot be seen and passed to the player at his left, who writes a date which is the birth date, and the name of some town; the paper is folded again and passed to the left and this time a sentence of ten words is written about early childhood—from one to ten years. Next, a sentence of same length telling of events between twenty and forty years; next, between forty and fifty years; date of death next, last, remark about this life. When all has been written, the folded papers are passed to the left again and each player reads his paper aloud.

The more ridiculous the sentences, the better the biography, and as no one knows what is under the folded parts, sometimes the date of death will be earlier than that of birth, or there will be a vast difference in time.

Example—Name, John Smith. Born, July 4, 1449, Boston. From 1 to 10 years, mischievous child, quarrelled with everybody, expelled from school, stole eggs.

From 20 to 40, stayed home, did dressmaking, became sickly, remained an old maid.

From 40 to 50, became a wealthy widower, left with three children to raise. Died January 1, 1860. Most remarkable man that ever lived in his little town.



ORCHESTRA.

Any number can play this game, the more the merrier. Each player is told to play some imaginary instrument. The leader with an imaginary baton, begins by humming some lively, familiar tune. The players follow with motions suitable to their instruments and sing the tune the leader is humming.

When the leader pretends to play some instrument, the player who has that imaginary instrument, must pretend he is leader and beat time with the baton, but as soon as the real leader changes the instrument or beats time again the player must continue with his own instrument.

The leader must be quick to change from one instrument to another and the players must be quick to follow him, for if they don't, they have to leave the orchestra until the piece is over.



WHO IS MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR?

Half of the company are blindfolded. They are led to a row of chairs arranged in the middle of the room, each sitting so there is a vacant chair behind him.

The other half, who are not blindfolded, very quietly take the vacant chairs and sit perfectly still.

The leader then announces that those not blindfolded are to sing when he gives the signal, and the blindfolded ones, who are to remain still, must listen attentively to their right hand neighbor and guess who he is.

Some familiar tunes must be chosen and the singers can disguise their voices if they choose. The leader begins by playing the tune on the piano and when he says "Sing," the victim singers begin while the blind victims listen.

One verse of the song will be enough for this medley and those whose voices have been recognized, exchange places with the blindfolded ones, while the others remain in the same place until the listener has guessed who he is. The game then goes on as before.



FIRE.

Choose two leaders from among the players. Each leader chooses his side. The sides sit opposite each other, the leader of one throws a ball to any one in the opposite side. As he does he says either, "Earth," "Air," "Water," or "Fire," and counts ten.

The person who caught the ball must answer before he finishes counting ten. If "earth" was called he must name some quadruped found therein; if "water," some fish must be named, or "air," the name of some bird; but if "fire" was called he must remain perfectly still.

If the players give a wrong answer or speak when they should be silent they are out, and the leader must throw the ball to some one else, but if the players answer correctly, it is their turn to throw the ball to someone in the opposite side, and the game goes on as before. The side whose players stand up the longest, wins the game.



THE MONTHS.

The leader need be the only one who understands this game. He asks, "What month are you going away in?" One player might answer "September." He then asks, "What will you wear?" "What will you take with you?" and "What will you do?" All the answers must be given with the initial letter of the month chosen. For instance, the answers to the above questions may be: 1st, "Silk stockings," 2d, "Sardine sandwiches," 3d, "See the sights."

The answers will probably be mixed as the players do not know the trick. Each one who misses pays a forfeit, and the leader questions the next player. When one or two do catch on, the more ridiculous they make their answers, the funnier the game.



BELL BUFF.

In this game all the players except one are blindfolded. This one is called the guide and has a small bell which he rings during the game.

All the blind men are led to one end of the room by the guide. He then takes his position a little distance from them and rings the bell, which is the signal for the game to begin.

The blind men grope around wildly for their guide who rings the bell all the time, but must move in different places, so as to escape the blind men who are hunting him. The blind men are only guided by the sound of the bell, and the guide must be very quick to change his positions or he will be caught by his pursuers.

The first blind man who catches the guide, exchanges places with him, and the game goes on as before.



POSTMAN.

The players sit in a circle; one is chosen for "postman," is blindfolded, and another is chosen for Postmaster.

The Postmaster gives each player the name of some city or town, and stands outside the ring so he can give orders.

The "postman" stands inside the circle and when the Postmaster says, "I have sent a letter from New York to San Francisco," the players having these names must exchange places, and he must try to capture one. If he succeeds he takes that one's place, the one caught then becoming "postman."

The Postmaster must exchange names very rapidly, and if a player should remain seated when his city is called, he has to be "postman."

If the Postmaster says, "general delivery," all exchange places, and the "postman" tries to secure a vacant place.



SPOONEY FUN.

All the players sit in a circle. One is chosen to be out. He is blindfolded and given a spoon (a large one) with which he is to feel. He stands in the middle of the circle, then is turned around three times and told to guess who the first person, which he touches with the spoon, is.

He advances cautiously until he touches someone. Then with the back of the spoon he feels the person all over. The players must keep perfectly quiet, disguising themselves if they see fit, as the collars and cuffs of the men will be felt very easily with the spoon.

As soon as the blindfolded one has guessed who the player is he was feeling, they exchange places and the game goes on as before, but if he fails to guess the first time, or has felt with his hand instead of the spoon he is out again and remains out, until he has guessed correctly.



CITIES.

Provide all the guests with pencil and paper. The hostess then requests that each write the name of the city in which he was born, and under that a sentence, descriptive of that city or containing something suggestive of it. The letters of the city form the words of the sentence and must follow in regular order.

Allow fifteen minutes for composing the sentences, then collect them, mix them up, and each player is given one. Thus each one has some other person's slip to read. The one who composed the best sentences deserves a prize.

Examples—City, New York.

Sentence—N-ow, E-very, W-all St., Y-ankee, O-wns, R-eal, K-ingdoms.

City, Chicago.

Sentence—Conflagration, H-igh, I-n, C-rowded, A-reas, G-rew, O-n.



GOING TO CHINA.

This is a catch game for those who have never played it. The leader begins by saying, "I'm going to sail for China next week, I would like to have you go, what will you take?" This question is asked every player and there are many different answers, but all cannot go, as they have not answered correctly.

The point is, if you wish to go sailing, you must take something which commences with the same letter as the initial of your last name. The leader then says, "You can go."

For example, suppose the player who is asked the question says she will take bananas. If her last name begins with B she can go, but if not, the leader says, "Lou cannot go this trip."

The game continues until every one has guessed the trick and they can all go.



A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.

Provide each player with pencil and paper and a penny. The hostess explains that the answers to the following questions are things which are found on every penny.

The questions may either be written on the paper beforehand or the guests can write them as the hostess asks them. A prize may be awarded to the player whose paper contains the greatest number of correct answers.

1. An emblem of victory, (laurel wreath). 2. An emblem of royalty, (crown). 3. A South American fruit, (date). 4. A spring flower, (tulips, two lips). 5. A portion of a hill, (brow). 6. A portion of a river, (mouth). 7. A messenger, (one cent, sent). 8. A piece of armor, (shield). 9. Mode of ancient punishment, (stripes). 10. Means of inflicting it, (lashes). 11. Something to be found in school, (pupil). 12. Three weapons, (3 arrows). 13. An animal, (hare, hair). 14. A part of a stove, (lid). 15. Plenty of assurance, (cheek). 16. The first American settler, (Indian). 17. Part of a duck, (feathers). 18. A place of worship, (temple). 19. Two sides of a vote, (eyes and nose, ayes and noes). 20. The cry of victory, (won, one).



MISQUOTED QUOTATIONS.

Choose very familiar quotations from Longfellow, Shakespeare, Tennyson, or any well-known author or poet, and write them on slips of paper.

Change some of the words of the original, or even a whole line, and when each guest receives his slip he is requested to repeat the quotation correctly.

For example—"To be, or not to be; that is the question," may be written, "To be, or not to be: that is the problem."



LITERARY SALAD.

Salad leaves are prepared for this game by folding and twisting pieces of green tissue paper until they look like lettuce leaves. Then paste slips of white paper containing a quotation, on each leaf.

The participants of this salad are requested to guess the name of the author of their quotation. This may be played very easily at a church social where the leaves may contain Bible verses instead of quotations, and the players are asked to tell just where their verses are found, in what book and chapter.



BROKEN QUOTATIONS.

This is a good game to play at the beginning of a social gathering, as the guests have to mingle together and thus become better acquainted, and the stiffness of a formal gathering passes off.

The hostess has prepared familiar quotations which were written on paper and then cut in two or three parts and pinned in different places around the room.

The guests are requested to find as many quotations as they can during a certain length of time.

As the parts are scattered all over the room, it isn't as easy as it sounds to find the complete quotations. The person gathering the most quotations, deserves a prize.



PARCEL DELIVERY.

Packages of all shapes and sizes and securely wrapped up are prepared by the hostess who has numbered each one. The players are provided with pencil and slips of paper with numbers corresponding to the numbers on the parcels, arranged down one side.

The guests sit in a circle and the packages are passed from one to the other. Each one is allowed to feel the packages as much as he pleases, but no one must look inside.

As the packages are passed, the names, guessed by the sense of touch, are written opposite their appropriate numbers on the slips of paper.

After all the bundles have been passed, the hostess opens each one and keeps account of those who have guessed correctly, while those who have failed, are requested to read their guesses as this affords much amusement.



WHO ARE THEY?

Photographs of noted people, labelled with names that do not belong to them, are hung about the room. Each picture is numbered.

The guests, provided with pencil and paper, are given a certain length of time in which to guess the correct names, which are written opposite their corresponding numbers.

Familiar photographs such as Dickens, Shakespeare, Washington, Lincoln, Napoleon, etc., should be chosen.



SWAPS.

The guests are requested to bring something wrapped up in paper, which they wish to get rid of.

The hostess prepares a duplicate set of numbers, pinning one number on each parcel, as the guests pass by her. When she gives a signal (clapping hands or ringing a bell), the two persons having No. 1 pinned on their packages exchange them, those having No. 2, and so on, until all have exchanged or swapped. Then all open their packages, some may have received better things, while others may have a worse swap.



TALKING SHOP.

Partners may be chosen for this game by writing names referring to ladies on one set of papers like, "Judy," "Jill," "Juliet," and names referring to men on another set of papers like, "Punch," "Jack," "Romeo." Hand each guest a slip of paper with the name on it and each one hunts for his partner.

When all the partners are found, the leader announces that at a given signal all the ladies are to talk to their partners for five minutes about household affairs, shopping, or fashions. Each man listens attentively to his partner, and when the five minutes are up, he has to write a short account of her conversation, on paper, which the hostess provides. Five minutes is allowed for this.

Then the men talk to the ladies for five minutes about business affairs, stocks, law, building or medicine, and it is the ladies' turn to write a short composition of what she heard.

The papers are collected, the hostess reads them, and a prize is awarded to the best or most amusing account.



SIGHT UNSEEN.

Partners may be chosen in any way for this game. The host gives each pair a sheet of paper and pencil. The partners decide among themselves which one is the best artist, he or she (as the case may be) takes the pencil and paper, while the other receives some common object from the host.

The chairs must be arranged side by side, but facing in opposite directions, so the one who is to draw may not see the object his partner has. When the signal is given to begin, the one having the object describes it to his partner, who must draw it, from the description given.

After twenty minutes have passed, the drawings and their objects are collected, arranged side by side, and it is decided by vote which drawing is most like the object it represents.



A STUDY IN ZOOLOGY.

It will be necessary to have several sheets of silhouette paper (black on one side and white on the other), a large sheet of white cardboard, several pairs of scissors, and as many pencils as there are players, for this game.

Each player is handed a piece of silhouette paper, on the white side of which is written a number and the name of some animal. The players are handed pencils and requested to draw the animal, assigned to each, on the white side of the paper. The animals are then cut out and handed to the hostess. Fifteen minutes are allowed for this.

The hostess, having collected all the animals, pastes them back side out, on the sheet of cardboard, and writes a number corresponding to the one already on the animal, underneath each. The cardboard sheet is hung up where all can see and the players are handed pieces of paper with numbers arranged down one side, on which each player is to write opposite its corresponding number what each animal is supposed to represent.

A prize may be given to the one guessing the greatest number of animals correctly.



AUCTION SALE

Provide twenty or more bundles, all shapes and sizes, securely wrapped. Each bundle has a name on it suggestive of what is inside. For instance, "A pair of kids," may contain two kid hair curlers, "A bunch of dates," may be a calendar; "A diamond pin," a dime and a pin.

Each guest is given a bag containing fifty beans, no one can bid higher than fifty.

The auctioneer, who must be a witty person, who can carry on a lively bidding, stands by a table where the parcels are piled and carries on the sale until all the parcels are sold. The bundles are then opened by the purchasers and there is much merriment over the contents.



THE GENTEEL LADY.

The players sit in a circle. The leader begins by saying, "I, a genteel lady (or gentleman, as the case may be) always genteel, come to you, a genteel lady (or gentleman) always genteel (bows to the player on the right), from yonder genteel lady (or gentleman) always genteel (bows to player on left), to tell you that she has an eagle."

The next player repeats that word for word and adds something about the eagle, for instance, the last part may be, "to tell you that she has an eagle with silver beak." The next player may add, "golden claws," the next "emerald eyes," the next "purple feathers," and so on.

The players who repeat every word correctly, adding their description of the eagle, remain "genteel," but those who make a mistake become "horned" instead of "genteel."

The leader has charge of the "horns" which may be toothpicks or pieces of paper twisted up tight. For every mistake a "horn" is tucked in the player's hair. Each player repeats what the leader has said, but if the player next to him is "horned," he must substitute "horned" for "genteel" when referring to him.

When each one has repeated this tale, the players who have "horns," and there will be many, must pay a forefeit for every "horn" they have.



RHYMES.

Provide each player with slips of paper and pencil. The hostess then announces that each one is to write some question at the top of the paper, fold the paper over and pass it to the player at the left, who writes a noun, folds the paper over and passes it to the left again.

The players who then receive the slips are requested to write one or more stanzas of poetry containing the noun and question written at the top of the paper.

Allow fifteen minutes for this, then pass the papers to the left and they are then read in turn. A prize may be given to the one who wrote the best poetry.

Examples—

Question—Where did you get that hat?

Noun—Fair.

"Where did you get that hat?" Said Shortie to Mr. Fat, "I stole it from the Fair, When I was leaving there."

Question—Can you dance?

Noun—Day.

"May-day! let us away! Can you dance? Here's your chance, On this lovely May-day."



ART GALLERY.

Select copies of famous paintings, those familiar to every one, and hang them around the room.

Neither the name of the painting nor of the artist must be on it, only a number on each picture.

Provide the guests with pencil and paper and allow a certain length of time, according to the number of pictures, for guessing the names and artists.



HUNTING FOR BOOK-TITLES.

The hostess must prepare beforehand pictures, cut from magazine advertisements and miscellaneous articles, suggestive of the titles of books.

These are arranged around the room, some on tables, some on the wall, and in any place, so all the guests can see them. All the articles are numbered.

The guests are handed pencil and paper and the hostess announces that all the articles represent the title of some book and when guessed the names are to be written opposite their corresponding numbers. Allow half an hour for the hunt, and when the time is up the hostess reads the correct list and the player who has guessed the largest number correctly, deserves a prize.

Examples—A large bow of orange ribbon pinned on a curtain, immediately suggests "A Bow of Orange Ribbon," by Amelia Barr.

A picture of several boys suggests "Little Men," by Louisa M. Alcott.

A picture of Gen. Grant cut in half suggests "Half a Hero."



PART III.

GAMES FOR SPECIAL DAYS.



JACK FROST.

Around Christmas and New Year's the children will enjoy playing this. All form a circle; one, Jack Frost, stands in the middle.

Jack Frost runs around inside the circle and touches one child on her right hand, and goes back to his place again. The child touched says: "Jack Frost came this way," the child to her left says: "What did he do?" No. 1 says: "He nipped my right hand," (shaking her right hand). No. 2 tells No. 3 about Jack Frost, each doing as No. 1 did, and thus it goes down the circle, until back to No. 1 again.

Jack Frost then steps out and bites her left hand, and now both hands are shaking; thus each time Jack Frost nips some part, that is shaking with the rest, until the children are hopping up and down, and shaking all over.



MAGIC CANDLES.

Arrange twelve candles, one for each month, in a row about two feet apart. Have the candles different colors suggestive of the months they represent, such as, green for March and red for December.

The children form in line and one at a time jump over the candles, which are lighted.

If a light goes out the child who has just jumped will have bad luck in that month which the candle represents.



THE LUCKY OR UNLUCKY SLIPPER.

A slipper is waved three times over the head and then thrown on the floor.

If the toe be toward the player, good luck is coming. If the heel, bad luck is in store, and if it rests on its side, there is hope for something better.



CAKES.

On the sixth of January, Twelfth Night was celebrated in the olden times. Then all the pastry cooks did their finest baking and decked their windows with marvelous productions of cakes.

If a party is being planned for this day invite your guests to come dressed as cakes. Just the ladies will do this and the men can wear miniature cooking utensils if they choose.

Give each lady a number and each man a pencil and slip of paper. The men must guess what cakes the ladies represent and write their answers with the corresponding numbers on the paper.

When all the cakes have been guessed the correct list is read by the hostess and the one having the largest number of correct answers may be awarded a prize.

A prize may also be awarded to the lady attired in the best representation. One dressed in dark brown would suggest "chocolate cake"; another in orange-colored cheesecloth, "orange cake"; another with wreaths of raisins, currants and citron, suggest "fruit cake"; while one in just a plain dress with no signs suggestive of any cake may be "lady cake"; another carrying a hammer and pounding it whenever she saw fit, suggests "pound cake."



VALENTINES.

When inviting the guests for a valentine party, request each one to bring an original valentine addressed to one of the guests. As the guests arrive, the hostess collects the valentines, being careful to keep those addressed to ladies in one pile, and those addressed to gentlemen in another.

The hostess then hands each one a valentine, giving the gentlemen those addressed to the ladies and the ladies those for the gentlemen. The valentines are then read aloud and a jolly time will be the result.

A prize may be awarded for the best valentine, the brightest and most witty.



INITIAL COMPLIMENTS.

Each gentleman is handed a slip of paper with the name of a lady guest on it. The gentlemen are then requested, one at a time, to go to their respective ladies, giving each a compliment, every word of which begins with the initial letter of the lady's first name.

As each lady is addressed by a gentleman, she replies, using the initial letter of his name in her answer.

Votes are taken as to the best compliment and answer and a simple prize may be awarded the pair who obtained the most votes.



HEART HUNT.

Cut out of red, white, blue, yellow and green paper hearts of all shapes and sizes, then cut each heart into four pieces and scatter these all over the room, on the floor, chairs, tables, behind pictures, etc.

Allow a certain length of time for the hunt, and when all the pieces have been collected, request each guest to put his pieces together and see how many whole hearts of the same color he has collected.

The white heart counts 1; the blue, 2; the yellow, 3; the green, 4; and the red, 5. The one scoring the greatest number of points is the winner of hearts and deserves a prize. A booby prize may be awarded the one who has only broken hearts.



HEART PRICKS.

A large heart made of some red material, (flannel or cheesecloth) is pinned securely to a sheet, which may be stretched on the wall or door. In the center of the large red heart is a small white heart, either sewed or pinned on.

Each guest is given an arrow of white cloth with a pin in one end. When everything is ready the hostess blindfolds the guests one at a time, and standing a certain distance from the heart, starts them in the right direction.

Each one endeavors to pin his arrow on the heart; the one pinning it nearest to the middle of the white heart wins the game.



VALENTINE PUZZLE.

Select five good paper valentines. Paste each on a piece of cardboard and cut into small pieces. Have five small tables in the room and place a puzzle on each. If the company is small, assign five persons to a table, if larger, use your own judgment.

Each one at the table takes his turn, trying to put the valentine together in its proper shape. Each player is timed, and the one who succeeds in putting it together in the shortest time is the winner.

If desired, the players can go from one table to the other; the one who succeeds in putting the most puzzles together out of the five, is the winner.



HEARTS AND MITTENS.

Cut out of red cardboard half as many hearts and mittens as you expect in your company. Out of blue cardboard cut hearts and mittens for the rest of the company. Number them so every heart has its corresponding mitten. Attach strings or ribbons to each and place them in a basket.

Each guest takes the end of a string and pulls out his heart or mitten, as the case may be. Each one then hunts for his partner.

When all are paired off, a circle is formed and someone strikes up a lively march. Whenever the music stops, all the ladies stand still, and the gentlemen move up one. This goes on until everyone has had a different partner, and finally, when the original one comes, there is a grand march before the circle breaks up.



RIVEN HEARTS.

Another way of securing partners for the evening is as follows: Suspend two large hearts made of either white or red paper from the ceiling, several feet apart. Make a hole in each, through which are hung the ends of long strings. The ladies hold the strings on one side and the gentlemen on the other.

When the hostess gives a signal, all pull on their strings. Thus the hearts are riven and partners are found holding the ends of the same string.



PROPOSALS.

As the guests assemble for the Valentine party, give each gentleman a slip of paper bearing the name of a woman, and the ladies, the name of some man, noted in fiction as lovers. Thus the one who has Romeo hunts for the lady who has Juliet on her paper.

When all know who their partners are, the ladies must evade every attempt on the part of the gentlemen of proposing to them during the evening.

A prize is given to the gentleman who has succeeded in proposing, and to the girl who has alluded all efforts of her partner by her wit and ingenuity.

Another way is to have the proposals progressive. Every gentleman must propose to every lady before the evening is over. The ladies use every effort they can to prevent them from "coming to the point." The man making the most offers receives the prize. The lady receiving the fewest declarations receives a prize.



WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY.

For a party on this day, the room should be decorated with flags, hatchets, etc., and red, white, and blue bunting, so as to add a patriotic air to everything.

A picture of Washington may be cut in many pieces for a puzzle. The one who succeeds in putting the picture together in the shortest time receives a prize, which may be a large picture of Washington.

A cherry tree may be represented by using a branch of any tree and decorating it with small candy cherries. If these cannot be obtained, any kind of candy may be wrapped in red tissue paper and tied to the branch. The players are blindfolded one at a time, given a pair of scissors, and requested to "cut off a cherry."

To add to the fun small paper hatchets may be hidden around the room for the players to find, as in a peanut hunt.

The head of a hatchet may be drawn on a sheet which is tacked to the wall, and the players are given cloth handles which they are to pin to the sheet while blindfolded. The one who succeeds in pinning his handle nearest to the proper place may be awarded a prize.



APRIL FIRST.

For an April Fool's Day gathering, ask each guest to come prepared to do some sleight of hand trick. When all are assembled, each one in turn performs his trick. A vote is taken for the most clever and a prize is awarded.

Each one present endeavors to fool someone else during the evening. The one who has not been fooled once during the whole evening receives a prize; the one who is fooled the most times is given a prize, too.



EASTER EGG RACE.

Color an even number of eggs, half the number one color, the other half, another. Place all the eggs of one color on the floor in a line at intervals of one foot. At the end of the line put a basket. Form a similar line, a little distance from the other, of the remaining eggs. For convenience, we will say one line is of green eggs, the other of pink.

Choose two players as leaders, who select their sides. One side chooses the green row, and the other, the pink. Two, one player from each side, play at a time.

When all is ready the two leaders stand by their respective rows, each is given a large spoon, and when told to "go," each one spoons up the eggs, one at a time, and carries them to the basket at the end of the line. The one who succeeds in spooning up all his eggs first wins for his side.

Thus each player in turn works for his side until all have had a chance and the side whose players were the most successful is the winning side.



SUSPENDED EGGS.

After an egg hunt, several eggs may be gathered together and a string or ribbon run through each and hung in different lengths from a chandelier. Candy eggs and little baskets of eggs may be suspended, too. Place a tablecloth or sheet underneath to prevent the carpet from being spoiled by the downfall.

Each child in turn is blindfolded and given a cane with which to strike the suspended eggs. Whatever is knocked down is his. If he fails to knock something down the first time, he may have another turn.



EGG RACE.

Give each child a tablespoon and a hard-boiled egg. The children form in line and one is the leader. Each one holds the spoon with the egg in its bowl at arm's length and hops on one foot, following wherever the leader leads them.

The leader may take them up stairs, over stools, and any place hard to reach on one foot. To drop the egg or rest on both feet prevents one from continuing in the game. She must stay out until the next time round.



ROLLING EGGS.

Mark on the table, or on the floor, if preferred, with chalk, four parallel lines, eight or ten feet long, and four or five inches apart. Thus there are three narrow spaces. At the end of each space make a circle, numbering the middle one 10, and the other two, 5. The middle space is marked 3, and the other two, 1.

The object of the game is to have each child roll five eggs, one at a time, down the middle space to the circles at the ends. If the egg goes into the middle circle, it counts 10, but if it stops in the middle space, it counts only 3, and so on, counting the number of the place where it stops.

Tally is kept for each child, the one scoring the most points wins the game.



BUNNY'S EGG.

On a sheet draw a rough-sketch of a good-sized rabbit, the regular Easter bunny, standing on its hind legs, and holding its paws as if it were carrying an egg.

Stretch the sheet on the wall and tack it firmly in place. Cut eggs out of different colored cloth to represent Easter eggs. The eggs should be as large as the space between the rabbit's paws. In each egg stick a pin.

Blindfold the children in turn and give each an egg, which is to be pinned on the sheet, and right in "Bunny's" arms, if possible.

As the children take their turn, no matter how straight on the way they were started, "Bunny" will be surrounded with eggs, until some child pins the egg in his arms. This child deserves a prize.



JULY FOURTH.

Aside from the enjoyment of firecrackers, etc., there are a few games to amuse the children on this day. If a party has been planned for the Fourth, the rooms should be appropriately decorated for the occasion.

As soon as all the children arrive choose two leaders, who in turn select sides. A line is marked on the floor and the sides stand on each side of this boundary line. A few feet from the line on each side is placed an American flag. Any flag can be made to stand up by placing the end of the stick securely in the hole of an empty spool. Each leader guards his own flag.

The children endeavor to secure their opponents' flag. If a leader tags anyone who crosses the boundary and comes too near the flag, that child is out of the game. However, if one does succeed in capturing the other's flag, and carries it over the boundary into his side, that side is victorious.



FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS.

Flags of all nations are collected and displayed around the room. Each one is numbered. The guests are given pencil and paper with numbers down the left hand side.

Opposite each number the guest writes the names of the country which the flag bearing the corresponding number stands for. Allow a certain length of time for guessing, then collect the papers, read the correct list, and correct the papers. Prizes may be awarded, but the satisfaction of having guessed the most seems to be enough reward.



OUR FLAG.

Other games for the Fourth are as follows: Each child is given a piece of white paper or cardboard 6-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches in size. All sit around a table on which are red and blue paper and a pile of stars by each one's place. Scissors and a bottle of mucilage are handy. The children are given a certain length of time in which to make their flags, putting the blue field and stars and stripes correctly on their pieces of cardboard. The one who completes his flag first deserves a prize.

Suspend a bell in a doorway low enough for the children to reach. The children stand about ten feet away and each in turn throws a beanbag, endeavoring to make the "liberty bell," as it is called, ring. Those who succeed in making it ring receive little bells as a reward.

The contents of several boxes of torpedoes may be emptied and hidden around the room. The children hunt for them, and have a jolly time shooting them off after the hunt is over.



HALLOWE'EN.

A Hallowe'en party is probably the only gathering where the stiffness and formality entirely disappear. Every one is in for a good time, and should be dressed in old clothes ready to try all sorts of experiments.

Decorate the room appropriately with pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns, greens, weird lights, and strings of peppers, if possible. Mirrors should be in profusion. Effective lights may be made from cucumbers by scraping out the inside and cutting holes in the rind for eyes and nose, and placing a candle in each.

Persons dressed as ghosts may receive the guests and usher them into the room where the fun is to be. As soon as a person enters, the hostess, who is not a ghost, blindfolds the victim, and those already in the room take turns shaking hands with him. He has to guess who each person is. It is marvellous how many mistakes will be made, even if the guests are the best of friends.



HALLOWE'EN STORIES.

There are several ways of telling ghastly stories on Hallowe'en. Have a large ball of different colored yarn handy and before the midnight hour, turn out the lights, and ask all the players to sit in a circle. The hostess, holding the ball of yarn, begins by telling some weird story, unwinding the yarn as she proceeds, until she comes to a different color, and then she tosses the ball to someone in the circle, and that one must proceed with the story until she comes to a different color. It is then tossed to another, and so on, until the ball is unwound and the story ended.

Another way, more ghastly still, is to give each guest a saucer in which is a handful of salt and some alcohol. Each one in turn lights the contents of the saucer and tells some ghost story, continuing until all the alcohol is burned, and no longer. The stories may be lively or sad.



HALLOWE'EN FATES.

For obtaining partners, fill a pumpkin rind with nuts, which have been opened, had the meat taken out, some token of the fate placed inside, and glued together again with a ribbon attached to each. Those drawing nuts having the same colored ribbon are partners. The one whose nut has a ring in, is to be married next; if a coin, he is to be the most wealthy; if a thimble, a spinster all her life. The other nuts may have slips of paper with prophecies written on them.

A bag filled with nuts may be tied up tightly and hung in a doorway. One of the players is blindfolded and given a stick with which he is to hit the bag as hard as he can, thus breaking it, and scattering the nuts on the floor. The one who succeeds in gathering the greatest number of nuts will be the luckiest during the year.

Fill two large pans with sawdust. Bury in one pan pieces of paper bearing a rhyme about one's future, these can be about the ladies for the men to draw, and in the other pan verses for the ladies to draw. The papers are folded up tightly. The ladies and gentlemen take turns putting in their thumbs. As soon as a verse is found it is read aloud.

Example for the men to draw:

"Medium height, eyes of blue, Charming girl is awaiting you."

For the ladies:

"Tall and slight, with red hair, Fond of walking and fresh air."



SOME MORE FATES.

In addition to the regulation "bobbing for apples," "floating needles," and throwing the apple peel over the head, there are many other amusements of prophecy.

In a doorway a portire of apples may be hung. Apples are strung on strings of various lengths. The tallest guests endeavor to bite those swinging on the longest strings stooping in the attempt, while the shorter ones reach for those above. The one who succeeds in eating the whole of his apple just by biting it, will never want for anything.

A horseshoe is hung in a doorway. Each guest is given three small apples. Each in turn tries to throw the apples, one at a time, through the horseshoe. If he succeeds in sending all three through, he will always be lucky during the coming year.

From the ceiling suspend a large pumpkin, on whose rind all the letters of the alphabet have been burned or painted. Twirl this quickly and each guest in turn tries to stab some letter with a hatpin. The letter which is pierced is the initial letter of one's fate.

Another,—swing a wedding ring over a goblet and repeat the alphabet slowly, the letter said as the ring touches the glass is the initial of the future wife or husband, as the case may be.

This same ring may be suspended from the ceiling, at a convenient distance from the floor. Whoever succeeds in running a pencil through it while walking towards it, without stopping, is the next to be married.



WATER CHARM.

Place three bowls on a table, one containing clear water, another soapy or muddy water, and the third one empty.

Blindfold the players one at a time, and lead them to the bowls, (whose positions are changed each time) to put their fingers in one of them.

If a player touches the clear water, he will be happily married; if the soapy water, he will marry a widow; and if he puts his finger in the empty bowl, he will never marry.

For knowing the occupation of the future one, there are several ways. Articles suggestive of different trades may be buried in flour, and the players in turn take a spoonful out of the dish and see what they can find. If not successful the first time, they may have a second trial.

Another way is to melt lead and then drop in into cold water, and the form it takes will suggest the trade of the future husband. Sometimes the forms are intricate, but if they suggest any trade, that is the real one. If it flattens out and looks like a book, an author will be the fate; if in tiny pieces, like particles of dirt, a farmer will be suggested, and so on.



OVER THE CIDER MUGS.

By each place at the table place a mug of sweet cider, a small bunch of matches, two candles, and a slip of paper with a pencil.

Before the refreshments are served, when all are seated, the hostess announces that as she counts twenty-five slowly, each guest is to write a wish on the paper, light a candle, burn the paper in the light, letting the ashes fall into the cider, and drink the contents of the mug, ashes and all. All who succeed in doing this before twenty-five is counted, will have their wishes granted.

Later, ask each guest to light both candles, naming each after a sweetheart, and allow them to burn as long as they will. The candle which burns longest shows which one will prove most faithful.



SHIPS OF FATE.

Prepare as many half shells of walnuts as there are guests. In each fasten a small candle with a drop of the wax.

Fill a tub with water, and before sailing the boats, the water should be agitated so as to have it wavy. Two at a time may sail their boats, lighting the candles as they are launched. The life of the owner is prophesied by the seaworthy qualities of his ship.

If the storm overcomes the ship, the one whose it is, will be wrecked by adversity. The ship sailing across the tub signifies a long sea voyage, while those remaining by the side show that the person loves home better.

If the two ships stay together throughout the trip, the couple owning them will have a happy marriage. If they bump together, that signifies a quarrel, and if they sail in opposite directions, each person will lead a single life.



CAKE WITH CANDLES.

A large cake with as many different colored candles on it as there are guests, is passed around, and each one takes a piece of it, with the candle too, choosing whatever color they wish.

As the cake passes from one to the other, the hostess reads the following prophecies, having prepared them beforehand to suit the company:

"Bright and cheery, candle red, The year is here in which you wed."

"If your candle green should be, You will find your love at sea."

"Lonely, hopeless, spinster she, If white candle hers should be."

"Happy he with candle blue, Thy sweetheart is ever true."

"She who holds a candle yellow, Marries now a jealous fellow."



HUNT THE SQUIRREL.

To amuse the children after the Thanksgiving dinner, ask them all to join hands and form a ring. One is chosen out and is given a nut which he is to drop behind some child. As he walks around the outside of the ring he says:

"Hunt the squirrel in the woods, I lost him, I found him. Hunt the squirrel in the woods, I lost him, I found him. I won't catch you, and I won't catch you, But I will catch you."

As he says the last line, he drops the nut behind some child. That one must pick it up, and run around the circle, trying to reach his place before the other one gets there. If he fails, he is out and the game continues as before.



CHRISTMAS TREE.

A novel amusement for children at Christmas time is to trim a Christmas tree when blindfolded. Stand a small tree at one end of the room, ready to be trimmed. Have all the ornaments on a table near at hand, ready to be put on the tree.

Blindfold the children one at a time, lead them to the table to take their pick. The first thing touched must be taken, and after turning the child around three times start him straight toward the tree.

When he reaches the tree, he must wire the ornament, or whatever he had, in place. Some older person can be ready to turn the tree around, as it will be trimmed only on one side, if not. The children can have as may turns as they wish until the tree is trimmed.



CHRISTMAS GUESSES.

Suspend a large bunch of mistletoe from one of the chandeliers. The children, one at a time, stand under the mistletoe, and guess how many berries there are on it. The berries are counted when all have guessed. The one coming the nearest receives a prize.

While watching the Christmas tree, after the presents have been distributed, some one says, "I see something on the Christmas tree which commences with T. What is it?" Many guesses are given, the one who says "Tinsel," has guessed correctly, and it is his turn to give a guess, which may commence with P and C. Pop-corn is easily guessed, and so on, until everything has been guessed.



CHRISTMAS WREATH.

Suspend a large Christmas wreath in a doorway at a convenient height from the floor. Prepare in advance "snowballs," made of cotton batting covered with white tissue paper.

The players stand about eight feet from the wreath, and take turns, one at a time. Each is given three "snowballs," and the one who succeeds in throwing all three, one at a time, through the wreath, is given the prize.

To make it more exciting, sides may be chosen, and each one of the three snowballs numbered, one being 5, the other, 10, and the third, 20. If the ball numbered 5 goes through, it counts 5 for that player's side. If it does not go through, it is a loss, and so on. The side scoring the most points is victorious.



CHRISTMAS CANDLES.

A small tree is placed on a table. The candles are lighted. Blindfold the players, one at a time, turn around three times, and allow each to take five steps toward the tree. Then he must blow as hard as he can, endeavoring to blow out all the lights, if possible. The one who succeeds in extinguishing the most receives a prize.

Another amusement is playing "The night before Christmas" like "Stagecoach." Give each child the name of some part of Santa Claus' outfit, the sleigh, the reindeer, etc. The hostess then reads the well-known story, "The Night Before Christmas." As she mentions the names, the players having them, rise, turn around, and sit down again. When she mentions Santa Claus, all change places, and she tries to secure a seat. The one left out continues the story, and so on, until completed.



A GAME WITHIN A GAME.

While the children are waiting on Christmas for their presents, or dinner, or whenever the time seems to drag, suggest that each one think up the best game he knows.

Give each child a pencil and a card on which the game and the name of the child who thought of it are written. Each one in turn tells his game and all the children play it. When all have had a turn, and each game has been played, the children look over their lists and choose the game they liked best. The originator of the most popular one receives a prize.



TOSS THE GOODIES.

The children form a square, each one holding the sides of an old tablecloth or piece of sheeting. In the center of this is placed a pile of nuts, candies, raisins, fruits, and all sorts of goodies. When a signal is given, the children all together toss the cloth up and down, singing:

"Toss the goodies up and down, Up and down, up and down, Toss the goodies up and down, Goodies for you and me."

When the last line is sung, an extra large toss is made and thus all the goodies fly to all parts of the room. The children then all scramble around picking them up and having a jolly time.



SNOWBALLS.

A pretty idea for concealing Christmas presents for the children is to make a lot of snowballs out of white tissue paper and cotton batting, and concerting the gifts inside.

Pile all these snowballs under the tree, and when the time comes for distributing them, the mother, or some older person tosses them, one at a time, to the children, who are standing at distance eagerly waiting for them.

As the children catch them they step out of line to leave room for others until all have received one. Then all the balls are opened and the presents disclosed.



DECKING SANTA CLAUS.

Santa, who has been invited to the party, after being introduced to all the children, sits at the end of the room.

The children are blindfolded one at a time, and after being turned around three or four times, are told to walk up to him, and place on his head their own caps, which they had received in bonbons just before.

The child who succeeds in decking Santa Claus with his own cap may receive a little prize.