Another luncheon which small children would enjoy hugely would be one in which everything suggested their friend Alice of Wonderland. The table should be laid as for an ordinary luncheon, and in the centre should be a mass of green with the hero of the book, the White Rabbit himself, standing erect in the middle, dressed as in the familiar frontispiece, in a plaid coat and waistcoat, holding a watch. Each child should have a card with its name and a sketch of one of the familiar characters in the story, such as the Mock Turtle, the Dormouse, the March Hare, the White Queen or Humpty Dumpty, with one of their famous sayings written beneath. All the candies on the table should be in the shapes of animals; animal crackers should be served with the cocoa, and if possible the ice cream should be in the shape of white rabbits.
Children's luncheons depend for their success, not so much on an elaborate menu or handsome decoration of flowers, as on small, ingenious devices which appeal to them. Anything which seems to their unsophisticated souls novel or beautiful will give infinite pleasure and will never be forgotten. Such a decoration as was used for a dinner-party at the White House not many years ago might well be reproduced for a child's luncheon with the assurance that it would be a great success.
A long, narrow pan of water stood on an oblong table, the outside completely hidden by small, growing ferns, planted in moss. In the centre of the pan was a miniature rockery, a pile of stones the size of one's fist, with these same ferns planted in all the crevices. But the charming thing was a little flock of china ducks, geese, swans, and tiny yellow goslings which floated on the surface of this small lake, moving somewhat as the table was stirred more or less by the restless guests. This arrangement for a children's party would be irresistible.
February
This month brings the two most important gala days of the year, and gives therefore the best possible opportunity for entertaining at luncheon. Then, too, this is the time when every one is giving teas, dinners, and social affairs of all sorts and the sense of gaiety is inspiring to all hostesses. In cities the spring flowers, fruits, and vegetables begin to come in with this month, and there ample scope is given for a fresh and delicious menu. Of course, where one has no access to large markets she must content herself with the usual winter foods, yet with a little ingenuity she can give the impression of a spring-like meal, using the resources at her command.
FOR A ST. VALENTINE'S DAY LUNCHEON.
A luncheon on Valentine's Day is one of the prettiest possible, for the profusion of flowers which might be excessive at another time is quite the proper thing now, and the accessories of the occasion, the ribbon bows, the cupids, the heart-shaped cakes and ices all make the table attractive. Lay it as daintily as possible with your most elaborate doilies, your prettiest candle-shades, and all your odd little dishes of silver. Of course, pink is the colour to choose, and the more pink roses you can have, the better. A very beautiful table which will suggest the day at first sight is set with five tall slender glass vases, one in the centre and four grouped around it at intervals filled with roses. This arrangement really takes no more flowers than is required for one large bunch, but the effect is of far more. The florist will sell or rent to you a large snow-white dove, the emblem of Venus, which can be suspended from the ceiling with an invisible wire; you can tie a number of narrow pink ribbons to his feet, or to his bill, and draw them down to the table, fastening two or three by each plate with a pink rose. If you have a large bisque Cupid it will do quite as well as the dove, and if you prefer to use vines instead of ribbon, these will form a sort of bower under which the meal is served. Put the central vase on a lace centrepiece laid over pink silk, and if your doilies are of lace they, too, may be lined with pink for this one occasion. There are candle-shades made of small paper roses which are very inexpensive and pretty, and these may be used with pink candles in silver sticks. If you fancy the idea, large pink satin bows laid on the corners of the table, if it is a square one, or at intervals if the table is round, add to the colour. Fill your bonbon dishes with small heart-shaped candies, pink-iced cakes of the same shape, and candied rose leaves, in addition to those filled with the usual olives and salted almonds.