Take gold paper, cut it in strips a quarter of an inch wide, and an inch and a half long. Take one of the strips and fasten together with paste, forming a ring; then take another strip and pass it through the ring just formed, and fasten it together with paste; continue this process until you have made a long chain. A number of these chains, festooned from branch to branch, resemble chains of gold.
Fairies always please children, and are easily made. Purchase some small, jointed wooden or china dolls, and different colored tarlatans for dresses, and form the wings of white tarlatan, or of white linen banking paper. Take butterfly wings for a pattern; sew on gold and silver spangles on dress and wings, or paste on tiny stars of gold and silver paper. Cut little strips of gold paper, and roll them up, as you do paper lamp-lighters, for the wands. Fasten them with thread or wire to the hand of the fairy. The crown of the queen can be made of gold paper, cut in strips long enough to go round the head, and cut it in points in front, and paste it round the head. Fasten wire round the waists of the fairies, leaving one long end to wind around the branches of the trees. Thus they look as if they were flying.
Many pretty things can be made from egg-shells, such as pitchers, bowls, goblets, and tiny cradles; ornament them with gold paper and little colored pictures.
There are hundreds of little glittering toys, which can be purchased for a few pennies, such as brass beads, little looking-glasses, glass balls, gilded toys, &c., too numerous to mention; odd bits of tin hung among the branches glitter very prettily.
Every member of a family preparing a Christmas tree, should use his or her wits to contrive little inexpensive ornaments; even the little ones, with some instruction, can make many pretty things, and it will add tenfold to their pleasure to feel they have assisted in ornamenting their precious tree; only let them think they can do it, and most assuredly it will be done.
In making presents, every member of the family should strive to find out the wants and tastes of those to whom they intend to give presents, thinking only of giving pleasure, and not of personal gratification of their pride or love of show. The golden rule our blessed Saviour gave us should be ever uppermost in our minds. Love should be the presiding genius of every home festival.
God works upon our hearts in many and various ways. Often the simplest thing in life may awaken us to a right sense of his goodness and mercy. So in home influences, if a Christmas tree every year can add one link to the chain which binds us in love to one another, should we not be paid for weeks of labor? Every child thus early taught thoughtfulness for others, must feel the good effects through life.
2.—THE CHRISTMAS BRAN PIE.
The bran pie is often used in England, in place of the Christmas tree, or as an addition to the “Twelfth Night” party.
It is within the means of every family, as its contents can be inexpensive or expensive, according to the taste and means of the maker.