| Fig. 218—Santa Claus as the spectators see him. | Fig. 219—The real Santa Claus behind the curtain. |
When the gifts have been distributed and you are ready to go out among the excited children or family circle again, step from the curtain, pull off the extra sleeves, remove the cotton from your face, and in a moment's time you will again be your own natural self.
When preparing this entertainment you will find the demand on your purse very slight, the principal outlay being for the curtain. Purchase moss-green lining cambric, at four, five, or six cents a yard, to stretch over the doorway you intend to use. Two yards and a quarter cut in one full breadth and one half breadth, when sewed together into a curtain, will be enough for an ordinary doorway. Doorways vary in size, however, and it is best to take the measurements of yours before buying the material. The space between the folding doors will probably call for five yards of cambric. When the strips of cloth are sewed together, stretch the curtain taut over the opening, tacking it at long intervals on the topmost level of the wood-work over the door and on the extreme edge of the door jamb next to the wall. If fastened in this manner, tacks will not injure the wood-work.
| Fig. 220—Holes in curtain for face and arms. | Fig. 221—Cap and body of coat pinned on curtain. |
Stand on the floor facing the centre of the curtain and mark the place where your face comes; then where your arms will most easily pass through the curtain. Cut holes in the cloth, one for your face with chin entirely through, and two for your arms ([Fig. 220]). Cut the holes small; they can be enlarged if necessary.
Make Santa Claus's cap of a piece of scarlet cambric twelve inches wide and seventeen inches long; tie one end with a string into a tassel; then pin the cap on top of the face opening ([Fig. 221]), and cut the lower edge into a curve to fit the hole as indicated by the dotted lines in [Fig. 221]. One width of scarlet cambric twenty-six inches long, used just as it comes, will make the jacket.
| Fig. 222—Pattern for sleeve-cap. | Fig. 223—Santa Claus's paste board boot top. |
Draw in one edge of the coat to meet the inner edge of the armhole and pin it there; do the same with the other side, and you will have fulness in front to allow for padding. Bring the sides around the armhole outward again and pin in place; then fold up a wide hem and pin the sides of the jacket to the curtain and fill out the inside of the jacket with half sheets of newspaper lightly crumpled ([Fig. 221]).
