Give each guest a card numbered, and ask him to draw thereon a picture which shall illustrate some well-known novel. When all have finished have them pass the cards and on a second numbered list write the titles of the books illustrated. Give a prize for the most perfect list and the best illustration. Let the guests vote on the best illustration.
Or, pin on the back of a guest the name of a character in a book, or the name of an author, and let him by questions discover his own identity. If he fails to guess and has to be told, he sits down. If he guesses correctly, another name is pinned on his back, and another, and so on. The one guessing the greatest number of names receives the prize, which may be simply a bunch of flowers.
Ask each guest to wear something representing the title of a book. Give each a number as he enters and a list of numbers and let all place correct names opposite the numbers on their lists. Write a simple love story, leaving blanks to be filled with names of books. This may be written on a large sheet of paper or on a blackboard, the blanks numbered and each guest given a numbered list to place words intended to fill blanks, or enough copies may be made for each guest to have a copy.
Partners for supper may be found by cutting quotations in half and matching them again. Or one guest may be given the name of a book to find his partner in the author; or he may receive a slip containing the name of some man character in fiction, to find his partner in the corresponding woman character, as "David Copperfield" would seek "Dora," "Mr. Micawber" would seek "Mrs. Micawber," etc.
Serve pressed chicken or veal cut in squares resting on cress; sandwiches of white grapes and nuts, chopped pickle; fruit salad served in white lettuce leaves, cheese crackers, ice cream or ices, cake, coffee or chocolate. Make the cheese crackers by spreading a thin layer of cheese on the crackers and toasting them in the oven.
A Peanut Party.
Write invitations on cards cut out and painted to represent peanuts.
Have them read, "Won't you come next Tuesday night at 7 o'clock and help me gather my peanut crop? Cordially yours,"
When the guests assemble the night of the party, give each one a gay calico bag and a large wooden spoon. Then explain that they are to hunt for the peanuts on the lower floor of the house, and that the peanuts can only be taken up with the aid of the spoons. Half an hour is allowed to gather the peanut crop, and then the bags are marked with the gatherer's name and dropped into a large straw basket—the bag containing the largest number of peanuts receives a prize. This hunt causes much merriment.
When the time has expired and the bags are all in the basket, a large bowl of peanuts is put on a table and each guest given a needle and thread and told to make a necklace and pair of bracelets,—the best made set of peanut jewelry to be awarded a prize. The next feature of the evening's fun is making and dressing quaint little Chinese figures of peanuts. Crepe paper of various hues is provided for the costumes, and black thread for the queues. First the peanuts are strung to form the little manikins, then eyes, nose and mouth are marked on with ink. Jackets and trousers are next cut and made, and the little Ching-Changs are dressed. Pigtails are plaited and sewed on to the tops of the heads, then the hats go on and the little celestials are ready to be inspected by the judges. These dolls the guests keep as souvenirs of their skill.