(c) Standing High Jump. Three doughnuts are suspended in a doorway about four inches above the mouths of the jumpers. The contestants with hands tied attempt to take a bite. One bite from the doughnut wins a prize.
(d) Hurdle Race. The contestants take seats and thread six needles. The one who gets through first is the winner.
(e) Drinking Race. Each contestant is given a glass of water, which is to be absorbed by means of a spoon.
(f) Bun Race. Two poles are set up at a good distance apart, connected with a clothesline, from which are suspended strings of different lengths, according to the height of each boy, and a bun is tied to each string. The boys line up, hands tied behind their backs, and at the signal each tries to eat his bun. The constant moving of the line caused by their efforts makes it almost impossible to get a bite. Soon a boy gets a hold with his teeth, gets his bun on the ground, and, with his hands still behind, finishes the bun and gets the prize.
(g) Cracker-eating Contest (for girls only). Girls choose sides and line up facing each other. Each girl has a cracker which she is to chew and swallow as quickly as possible. The side which has a girl able to whistle first wins the prize.
(h) Rainy-Day Race. This race is run by several girls. They stand in a line with a closed satchel in front of each one, in which is a pair of rubbers, a pair of gloves, and also an umbrella. When “three” is counted, they open the satchels, take out the rubbers, put them on, take out the gloves, put them on, open their umbrellas, take the satchels and walk (not run) about one hundred feet to a line. Here they lower the umbrellas, take off their gloves and rubbers, put them in the satchels, close them and return, carrying the satchels and having the umbrellas closed. The first one back to the starting point wins. Other additions may be made.
The Gentlemen Nurse-maids. It is best to have several ladies, who know the trick, to dress the dummies, as it is too long a task for one.
When the gentlemen are seated, carefully blindfold each one, and request him to double up his right fist. Upon the back of the fist mark the eyes, nose, and mouth of a face with a burnt match or a little water-color. Tie around this a doll’s cap, or a lace frill or muslin ruffle, and fasten around the wrist a full white apron or skirt. Bend the left arm to lie across the waist, and put the right fist into the inner bend of the elbow, drawing the apron down over the right arm, and each of the blindfolded gentlemen will appear to be tenderly nursing a young baby. Have blindfolds removed.
New Year’s Resolutions for Others. The simplest entertainments are often the most successful. The literary efforts are sometimes desirable, but for a really enjoyable, social time, the following is sure to be a success. This should be arranged on New Year’s eve. Resolutions for improvement in conduct for the coming year are then in order. Supply your guests with pencil and paper. A party invited to see the old year out is quite sure to be an intimate one. For the resolutions, have each guest write a set of them for some one else in the party. This may be decided by inviting each one to write of his neighbor or by writing the names on paper and letting each one draw his subject. They are to be collected and read to the company. The writer is at liberty to sign any name to his resolutions.