TTTE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND. DECEMBER 21, 1913.
ALL PERSONS ARE SEIZED ALIKE BY SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
Suggestions for Festive Note to Table and Performances in Preparing and After, Yuletide Are Given by Barbara Boyd. ' j
rt BARBARA BOTD.
VEX though we may not decorate
Cthe bouse for Christina, most of
os like to add a festive note to
the table for the Christmas dinner. We
may do It simply by means of a few
sprigs of holly, or we may plan eiabo
rate decorations. But whichever we
to. we certainly enjoy the meal more
ivtien the table Is gay and bright with
irreen and scarlet.
A very pretty table decoration Is to
make in the center or the table a red
star, of poinsettia If possible; if not
In any other way that is practicable.
Place at the center of the star a tall
candle, and at each point shorter
candies. The candles can be white with
red shades, or all red. At each plate.
place a potnsettia. The Ice cream could
be in the form of a candle and candle
s;lck. with a tiny bit of taper stuck In
the end and lighted as the cream is
served.
Very Chrlstmasy is a mound of cot
ton In the center of the table, aprink
led with diamond dust and wreathed
with bolly. Snowballs suspended over
the table by red ribbons add to the
pretty effect. Place cards of white card
board sprinkled witb diamond dust fit
In with the scheme. Sparkling glass-
wars and gleaming sliver, snowy linen
and white candleshades complete a very
attractive and Chrlstmasy table.
Also on this order Is to make a snow
man of cotton, for the centerpiece, and
crown him with holly. The other et
cetera of the table could be carried
out in white and scarlet.
It Is Tory pretty to suspend from the
chandelier a hoop wreathed with scar
let ribbon or holly, from which hang
little stockings. This could be so ar
ranged that at the end of the dinner,
the hoop:ould be lowered and each one
at the table find his name on one of
the stockings, and within, various llttlu
souvenirs appropriate to the season.
Not particularly novel, but most at
tractive is a little Christmas tree In
the center of the table, and here and
there sprigs of holly, bows of scarlet
ribbon or miniature trees. Such deco
rations, make a cheery table at little
expense. For these miniature trees
can be made by sticking a spray
of holly Into a tiny pasteboard box or
pot. which has been painted or gilded
or covered with cotton or fixed appro
priately in any way that may be pre
ferred. Such decorations are very easy
to make and even the children can tlx
these things.
Wire wound with scarlet or green
ribbon or twined with slender vines
can be carried from the chandeliers In
canopy effect to each place and finished
with a Christmas bell. But in arrang
ing this, be careful to bear In mind the
need to pass things, and do not arrange
it so that It will interfere with serving
the dinner.
Another Kay effect Is produced by
running ribbon from each place to the
crr.trr of the table: and to the end in
the center have attached some little
Pitt. hen the dinner is over, the rib
bon can be pulled and each secures his
:'iienir or motto or whatever may
li:e been planned for him.
An i.ttractlva centerpiece Is made of
i sielKh drawn by reindeer, the sleigh
piled hlsh with gifts or souvenirs.
Woman's Part in Christmas
SHE climbed into the trolley, her
arms filled with green wreaths and
bunches of holly and gay Christmas
stars made of red berries.
As she sat down and gave a sigh of
relief, the passengers smiled sympa
thetically, and several oth.r women In
the car. likewise loaded down with
Christmas greens, eyed her critically.
In fact, the majority of tt.e women
passengers In the car were carrying
home something to make the house gay
and Christmassy for the holidays, now
but a few days away. But not one
HANDSOME EYELET EMBROIDERY DESIGN FOR GUEST
r i "- . . , ... - 1 j
j : ; : lr j
rj BUTTON-HOLE, SATIN, OUTLINE J
AN& EYELET STITCHES j
f There is nothing more thoroughly acceptable as a ',"
Christmas gift than the guest towel. These eyelet ' J
embroidery designs, one for a 15-inch guest towel and i
J one for a 24-inch towel, are very easily worked and I
x . , decidedly effective. They may be embroidered in
f 1 ' S J f f -K.fi satin and outline stitches or combined with eyelets. '
7 -X" S I II X I """ W J 1 X vO- s. All scallops, of course, should be buttonholed.
I J I f f J To PPlv tne design to the material upon which ,
f ff I J "". N. . V SjSi' you wish to work it secure a piece of transfer or
.S ' w r l impression paper. Lay it face down upon this, then -1
f S I draw over each line of the paper design with a hard -
I c II I pencil or the point of a knitting needle. Upon lifting J
I I I I I I the pattern and transfer paper you will find a neat .
4 I ' Q. l ttn1 accurate design upon your material. ,
" s There are two points to observe in this simple j
f process if you would execute it satisfactorily. One ,
J ' t is to see thatlyour material la level, cut and folded J
-t2 5 rrl by thread nd that yur design is placed upon It J
X ' , w f The second is when placed accurately secure the i
X. mw.wnw w " ' Xv V I design to the material with thumb tacks or pins so
' m ' L " ..t X- I that it cannot slip during the operation. - I
"""" 1 1 Be sure not to rest your hand or fingers on any J
J " ' i "x"w part of the design you are transferring, else the im-
e . print of your fingers will be as distinct upon the ma-
, . j terial as the drawn lines of the designs.
j,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,;,,,,-,,,,,,,,,, j,. , .r ... , , , - a.. ...... ..i
of the men In the car had any sucn.zled of the frenzied crowd. She
paraphernalia. Most of them were bur-
led in their newspapers. The pockets
of a few bulged, as It stowed away
within were some Christmas packages.
But not a sprig of holly or a spray of
green showed on any of the masculine
passengers on that homeward-bound
car.
What sort of Christmas would we
have. I wonder at any rate, what
would the home be like on Chrlstma:
if all the women were spirited away
some time before the season began.
and had nothing to do whatever with
the celebration? There might be some
little gift-giving, especially to children.
but would the home or the table be
made bright and pretty as It Is now?
Wouldn't our homes on Christmas lack
much of their festive air? And lack-in-
all this brightness and cheerlness.
wouldn't Christmas lack much that
lightens and brightens the spirit?
Some there are who scoff at the deco
rations w place in our home Christ
mss. They think the practice a waste
of monev. "They call It unnecessary
work. And they loudly state that it is
all foolishness.
Rut Ktoo a minute end think what
Christmas would be without the holly
and the greens, the red candles, tne
scarlet ribbon. Take every touch of
thu thlna-s out of the home, and
wouldn't Christmas be rather dreary?
Wouldn't the celebration of the season
drop down a notch or two? Isn't the
scarlet and the green somewhat akin
to the fiss and froth on a refreshing
drink? They add nothing perhaps to
the substance of It, but they do to tne
relish. And as such, they have value.
So If w. are Inclined to criticise 'a
bit this matter of decorating the home
or the table, Christmas, or to debate
with ourseif whethor it Is worth while
or not, let us close our eyes and pic
ture the home and the Christmas din
ner table without a touch of green or
Kleam of scarlet. The result will prob
ably be a hasty trip to the nearest shop
where Christmas decorations are for
! And we will return with face
beaming and arms loaded with holly
and mistletoe and other cnnsimas
greens.
The Last-Minute Buyer
SHE always says she Isn't going to
give any Christmas presents, that
it is a foolish custom, that It leads peo
pie to spend more money than they can
afford, that evedybody gets a lot of
things for which they have no earthly
Use. which oniy proves again the
senselessness of the practice,' that It I
belr.a; carried beyond all bounds nowa
days, and a lot more to that effect.
Whenever anybody mentions Christmas
presents and tells how distracted she is
or rushed or worn out getting them, out
pours her flood of criticism and oDjec
tlon. If she drops In upon a friend and
find this friend making gifts, she
sniffs and once more voices her opinion.
And the nearer the great day ap
proaches the more violent she becomes.
Then at the very last minute, usually
on the morning of the twenty-fourth,
the germ seises her. She catches the
fever. She decides she'll get a few
things for the children her nieces and
nephews, or her neighbor's children,
or anybody's, she is not particular, She
only "knows that all at once it seems
perfectly right and reasonable that the
children should be given something.
Christmas Is for children, anyway.
So she puts on her hat and sallies
forth. And thus she sounds the knell of
her doom.
For. once In the shops and among the
crowds where the Christmas spirit runs
high, she gets the fever badly. She de
cides to get a handkerchief for her sis.
ter. something for hex brotnter-in-iaw.
She suddenly remembers a friend who
has been kind tu her. And she plunges
Into the maelstrom and is the maddest
of all the crazed buyers, the most fren-
j emerges at night, breathless, wan. tired
; And as she tramps home on feet that
have been trodden on and with corns
that are aching, and carries all her In
numerable bundles, and thinks of the
money she has spent, all her old con
victions about the season return. And
she calls herself a fool, and vows never
again.
But next year she goes through the
'same programme. And every year she
la one of the last-mtnute buyers, get
ting no joy out of the season, believing
firmly it Is all foolishness: yet unable
to resist the current that is carrying
everybody merrily, madly through what
is to most of us one of the brightest
and happiest seasons of the year.
Christmas Wishes
LET us wish that everybody's heart
may be light on Christmas.
Let us wish that everybody receives
all he wants, and that if this is too
much to expect of Santa Claus, that
every one gets at least some of the
things that he longed fur.
Let us wish that nobody will have
indigestion from the Christmas dinner.
HORSE SHOW BRINGS OUT WINTER
FASHIONS IN GOWNS AND HATS
Revival of Broadcloth Welcome but Unexpected Sables Appear in Luxurious Expensiveness Despite Ban,
" Aigrettes Continue to Be Worn in East Shorter Skirts Reveal Latest Footwear.
N"
EW YORK. Dee. 20 (Special.)
After the annual shifting of
atvlea which recurs each au
tumn, the Horae Show has set its seal
on those fashions that shall endure In
the favor of women whose examples
count weightily for the remainder of
the season..
Rathe- unexpected was the revival of
broadcloth. This beautiful fabric, for
the past year so consigned to a back
seat in the sartorial arena, has come
into Its own again, as evidenced by
the many afternoon costumes of broad
cloth which bore unmistakably the hall
mark of authoritative origin. One of
the most striking afternoon costumes,
worn by a well-kno-rvn society woman
in the box contingent, was of terra
cotta broadcloth, and included a smart
short coat, loose about the waistline
and opening at tlie front over s. rriny
blouse of cream net and lace, above a
skirt in three tiers, the upper tier or
tunic being slightly distended by pleats.
With this terra cotta broadcloth tail
leur were worn orange fox furs, the
contrasting color note being given by
a black velvet hat and black patent
leather boots with buttoned tops of
black kid.
Hat Wonder Eclipses Gowns..
In the evening the same woman,
whose costumes this year are based
on the brown, yelllow and autumn leaf
tones, wore with an inconspicuous
frock of white crepe meteor a gor
geously conspicuous hat of carrot col
ored tulle, layer upon layer, the soft
swathlngs of carrot tulle being held
under a band of gold lace. Across the
middle of this fiery I at from ear to
ear went a small wreath of tomatoes
and reddish brown velvet leaves. The
wonderful hat quite threw the white
gown, which was really exquisite, into
the shade.
Another matron, youthful enough to
wear coquettish hats and extreme tall
leurs. wore plum-colored broadcloth
with chinchilla furs. Her tailleur had
a smart cutaway coat showing a waist
coat of pluiu-coIored moire with little
amethyst and silver buttons, and the
nor that the thought of the appalling
array of bills to come with first of the
month will spoil the joy of next Thurs
day's celebration.
,
Let us wish that If some of us get
things we don't want, or don't get the
things we do want, that we may be
able to conceal our disappointment and
so hurt nobody's feelings, even though
our own pain us somewhat.
m .
Let us wish that nobody will be so
tired from the rush of the Christmas
work that he can't enjoy the pleasures
of the day.
Let us wish that the Joy of the girl
who received a diamond solitaire will
not diminish as the Christmases roll
by.
Let us wish there will be no wall
flowers at the Christmas dances, and
that every girl will get the partner she
wants, and. every man write his name
as often as he desires on the pro
gramme of the girl of his heart.
-
Let us wish that all the gloves will
fit, and all the neckties be right, and
all the silk petticoats the wanted color,
so that the exchange clerks will not
be overworked.
Let us wish that If some hearts are
plum-colored suit was accompanied by
a chinchilla toque w ith a black aigrette
and very chic boots of patent leather
with buttoned gaiter tops of plum-coi-ored
suede.
Footwear Has Coquetry.
"ot in years has footwear been so
gay and coquettish. More boots worn
with afternoon costumes have buttoned
tops of contrasting material, usually
kid in gray or tan tone, thougn oc
casior.ally twilled cloth or suede
matches the color of a costume; and
all boot heels are Frenchily high and
curved, though the new spool heel
broad at the base and easy to walk on,
imitates the curved Louis heel with
out its uncomfortable qualities. The
only, low-heeled boots noticed at the
Horse Show in fact were worn by ch!
dren and by women riders whose boots
of course had the masculine character
of their costumes.
Velvet Omnipresent.
But while broadcloth appeared here
and there, In a few strikingly notice
able costumes by famous dressmakers,
velvet was the real faorlc of the af
ternoon sessions. Tailleur after tailleur
of velvet appeared in the boxes and
upon the promena.de and the colors of
these velvet tailleurs were beautiful
beyond description. Such rich browns.
soft blues, deep greens and misty plums
and violets seem to Have been inspired
on the palettes of painters before their
expression on the loom and the harmo
nious effect of all these soft shades
was as rich and pleasing as the fabric
of an Oriental carpet. One of the
roost beautiful of the velvet tailleurs
was worn by a young matron of Phila
delphia who had a box at the horse
show this season. The tailleur In ques
tion was of Frenah blue velvet, all soft
draperies and slender clinging lines and
the furs happily worn Willi t were
chinchilla.
Hundreds of black velvet tailleurs
migtlt have been counted every after
noon of the show and with these, sable
and skunk furs seemed to be the favor.
ite choice, though occasionally black
velvet was accompanied by ermine.
Luncheon hour in the clubroom, much
heavy, the spiritual significance of the
season will bring comfort. . ..
Let us wish that everybody may do
something to add joy, if only a mite, to
some poor child's Christmas.
-
Let us wish that the spirit of good
will that animates us all will not die
out with the sputtering of the Christ.
mas candles, but that it will last until
another Christmas rolls around to in
crease and strengthen it.
The Day After Christmas
m ut'V win ntA -ktyiMI la heaven with
1 . sachets, toilet water at-.d French
extracts arid leave In our wake a trail
or nerfume that will sDeak as eloquent
ly of Christmas as violets do of Spring.
www
Then will we see meek little men
trying to carry through with a jaunty
and nonchalant air, the ordeal of walk
ing down the principal thoroughfare of
their, town wearing a brilliant red
necktie or one of the most vivid Scotch
plaids. v
'
-Then we go forth on a day when the
sky is cloudless bearing the gold-handled
umbrella our best friend gave up,
patronised oy society this year, was
the time of times to observe authorita
tive tailleurs and the furs worn with
them. Though several large hats were
noted at the evening sessions, the
small, closely fitting hat. audaciously
poised, was the usual type of headgear
during the day. Aigrettes trimmed
many of the huts. In spile of the stern
decree agamst aigrettes !n the Custom
House. But of course thousands of
handsome 'aigrette ornaments are
owned by women who daringly wear
mem ncre, though they would not ven
turo to take them out of th rnnntrv
under penalty of forfaiting them upon
tnelr return.
Afternoon Session Animated.
Afternoon sessions at the horse show
were quite animated affairs in the
boxes. And of course the boxes are
all that count, the promenaders. no
matter how gorgeously arrayed, being
merely onlookers and perfectly willing
to be ignored in the recorded ' horse
show happenings. Luncheons in the
clubroom and visiting back and forth
among the boxholders made the after
noon sessions gay affairs and the peo
ple in the boxes seemed to be having a
right good time, perfectly oblivious, of
course, of the concentrated gaze fo
cused on them from the promenade.
At night, however, society kept very
much to Itself. Well-dressed men and.
women sat quietly in their boxes, chat
ting a bit among themselves, but little
visiting was done and none of the ani
mation apparent in the afternoon was
visible.
Many stunning black and white cos
tumes were noticeable in the evening.
Two of the most noticeable were in the
Vanderbilt bos, where Mrs. Reginald
Vanderbllt wore milk white brocade
with dark fur trimming and a huge
black velvet hati-a splendid foil for her
costume being tbat of Mrs. Alfred Van.
derbilt, who wore black, charmeuse
and tulle, with a black tulle hat. Tiie
rose-colored wrap worn with the white
frock lent a delicious touch of color to
these black and white creations. In
another box nearby was an enchanting
white tulle frock, worn with pearls and
a black velvet hat.
land every little while scanning the
heavens as though we Knew witnoui
doubt it would soon rain in torrents.
Then will we see slender maidens
promenading in low shoes, and when
ever the slightest excuse offers itself,
lifting their skirts that every one may
see and envy the beautiful silk hosiery
that is theirs, by reason of the Christ
mas season.
Then will our hands shine in resplen
dent new gloves and even will we fore
go a muff on the bitterest day that we
may show the handsome hand wear that
comes with the coming of Christmas.
K . m
Then will we execrate the warm days
that come, and go forth even though
the temperature Is that of May as we
perspire as in a heat wave, wrapped in
th fur coat "hubby" gave us. -
Then will we empty our purse and
borrow from our friends for theater
and opera tickets, in order to show off
the evening wrap Santa Claus put into
our stocking.
-
Then will we Invite pneumonia wear
ing the thin, filmy blouse hailing from
Paris that Santa Claus is good enough
to leave with us. -
Then will we move" about all possible
In order that the frou frou of our new
silk petticoat may be audible to all
ears. . . , -
m
Then will it become necessary every
few minutes to know the time 01 aay
in order to make sure the new watch
we received has not stopped or run
away. ' .
Then will the girl who received a
diamond solitaire f!nd it necessary to
arrange her hair and neckwear quite
frequently especially when her dearest
friend is present.
Then will we. tell our friends with an
auto what a beautiful new motoring
hood we received and how vastly be
coming it Is to us.
e
Tkan Trill w finrt iT necesssrv to call
upon all our friends in. order to give
adequate use to tne Deautuui new
handbag and cardcasa we received.
Then will we do many unusual and
peculiar things which at ordinary times,
would cause our friends to wonder if
our mind was not slightly affected, but
which are looked upon indulgently be
cause it is Christmas and everybody is
doing them.
Then will we suddenly discover that
our health requires a week-end at a
nearby resort, in order that the smart
new traveling bag that is ours is ex
hibited to an admiring public
Going Home for the Holidays
IF we go back home to see the home
folks at no other time in the year,
most of us try to do It at Christmas;
for Christmas seems the season that
makes the home ties draw most
strongly. And so Just now, through
out the length and breadth of the
land, home circles are complete that
are seldom so at other times.
Most of us go home with joy In our
heart; but greater than our joy is that
of the folks waitingr to receive us. We
may be. sometimes, heart-sick and
body-weary, and home and the home
love mean heaven to us. But oftener,
we go from a busy, gay world, and
to eome, after a few hours or a few
days, the home life seems dull and
monotonous. And so we scurry around
seeing friends, or we fret and grow
impatient to get back to our own
world.
But when we are inclined to take
this view of our home-coming, let us
take pause and think of the home-
folks and of their viewpoint of tha
home-coming. Let us try to enter ipta
their expectations, to see the event
with their eyes, to feel what is in
their hearts; and then perhaps we wi l
not only gat a different omprenen
sion of what It all stands for, but we
will really get a finer, purer Joy out
of it. .
For perhaps it is the only time la
the year when tho home-folks can en
joy .our presenoe. be near to us. talk ;
to us as In the old days hetore the
home-circle was broken. And this is
more to the father and mother than
the children home for Christmas can
ever hope to comprehend, until they,
too, become the ones waiting at home
for children to return.
And to the sister or brother who
has stayed home this coming from tha
great world of one of the family also
means much. To listen to tho tale of
his work, of his friends, of his pleas
ures, is like reading a chapter in a
fascinating book in which a loved one
is tiie hero. And to cut short from
purely selfish motives, the giving of
such keen pleasure is little ele than
cruel.
And In many other ways than by
our mere presence, we- can add to the
pleasure of the Christmas home-coming
for those who are at home. We
can do many little things that will
give joy, not so much By tho mere
doing of them as by the fact that we
thought to do them, that we remem
bered the tastes or the little Idiosyn
crasies of the members of the family,
and catered to them. In a word, wo
can show that love burns as brightly
In our heart as It did when we left
the home-nest. And whether we do
this by having father's slippers by his
chair when he comes in, or fussing
over mother's collar as w'e used to
do, or combing Sis' hair in the latest
city style, doesn't matter. It Is the
showing, In these little "homey" ways,
of our love for them that counts.
And if this Is the spirit that ani
mates our home-coming, and stays
with us all through our visit, and
holds us longingly and lovingly until
the very last train, the Christmas
home-coming will be more than a suc
cess. It will be a memory to keep the
heart light all through the year, both
of the folks at home and of the one
who has again gone forth from tho
bome-nest to do battle with the world.
73 aisish--. 3-jt., .
ODD , SOCIETY IS FORMED
Effort Is Made to Promote Use of
"Wilhelm" as Xante.
BERLIN, Dec. 20. (Special.) Ger
many is said to hold the record for
societies with extraordinary objects.
One of these is entitled "Society for
Promoting Good Manners Among tlia
Poor," while . another unties in ti e
bonds of fellowship all Germans wear
ing a pointed beard. A curious asso
ciation is that of ex-lunatics, detention
for six months In an asylum being tlie
qualification for membership.
The latest society is that for pro
moting the more general adoption of
the name Wilhelm, presumably in com
pliment to the Emperor. As illustrat
ing the craze for associations in Ger
many, it may be mentioned that in the
little town of Wlldau, with only 2000
Inhabitants, there are 22 "societies."
. . . t
Scientific Discovery.
I
(Washington Star.)
"Vnii know, of course, that billions of
germs can gather on the sharp edge of
a razor."
"I begin to understand, said young
Mrs. Torkins. "The idea of stropping a,
razor Is to subdue the germs by corpo
ral punishment."
TOWELS