11. Christmas Tables and Favors

The snow white damask cloth, regarded by many as old-fashioned, is still my choice for the Christmas dinner table. It serves as a fine background to the well-browned turkey, the dark red cranberries, the burning plum pudding, and the mixed candies and nuts.

Gay colored cloths and table coverings can be made for Christmas Eve, Christmas breakfast or supper and the many holiday parties. For these occasions, innumerable ideas can be carried out with red sateen, ribbon, cellophane, brocade, metal-cloth and materials of different colors to blend with the color scheme of the room or china. The cloth may be weighted at the corners with bells and tiny ones fastened in one corner of each napkin to add to the gaiety of the table.

A distinctive effect for the mahogany table top between meals may be created by arranging broad bands of red or green satin ribbon as if tying a package. Where they cross there may be a large bow, an arrangement of greens or candles.

The main points to remember with tables are to keep the decorations in proportion to the size of the table and the room and to carry out a definite color scheme. Cluttered, poorly proportioned decorations without definite color schemes lack distinction.

Much of the food we serve on the table can be made more festive with little additional effort. The fruit cup, garnished with a red cherry, can be placed in grapefruit baskets made from the shell of half a grapegruit and tied with red ribbon. (Drawing 24) Salads and cookies may be star-shaped. Favors add interest to the table, especially for children.

Every child looks forward to Santa Claus. For weeks before Christmas children write to him, talk about him, go to department stores to see him. He is their character of the year. Santa favors are as popular as any and children like to make them. It is as much fun as carving a Jack-O-Lantern at Halloween.

No. 24

Card board roll covered with Christmas paper, filled with wrapped hard candles, star shape candle, gum drop tree and Santa made from fruits and vegetables, are party favors. Grapefruit basket is used for fruit cup.

No. 25

Tiny tree, greens, doe, berries, etc. are arranged in plaster of Paris in lid of peanut butter jar. Candy wreath is made by wiring seven uniform, wrapped hard candies together. Ribbon and greens add finish.

A small Santa may be contrived by placing a marsh-mallow on an apple. Toothpicks hold the two together. The eyes and nose may be made of cloves; the mouth of a small raisin and the arms and feet of prunes. A tuft of absorbent cotton will do for his hat and any necessary trimming. Glue will fasten the cotton to the favor.

A slightly larger Santa is made by fastening two apples together with toothpicks, or large burnt match sticks, or meat skewers. The smaller apple is placed on the top. The two form the body. Then a white onion or another smaller apple is used for the head, a cranberry for the nose, pieces of prune held on with plain pins for his sparkling eyes, a white potato for his sack, prunes for his hands and feet and a piece of green pepper cut to form his belt. Or else his belt, whiskers and eyebrows may be made of absorbent cotton with a band of it around his head for his cap. (Drawing 24).

Red gumdrops can be fastened together to make a Santa, with cloves for his face. Pipe cleaners make excellent arms and cotton is good for whiskers and trimming.

Wax stars may be used as individual favors. (Drawing 24) Odds and ends of red candles are melted and poured into star-shaped salad molds. Wicks from the melted candles are cut to the proper size, inserted in the soft wax and held in position for a few minutes until the wax begins to get firm, or small red birthday candles may be inserted for the wick. When firm, the wax forms drop from the mold. If there is difficulty in removing them, a warm cloth placed on the bottom will loosen them.

Favors may be made from the lids of peanut butter jars. In some cases these are already painted red, but if not they can be coated with red enamel. The favor is then made by filling the lid with a mixture of plaster of Paris, and quickly inserting a few sprigs of greens and berries with a small animal or Santa in the front. If kept in the cold, these will last for several weeks, so they can be made in advance. (Drawing 25).

Small candle bowls have been described previously in the chapter on candle decorations.

The candy wreath is a favorite. For this seven pieces of round, cellophane-wrapped hard candies are used. The twisted ends of the cellophane are overlapped and fastened together with No. 25 wire. The wire is carried around in one continuous piece. It will take more than one 12-inch length to fasten the seven candies together. Although not necessary, it does make a more attractive wreath if an 18- to 20-inch piece of narrow red ribbon is twisted around the wreath to cover the wire. This is tied at the top and a small piece of green fastened in the tie. (Drawing 25).

The hard candy roll delights children. It is made from an empty cardboard roll of paper towel or waxed paper, cut to size and covered with good pieces of discarded Christmas wrappings. These are fastened with Scotch tape or a Christmas seal. Enough paper is allowed for fraying the ends. This is usually done before fastening the paper on the roll. One end is tied with ribbon of appropriate color, the tube filled with wrapped hard candies, and the other end tied. These rolls, gay in appearance, are quickly made with materials otherwise worthless. (Drawing 24).

The Christmas corsage or nosegay is always popular. It should not be too large or it will look heavy. It may be fashioned with greens, berries, small bells or balls. Tip ends of andromeda (Pieris floribunda) resemble miniature balls and are decorative in form and color. The advantage of the corsage of greens is that it will last about a week, provided hemlock is not used. If flowers of the Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) can be obtained, they are certainly appropriate and I know of no flower that lasts longer or is more beautiful for wearing at this season. When the corsage is not in use, the stems should rest in water.

Place cards may be made in the form of small trees or wreaths. It may be possible to buy wreath stickers, or sketch a wreath around a picture of each person to be seated at the table. If old snapshots are used for this purpose, the place cards will be amusing conversation pieces and it is surprising how many will have difficulty in identifying themselves.

Plain white cards may be decorated at one end with greens and berries. A dab of plaster of Paris or Duco cement or glue may be used to fasten tiny ends of greens, hemlock cones and individual berries.

A combination place card and favor may be made out of an English ivy leaf and a small flower. If several are being made, select uniform leaves, not too large, wash and dry them. At the stem end of the leaves fasten a small white pompon chrysanthemum, or any small flower. However, chrysanthemums last well and tolerate cold, so if they are used, the favors may be made up a day ahead of time and will keep well in a cold place. Print place names in white ink on ivy leaves, out beyond the flowers.

Small candy canes decorated with a sprig of greens, a small bell or ball, tied to the cane a little above the center with a red ribbon, make attractive favors.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...