farming. Saturday. Oac. IS. 1975
Mrs. George Makin 111 shows Lebanon County
homemakers how to decorate with masses of
greens.
A Christmas tree made of fresh fruit is quite a
novelty and yet not expensive.
Count
Melissa Piper
Associate Editor
Comer
Christmas
The second Saturday in December was always
quite a day at our house. It was an event which
should have received national press coverage and
yet I’m glad it never did!
Yes, it was invariably termed the “Christmas Box
Day" - a special, yet unlonged for occasion. It was
on this particular day that we made the annual
journey to our farmhouse attic searching for the
elusive box of decorations and tree trims.
The first and foremost character in the plot was
my father who was always very patient for 364 days
out of the year, but somewhat grumbly on the
“Christmas Box Day.”
As was practice, he would enter the kitchen at
noon and be quickly reminded that today was the
Holiday decorations to make
Are you beginaiiw to wish you had some new decorating
ideas (or the holiday this year? Lebanon County
homemakers were treated to a wide range of festive ideas
st their annusl Extension Homemakers Chrlitnuu
program last week.
Featured speaker was Mrs. George Mskin 111 who
entertained as well as taught. Her talk was titled
“Christmas Old and New" and she used both themes
throughout her presentation. She explained that many of
the ideas she uses are old “because I haven’t found
anything to replace them yet"
Mrs. Makin, a master flower show Judge and carnation
show Judge, is also a master teacher of Japanese flower
arranging and teaches home decorating and flower
arranging in evening school. She teaches with Swar
thmore College and does a taped television “how-to”
program on "Today In Delaware Valley" on Channel 3,
Philadelphia.
Mrs. Makin said she has taught scouts and young people
and older people. She said, “I really love to get someone
hooked on using his own hands on natural material. I like
to get everybody working.”
At the outset she said, “I wouldn’t presume to tell you
how to decorate your borne, because, it's a personal thing.
I can only give suggestions and hope that you will adapt
them to your use.”
Mrs. Makin emphasised that It’s important in a family
holiday like Christmas to include the whole family in your
decorating ideas. She showed specific decorations which
have been used in her family over the years, and ex
plained that it is not necessary to use every decoration you
have accumulated every year. She said, “It’s important to
add new things as well as incorporate the old things.
She showed s “Santa’s mail bag” which has hung on her
door during the holidays for 22 years. She hangs a wall
hanging with a holy scene directly opposite to show that
Christmas is not a}l Christmas cards, cooking and get
ting.”
She said, “I feel strongly about honoring children at
Christmas. You can create pride in a child to enhance a
child’s life.” She said die always included a decoration for
each child’s room, and she showed one used in her
daughter’s room - a styrofoam cone on which she had
attached white lace and tiny red bows. It was indeed a
special, feminine Christmas tree.
She also had a “Polly Pine Cone,” made from various
sized pine cones wired together with spool wire. “Polly”
had a styrofoam head decorated with ribbon, fruit and a
wide velvet ribbon for a skirt.
An “old” idea which Mrs. Makin referred to is the
always popular kissing ball. Mrs. Makin used arborvitae
stuck into a potato. She added that any additional
decoration for a kissing ball, like balls or ribbons, should
be put on “garden stakes” and stuck into the potato. “The
“potato wreath” as she called'it, is an especially nice
outdoor decoration. She suggested that any piece of
evergreen, either needle or broad leaf, would be suitable
for a kissing ball.
When working with evergreens, Mrs. Makin advised
homemakers always to use two cuts - once when it is
brought into the home and once when it is about to be used
in a decoration. And if the greens in your yard don’t
supply you with enough for your decorating needs, Mrs.
Makin advised that you trade a dessert for some greens!
For the back door, Mrs. Makin suggested a clothespin
wreath. This can be hung outdoors safely. To make the
wreath you need to cut a piece of cardboard in the shape of
a wreath, using a platter or plate as the pattern. Then you
simply put on the regular clothespin with rounded top,
without even needing glue to hold them in place. For a
change in color, Mrs. Makin says you can boil the
clothespin in tintex, and a bow can be added in whatever
color you choose.
Box Day has arrived
By MELISSA PIPER
By Sally Bair
Farm Feature Writer
big event. Then muttering slightly to himself, he’d
retreat to the back porch and rummage until an
adequate flashlight could be found.
Then stalking back into the house, father would
ask the well known question, “Where did we put
the box last year?”
This would bring a look of disdane from my
mother and she would not so gently remind father
that "you put it away last year, remember?"
Then father would walk away as if slightly dazed,
heading toward our infamous attic arid the
Christmas Box.
I once accompanied father on one of his ex
cursions and witnessed first hand what most of the
time we could only imagine from downstairs.
(Continued on Pate 431
Another door decoration the showed wu a D i CCf> n »
styrofoam cut Into thaahape of a Christmas tree f
was then outlined and (Iliad In with red and
discs held It* pitch with cornea pins. The discs were
In a knitting shop to ba used on a knitted can \
hanging the tree Mrs. Makin advised that it k« .
forward slightly so that the discs will show movement
For those involved In decorating churches or other •'
areas, Mrs. Makin told how to make mass arrange,
of greens. She suggested using a very Urge com
which will bold enough water to keep the greens fr«h
thedurattoo. ihasaid any comblnaUon of m
can be suitable. She added some artificial gold frond,
contrast and said, "When you buy artificial material
use in arrangements, don’t ever use anything w *
find it. Bend it and mold It to suit your arrangement
to change the effect” * ’'
Mr*. Makin confessed that she is a confirmed hoar,
saying, “I collect everything.” She jokingly offered
advice, “Always walk your dog after ten o’clock at nl
to see what trash you can being home with you. ”
One of the more interesting Items she found In some,
rise’s trash was a discarded wooden table leg. She sa*
the leg apart and used the pieces as candle holders
ding greens in the background.
She created another interesting decoration from
canned ham container, set on end to be used as
background for a nativity scene. She added a
figurine of the holy family which had been part of a bi
music box.
A material useful for inserting greens la wire mi
glitter guard. Mrs. Makin said she finds the gutter
to be perfect for that purpose and a little easier to wi
with than chicken wire. It can be easily molded and
therefore very useful for such things as wrapping poles
using on mantles. Mrs. Makin said, “Look in hardware
things to use. And don’t accept it if someone tells you w
can’t do something."
Another useful bit of advice Mrs. Makin shared is
“Suitability and'good taste go hand in hand,
that when you are using things.” She added, “K<
simple inyour home- you will enjoy it more."
Since Madonna’s are an important part of .
decorating, Mrs. Makin showed several ways to use thi
One striking arrangement featured a Mexican Made
carved to honor grandmothers. Mrs. Makin said,
shows the value of family life.” She added status, &
willow and cushion and spider mums.
She used a large ceramic Madonna with greens, fantail
willow and the star of bethlebem flower for another '
terming decoration.
Mrs. Makin said, “I enjoy coming up with good ideas,
but I am not above stealing an idea. From a Danish
modern shop she got the idea of making an unusual candle
wreath. With an embroidery hoop as a base, she used
artificial red cherries small black candleholders and
yellow candles.
Another unique way to incorporate candles in your
holiday decorating is to turn an expandable coat rack into
a candle holder. Simply use small candle holders which
must be drilled onto the pegs on the rack. Insert candles
and lay greens on the expandable part, then use it on a
table or mantel.
Mrs. Makin also made some candle holders by gluing
wooden spools together in varying heights. She attached
them to a wooden wreath cut in half, and suggested
two half circles be aligned on the table. She reminded the
homemakers that when using candles on the table, the
flame should be either above or below eye level when
guests are seated.
To create a small tree for indoor use, Mrs. Ma.J’ 1 mac
a boxwood tree by inserting boxwood into a cone or oasis
which was wrapped with chicken wire. She suggested
[Continued on Page 43}
Peace
A wish for you and
all mankind —-peace,
brotherhood o" d
love. They're the
nicest of gifts.
(