PLEASANT HOMES
WE’D BE willing to bet our
favorite china teacups that the
lady of the house can” make of
Christmas what she will. She
can make it a glamorously fes-
tive occasion that will leave its
aura in memories long after...
She can make it a mystic spiri-
tual day touched with the halo
of its symbolic origin . . . She
can make it a merry gay time
« « « She can make it a drain and
a disappointment . . . She can
make it a drab, dutiful event.
GIFT WRAPPINGS
TOWN WEEKLY MAGAZINE SECTION
0000000000
by ELIZABETH MacRAE BOYKIN
YOUR CHRISTMAS WILL BE JUST WHAT YOU MAKE IT
It depends on whether she
puts her emphasis on Things or
on Thoughts. It’s up to us to
make a sincere effort to try te
recapture some of the old charm
of the day, if we really mean all
we’ve been saying these weeks
past about the good old days
when Christmas was really
something. Don’t tell us that
you’ve not made any remarks
about how Christmas has gotten
to be too much give and take,
that the spirit is gone, that it
Beautiful gift wrappings of unusual design are pictured
here. Metallic wrappings predominate, for this is to be
a glittery and golden Christmas. The boxes are tied
for the most part with ribbon, and caught with sprays
of berries, flowers or pine cones. Fancy papers are alsa
tops, as are little pasted-on decorations that children
use in kindergarten.
doesn’t mean anything any
more, We owe that to our fami-
lies.
First we have to consider
why so much of the lure has
gone out of the great day, if it
has, and where we’ve missed our
opportunity for recreating the
dear joy of other times. Our
failure can probably be attrib-
uted to the emphasis we have
put on the exchange of gifts.
Remember that they’re to com-
memorate the Day, rather than
that the day is an excuse or
necessity for gifts.
Other angles of Christmas
deserve emphasis too—Christ-
mas carols, for instance, in your
own home. Plan the time that
seems to suit your family best
. « « Maybe the carols can be
for Christmas Eve; maybe early
Christmas morning would seem
nicest. Either way, make it a
tradition in the family to sing
carols as a part of the celebra-
tion, and see how much more
Christmasy the whole house will
seem.
Making the Christmas tree
decorations is another family
custom that will recapture
much of the atmosphere that
used to pervade the house be=
fore Christmas. Making spe-
cial jellies and conserves for lite
tle gifts for people who drop in
—that’s another way to make
your home seem pervaded with
the old-time cheer of Christmas.
Going to a lot of trouble over
gift wrappings is another way
to bring the mood of the holi-
day into the house... You see,
so much depends on the things
you do yourself rather than
your frantic buying.
As for gifts, we think they're
lovely to give and to receive.
Don’t misunderstand us here;
we wouldn’t- leave out the gift
part for anything. But rather
than giving things this year,
give thoughts!
GIVE MUSIC, for instance, so
that Christmas carols can be-
come a traditional part of the
Christmas celebration in your
home, either on Christmas Eve
or early on Christmas morning.
OE ATA ROAR
NOW iS TIME TO FINISH CLEANING UP YOUR GARDEN
WITH DECEMBER here, work
outdoors will soon stop for the
gardener. But there are several
things that should be done this
month.
If poison ivy has been a men-
ace earlier in the year, dig the
plants up now and burn them,
but remember to keep gloves on
while doing so.
Use an asbestos torch to de-
stroy pests which inhabit your
trees. Any cocoons in the crev-
ices of trees can be forced out
with a broom. When ridding
your trees of pests, be careful
not to injure the bark of the
trees.
Pulling chickweed from the
lawn will provide plenty of out-
door work this month. More ef-
ficient, however, is the use of a
spray, obtainable from any deal-
er.
Garden furniture has doubt-
less been taken indoors by now.
Any ornamental objects such as
bird baths and statues should
also be taken indoors if there is
a possibility that they may be
injured by the cold.
If you haven’t already done so,
see that all garden tools are
cleaned and oiled before being
put away for the winter.
FOR THE INDOOR gardener
who is looking for a brilliant
plant to add to his collection,
the Hippeastrum is highly ree-
ommended. Hippeastrum, also
known as Amaryllis, although it
is not strictly a member of the
Amaryllis family, is long-lived
and easy of house culture, and
has been a favor‘te for many
years. The straight vigorous
stems bear large lily-like flow-
ers, white, red, and pink in color.
It is not unusual to see the
formation of the flowers even be-
fore that of the leaves.
The bulbs may be procured
now and should be potted as soon
as they are received. Use a pot
one inch larger in diameter than
the bulbs. Soil should be mixed
with bone meal and rotted cow
manure. The bulbs should be set
so that the thick part only is
covered with soil. Be sure that
the neck of the bulb is completely
exposed.
The bulbs are stored in a cool,
dark place and watered about
once a week. As soon as growth
is well established they should
be brought to a sunny window.
During their most active stage
they need plenty of water and a
, weekly application of fertilizer.
Hippeastrum can be made to
live a long time if taken care of
properly. Plunge it outdoors in
the summer-time, and bring /it
in to a cool cellar when fall
comes. After it has “rested” a
while, it can be brought back to
bloom once more in a desired
room in your home.
Repotting may be done right
after flowering or just at the
end of the “resting” period; or
the plant may be left in the pot
until it breaks through, a prae-
tice often recommended for Hip-
peastrum.
For the moist atmosphere of
the kitchen, Baby’s Tears is an
ideal plant. Moss-like and deli-
cate, this creeping plant has
round leaves, all of different
size, all very minute. Placed on
the kitchen sill, it will add a
very dainty touch to the room.
IF YOUVE been planning
to repair your garden
equipment or add to it,
TOWNS Garden Editor
will be glad to supply in-
formation on where to buy
any implements you may
wish, as well as fertilizers,
insecticides, etc. He will
also tell you where you
may obtain plants, bulbs
and seeds, and will arrange
to have catalogues sent
you. Merely enclose a self
addressed, stamped en-
velope with your request
to TOWN, Garden Editor,
P. O. Box 721, Rochester,
N. Y.
CHARMING TEA SET
Nothing could be nicer than a beautiful china tea set
for a lady’s gift. Don’t forget that men like tea, too, no
matter what they have to say about ‘it, and, anyway,
they will think she looks her prettiest over a nicely
appointed tea table.
LE
And that music can be part of
the family life each day of the
year. A small piano would be a
lovely thought for this Christ-
mas giving, one of those new
little pianos that look so much
like the old melodeons or spinets,
graceful and space-saving, yet
fine instruments to play. Or
give a fine new radio to bring
the world’s great or gay musie
to your home at the turn of the
dial. Or consider a good phono-
graph or records of loved num-
bers. (Don’t forget how many
people still adore phonographs
—with good reason.)
GIVE COMFORT so that home
will seem like the best place to
be on Christmas as well as on
any other day—the comfort of
a deep easy chair which stands
by the fireside awaiting Father’s
home-coming on wintry nights
—the comfort of a little slipper
chair for Mother’s bedroom, a
pretty chair covered in some-
thing more luxurious than she’d
buy for herself—the comfort
of a good family sofa in a ma-
terial that has a fresh vibrant
look about it, yet is made to
stand the wear and tear of
family use—=the comfort of
small dignified little -cushions
that tuck themselves here and
there for genial ease—the com-
fort of a good indirect-light read-
ing lamp.
GIVE GRACIOUSNESS that
comes from the extra, not real-
ly necessary, things for a house.
A truly lovely china tea set
brings that quality to a home.
So do graceful and convenient
small tables for hospitality’s
sake. Simple beauty in flower
containers contributes gracious-
ness, too, as do exquisite little
ornaments and the wall brack-
ets that hold them so smartly
now,
GIVE FASTIDIOUSNESS that
we associate with silken linen
for the table, with fine count
percale sheets appropriately
monogrammed, with bath linens
of luxurious size and soft re-
silient quality, with a pretty
painted tray for serving break-
fast in bed or meals tc an inva~:
lid.
GIVE GAYETY to the friends
or relations who entertain eas-
ually with after-the-movie sup-
pers or golf luncheons. They'll
like a painted wooden scoop for
serving sliced bread or sand-
wiches. They’ll adore any ef
the debonair aluminum that
goes to parties so jauntily
(grand sandwich humidors,
Dutch supper servers, bean
pots, clam chowder servers and
no end of other helps,
GIVE CONVENIENCE if you
want to be thanked forever and
aye. Pinking shears are one of
our pet ideas for the lady who
does any sewing. Thread elip-
pers are another good sugges-
tion. Clipping shears are the
choice for the gardener. And
have you ever considered how!
many uses a variety of nice
baskets can be put to around a!
house; they're not expensive,
either, If there’s a man on your!
mind, consider a set of heavy-
duty towels that he can wipe;
his razor on to his heart’s con-
tent, or a tool box for that lit-
tle workshop where he likes to;
get away from it all. In a more!
matter-of-fact range, the good,
substantial, but not very ro=®
mantic gifts are the most ap
preciated of all—an electrie re-
frigerator, an electric sewing
machine, an odd-sized electrie
iron for special jobs, besides:
all the smaller electrical
gadgets, including an electriel
clock for somebody who missed
out on wedding clocks,
But don’t try to order Christ-
mas from the store and have it:
all wrapped up and delivered in,
a pretty box. You have te:
create it in your own home just:
as you create the atmosphere
of love and kindness and eom-:
sideration there by your own
example, guidance and cooper®|
tion. And now, as always, yew,
have to be subtle with that
family of yours and not let
them know it all doesn’t just
happen that way!