1937-12-31 — Page 53

HRISTMAS· Gifts make

a

CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT

begin the party, and it needs only a little preparation before- hand Cut out a number of presents of all kinds from a coloured Christmas catalogue. Allow at least half a dozen to each guest. Hide these all over the house, or, if more conveni- ent, in one or two of the rooms

Then, when του only. ready, invite your guests to find as many paper gifts as they can. Recall them at the end of ten minutes, and give a small but real present to the one who has succeeded in finding the most in the time.

are

If you want to add to the fun. mark half the gifts with L and the others with M. The ladies look for those with L on them. while the men may only collect those with M. If you have youngsters among your guests, then theirs should be labelled C. Everyone is in honour bound to replace any unwanted gift in its original position, and not to mention it to anyone else. Quarter of an hour should be allowed for this search.

At-

Divide your Chain Team: guests into two teams, each under a Captain. Provide each a Captain with one of those pac- kets of cut paper that are used for making paper chains. the word "Go!" each team" sets to work to make up its chain. The winning team is the one that produces the first complete chain.

Musical Beads. Put a num ber of beads in a box lid, to- gether with a needle threaded with a long piece of cotton. Of you haven't many beads. ~ add Al buttons to the collections.) the guests sit in a circle, and While music is played the lid is passed round from one player to the next. When the music stops (as in Musical Chairs), whoever is holding the box proceeds to thread as many beads on the cotton as he can before the music goes on again. He counts as he has many points threaded beads. When all beads are used up, the winner is the one who has gained the highest number of points altogether.

as

Long Word Game.--Before the party make out a list of a dozen short sentences with the name of an object left out. When you are ready to play the game. provide each player with pencil and paper. Then read each sen tence slowly, giving only a let ter in place of the missing word. For example, you might say, "The door opened and a C- walked into the room Each

DRINK

RICKSHA BRAND TEA

1)

GAMES THAT EVERYONE

WILL

writes down.

the

player then longest word he can think of which begins with C, and would fill in the space. Thus, one Cro- might put Cat, another codile, and another Coster. Of make course, the word must sense. When all the sentences have been read, each player

jan supplies the missing words turn, sentence by sentence, and each time the player who has the longest counts one point. The winner is the one with

the highest number of points alto- gether.

Clappers Ring. All the play.

ENJOY

ers stand in a circle. The first one turns to his deft-hand neigh- bour, and the two solemnly elap their own hands together once. Then each player claps the other player's right hand with his right, claps hands together, and claps the other player's left hand with his left. The hands are. then clapped together once more, and then each one claps his partner's hands, palms to- gether, finishing by clapping their own hands. The second player then turns and does the 'same to the third, and so on round the ring. It is really

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Continued from Page 3) two guineas, and you said I was not to spend more than a guinea. Besides, Henry Richards, your mother ought to get over hating lavender, it's much more suitable She for her than pink or blue. wears lots of things that are too young for her. And if you don't like what 1, choose for her, why don't you take the time and trou- ble to get it yourself. Oh no, you never do your own Christmas shopping. I must hunt about everywhere and push through the then, when I awful crowds and get something that is in good taste and suitable,

you begin to find fault.

Henry: Another year I'll do my own Christmas shopping, you can bet. That cardigan will ruin the whole day for mother.

(There is a short angry silence while both work furiously).

Anne (rummaging): *This Bridge scorer is for Aunt Amy's stocking.

Henry (snatches it and stuffs it in) Thanks.

Anne: And all these funny little toys are for the children, put two or three into each one. Look at the little mounted policemen aren't they darlings? I got them at the sixpenny stores.

Henry (forgetting his grie- vance): By George, they are fun... (Examines toys). I don't see how they can sell them at such a price --they're well finished and. then there's the paint

Anne (sorting rapidly):

+

The

silk stockings are for Louise, and I got a pair for Fay; too. They're not what she wants, but they'll have to do.

Henry: How do

you know

"

they're not what she wants? What does she want?

Anne: They're not what she wants because she wears 'em ex- tra large: And she told me point- edly a couple of weeks ago that she did hope people would give her some good perfume this year, it was the one thing she was pining for. I told her I'd like some my- self.

Henry: Did you get any other present for Louise? Besides the SO she's stockings, touchy.

I mean

Anne: Yes, I got her a nice hand-mirror, one of the kind that enlarges the blemishes. It's there under the tree.

Henry (with sudden furg): What's got into you about my You know very family, Anne? well Louise'll take that as a dead- ly insult. Why didn't you get her a new handbag or some hand- kerchiefs, something civilised? don't know why you women have to be so hateful and petty-mind- ed.

1

Anne (meanly): All smart wo- men have one of those hand- glasses on their dressing-table. I thought Louise might like to be considered smart for once in her life!

Henry: Well, of all the (jumps to his feet, scattering papers and presents recklessly). What a farce. the whole thing is! What a silly, We spend stupid, rotten farce! all our money and work ourselves half-mad, pretending it's gener- Christ- osity and good-feeling. mas! "Merry Christmas!" I hate and loath the day and everything that goes with it. (There is 2 sound of singing outside, far away). What's that music? (He

SO

very easy, but the point. is, that no player may laugh while he is clapping. Anyone who much as smiles is out of the game, and the winners are the serious people who are left in until the end!

Musical Seachlight. One player is given a torchlight, and for while music is played as Musical Chairs, he, together: with all the other players, moves about the room. While doing so he passes the torchlight secretly on to someone else. As soon as the music stops, the holder of the torchlight turns it on in any direction, and the player who is the nearest to him in its ray has to retire from the game. When the music begins again all move about, and the holder passes the torchlight on to someone else. Thus the game continues, the winners, being the ones left in until the end.

goes over to the window and opens it. Anne comes and stands be- side him and the music comes to them clearly, the voices sweetly blended.

Christmas It is old

hymn).

"In the lowly manger lies the

King of Angels,

Q come let us adore Him. O come let us adore Him, · O come let us adore Him, Christ,

the Lord."

*5.....

Anne (softly): It's the waits, going home. Isn't it lovely- (draws closer to Henry, they lis- ten, the tension relaxes, he put his arm around her, she drops her head on his shoulder).

Anne (repentently): I'm sorry I can I was so hateful, Henry." give your motherthe umbrella and give Aunt Amy the lavender car- digan. And I can give Cousin Fay the mirror, and F'll give that to new chiffon- scarf of mine Louise. I can get another. Henry (hugging her): you darling! I'll give Lilian's boy-friend one of my own. neck- ties instead of Cousin Percy's.

(The voices go on, drawing far- ther away).

Why,

"Holy night, silent night- Henry: I say, let's simply knot up all of each person's gifts in a square of that red crinkly paper -you know-like a tramp's hand- kerchief and lay them under the tree that'll save all the tying up of separate packages.

Anne: Henry, you're, a genius. That'll be wonderful It won't take any time and it'll look gorge- ous, too.

(She.points to the clock.) Look, it's Christmas Day! Merry Christmas, dearest!

Henry (kissing her with fer-. vour): Merry Christmas, dearest dear!

(As they close the window, the voices fade out.)

Curtain