linen or lining paper. Scarlet is perhaps
the most cheery. Or you can make more delicate letters by sewing holly
berries on to a white background; and small green letters can be made
by sewing box leaves on a white background. For larger green letters
and also for bordering, holly leaves and laurel leaves are good.
Cotton-wool makes the best snow.

Christmas Trees.

In hanging things on the Christmas tree you have to be careful that
nothing is placed immediately over a candle, nor should a branch of
the tree itself be near enough to a candle to catch fire. After all
the things are taken off the tree there is no harm in its burning a
little, because the smell of a burning Christmas tree is one of the
best smells there is. To put presents of any value on the tree is
perhaps a mistake, partly because they run a chance of being injured
by fire or grease, and partly because they are heavy. The best things
of all are candles, as many as possible, and silver balls which
reflect. On the top there should, of course, be either a Father
Christmas, or a Christ child, as the Germans, who understand Christmas
trees even better than we do, always have. For lighting the candles a
long taper is useful, and for putting them out, an extinguisher tied
to a stick.

Bran-Tubs or Jack Horner Pies

Bran-tubs or Jack Horner Pies are not so common as they used to be,
but there is no better way of giving your guests presents at random.
As many presents as there are children are wrapped up in paper and
hidden in a tub filled with bran. This is placed on a dust-sheet, and
the visitors dip their bands in and pull out each a parcel. The
objection to the bran-tub is that boys sometimes draw out things more
suitable for girls. This difficulty could be got over by having two
tubs, one for girls and one for boys. Sometimes the ribbon of each
parcel is long and falls over the edge of the dish. The boys take one
color ribbon, and the girls the other, and all pull at the same time.

Philopenas

Two games with nuts and cherries may as well go at the end of this
section as anywhere else. Almonds sometimes contain double kernels.
These are called Philopenas, and you must never waste them by eating
both yourself, but find some one to share them with. There are several
ways of playing. One is "Yes or No," in which the one who first says
either "yes" or "no" must pay a forfeit to the other. Another is "Give
and Take," in which the one that first ta