Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 24

CHRISTMAS

=Place Cards=

1. (_Sheet black paper_, _Chinese white water-color paint_, _brush_.) Cut a stocking from the black paper (obtainable at kindergarten supply store). With the paint, paint in white toes and heels. On the reverse side write some appropriate quotation and name of guest. Stockings may be about four inches long.

2. (_White paper_, _black ink or crayon_.) Cut a rough figure of a snowman out of white paper, put in features with black ink or crayon, and write name on reverse side.

3. (_Water paper_, _water-colors_, _scissors_, _spray of holly_.) From real holly or a picture of same, paint a spray of green leaves and red berries. Cut out around the edges and use as name card.

4. (_Red cardboard_, _scissors_, _pen_, _ink_.) Draw an outline of a bell on cardboard and cut out. An appropriate sentiment may be written upon one side and name of guest upon the other.

=Surprise Nuts= (See page 23)

=Snowflakes for Tree= (See page 59)

=s...o...b..ll= (_White cotton batting_, _snowflake crystals from toy store_, _white cotton cloth_, _sewing thread_, _mucilage_)

Cut two circles of cotton cloth, stuff with the batting, after sewing into shape of ball. Cover lightly with snowflake crystals, first dipping ball lightly into thin mucilage. Suspend from tree.

=Candles= (_Paraffine or old candles_, _kettle_, _soft cotton string_, _small box of sand_, _pencil_)

Candles have sometimes been made in the kindergarten in either of the following ways:

1. Heat a pound of paraffine (bought at grocer's), or melt up some old candle ends in a kettle. Place in front of the child a cigar box containing about a quart of moist sand, smoothed level. Then with his pencil let him press into the sand, making a deep, hollow mold just the width of the pencil. Now let him hold a short piece of string so that it hangs down into this mold. An older person will then pour some of the melted wax into the mold. It will cling to the string, and in a moment or two will cool enough to be drawn out, making a little candle that can be used for the Christmas tree, or put into a clay candlestick, also made by the child. (See below.)

2. Put the kettle containing the melted wax before the child and let him dip into it a piece of string about four inches long. Then let him take it out in a moment and lay it aside to cool. A very little wax will cling to it. Meanwhile he dips in another string and puts aside to cool.

When cool he takes up the first one and dips it in a second time, and a new coat of wax adheres. He proceeds thus until the candles are as large in diameter as desired (about 1/2 inch at base). The candles may be put into clay candlesticks, also made by the child.

=Candlesticks= (_Clay_, _a tin or china candlestick to use as model_)

Let the child take a candlestick and copy in clay; it should be of simple form, a mere cylinder, with just enough of a base to make a firm standard.

=Candlesticks= (_Cardboard_, _scissors_)

Cut small squares of cardboard. The candles may be made to stand temporarily upon these by melting the lower ends of the candles and letting some of the wax drip upon center of the cards, and then pressing the candle down upon the melted wax. These may be placed upon the table on Christmas morning.

=Christmas Carols=

Let the children learn some simple old carol, as a secret, and Christmas morning have them sing it softly and sweetly to awaken father. A full program of songs suitable for this most beautiful of days will be found in the little book, "The Children's Messiah," compiled by Mari Ruef Hofer, price 20 cents. It gives also the address of a firm publis.h.i.+ng stereopticon views for ill.u.s.trating the program suggested.

=Spider-Web Party= (See page 104)

Arrange the twines of several colors as described on page 104, and at the end place the gifts belonging to each child.

=Popcorn= (_Popcorn_, _popper_, _thread_, _needle_)

Pop the corn and string into festoons with which to decorate the tree.

=Christmas Bells= (_Red cardboard_, _scissors_, _thread_, _needle_)

Make bells as described on page 109, only make them of various sizes.

String, and use to decorate table or tree, or to festoon from the center of the ceiling to the corners and sides of the room.

=Kindergarten Lanterns= (_Red, gold, or silver paper_, _scissors_, _thread_, _paste_)

Take a kindergarten square of pretty paper or make a square of some attractive wrapping paper. Fold once into an oblong. Now cut a series of parallel lines from the fold toward the edge, stopping each about 1/2 inch from edge. Open and paste one end so that it overlaps the other, the cuts running vertically. This makes the lantern bulge out a little at the fold, giving a j.a.panese lantern effect. Suspend by a thread tied to the upper edge or paste a narrow strip of paper on for a handle. Use as decoration for Christmas tree.

=Paper Chains= (See pages 56 and 115)

=Reading=

Read a part or the whole of d.i.c.kens' "Christmas Carol," "The Chimes," or "The Cricket on the Hearth;" or "Is There a Santa Claus," by Jacob Riis; or "The Birds' Christmas Carol," by Kate Douglas Wiggin. Longfellow's "a.r.s.enal at Springfield" and "A Christmas Hymn," by A. Domett, are also appropriate.

CHAPTER IX

THE KEY BASKET

or

HOUSEHOLD DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Train the children little by little to bear certain light responsibilities in the home. Even in a home in which all the household tasks are done by trained servants let the girl and boy have some small duty to perform, if it be nothing more than to keep the match-safes filled. They will thus acquire an interest in the home which can be aroused in no other way.

Indeed, every child, boy and girl, should be trained to do easily and well the common household tasks upon which depend so much of the happiness and well-being of the home. Such knowledge and skill often prove of use in unexpected emergencies and make for general efficiency.

The ancient symbol of the housewife's office is her bunch of keys, hung at her waist or placed in the key-basket, so we have used this latter phrase as our chapter heading.

HOME TASKS

Here are a few brief directions for the usual home tasks in which both boys and girls may to some extent be trained.