Games For All Occasions Part 22

That is only one--an easy one. Numberless forms come when one begins to invoke them.

When the time has expired, form couples for a cake walk before the judges and award the prizes. A bunch of Easter lilies, or a clump of hepaticas or pasque flowers growing in a tiny china bowl is appropriate for head prize; a hat-pin or a book of nonsense verse for the foot prize.

The following games are also suggested.

MATCHING EGGS

Give each person a certain number of hard boiled eggs. The one who succeeds in cracking the sh.e.l.ls of his opponent's by hitting the ends together is the winner.

EGG RACE

Place six hard boiled Easter eggs on each side of the room about one foot apart. A large basket is placed at the far end of the room. The players are divided in two sides, each side being chosen one at a time by the leaders. A large wooden or tin spoon is then given to one player on each side, who, at a given signal, dishes up the eggs one at a time with the spoon, placing them in the basket provided. The leader replaces the eggs on the floor and the next player on each side takes the spoon and lifts the eggs from the floor and carries them to the basket and so on until all have had a turn.

A record is kept of the winners and the side having the greater number wins the game. This game may be changed slightly by someone timing the players with a watch, keeping track of the seconds and the one getting all the eggs into the basket in the shortest time receives a prize.

When it is convenient to play this game out of doors or in a very large room place six or more rows of six eggs each on each side of the room or lawn, with a player (provided with a spoon) behind each row. At a given signal all start to pick up the eggs with their spoons, and the one finishing first wins for his side.

HEN AND CHICKENS

A leader is chosen for the "hen" and the remainder of the children are "chickens," except one who is supposed to be a chicken hawk.

They stand in a row behind one another and grasp the skirts or coat-tails of the child ahead and then they march along with the "hen"

at the head of the line.

The "hawk" stands from six to sixteen feet away (the distance depends on the size of the players and the s.p.a.ce to play in, the larger each are the greater the distance may be) watching the parade for a short time, then begins to flop his wings (moves arms in imitation of flying) and calls out, "How many chicks have you?" The "hen" replies, "four and twenty, shoo! shoo!" The "hawk" shouts, "That's too many. I'll take a few," and then runs after the children trying to touch or "tag" them.

The "hen," of course, tries to protect them by getting them under her wing--when the "chicks" stoop they are supposed to be under their mother's wing and cannot be caught. The children must not let go of each other's skirts or coat-tails (except when caught, then the captured one steps out of the line and the line is closed up.) The hen and chickens may run around as much as they like, only they must keep together by holding on to each other's clothes. The game continues until the hawk has caught the hen and chickens--then a different player is chosen for the hawk and the hen.

AN EGG HUNT

Hide colored Easter eggs or small candy eggs in various places, in corners, behind curtains, bric a brac, etc., etc. Provide each child with a small basket or paper bag and at a signal they start to hunt for the hidden eggs. Allow a certain length of time for the hunting and reward the one who finds the most eggs with a large candy egg.

BOWLING

Get ten small toy ten-pins or use wooden clothes pins. Stand them upon end about six or eight inches apart in a line across the room. Use five colored eggs for the b.a.l.l.s. A player kneels on one knee at a distance of four feet from the ten-pins and rolls the eggs, one after another toward the ten-pins, knocking down as many as he can. Then another player rolls the eggs and so on until all have taken a turn. Count is kept and the person knocking down the most ten-pins is the winner and receives a "Panorama egg" or some other appropriate prize.

=MAY DAY=

May Day was one of the chief festivals of ancient times and also in more modern times. The Romans held the "Floralia" or festivals in honor of Flora, the G.o.ddess of Flowers, from April 28th to the First of May. The Celts and English used to celebrate May Day extensively. But time makes many changes and as the years increase this custom has decreased, so that in some parts of the country the present generation know May first only as moving day instead of a festival of flowers.

MAY POLE DANCE

If this entertainment is to be out-of-doors a long pole is erected in the center of the lawn; or fastened into a solid base and set in the center of the room if desired for indoor amus.e.m.e.nt.

Procure a very light weight wheel about twenty inches in diameter. Wind bright colored bunting or ribbon around the wheel and spokes and attach various flowers and blossoms singly and in cl.u.s.ters to the cloth, letting some hang down as vines and festoons. Place the hub over top of May Pole. Insert in the top of hub three pennants of red, white and blue and stalks of flowers. Natural flowers should be used if possible but paper or artificial ones may be subst.i.tuted.

Attach from ten to twenty bright colored narrow streamers or ribbons to the May-pole underneath the hub; braid these in and out around the May pole intertwining garlands of flowers for a distance of about twelve inches and fasten streamers securely in place. Supply each child with a basket or bouquet of flowers.

The end of each streamer is given to a girl and boy alternately. The girls hold the ribbon in the left hand and the boys hold the ribbon in the right hand. They spread out into a circle the ribbons or streamers at full length the children standing sideways from the May-pole, the girls facing one direction and the boys facing the opposite direction.

The music starts up and the children dance around in a circle. The boys pa.s.s on the outside first letting their ribbons pa.s.s over the heads of the girls, then the girls pa.s.s at the outer edge of the circle letting their ribbons pa.s.s over the heads of the boys, and so on until the ribbons are braided around the May-pole, and then they are unwound in the same manner if desired.

MAY-DAY FETE

A j.a.panese fete is suitable for a May Day affair, especially for a large affair where house and grounds can be utilized. The hostess who wishes to carry out the j.a.panese idea correctly will study a book on j.a.panese customs. She will find it an easy matter to make her grounds attractive on this idea. Cross two long bamboo fishing poles over the gate and hang two fancy lanterns therefrom. Make a path from gate to house by setting up wooden pedestals surmounted by lanterns (this is the approach to the j.a.panese temples); suspended. Outline the veranda with the lanterns, suspend large ones in doors and windows, and burn red fire in dark corners of the lawn. Have fans pa.s.sed by small boys in j.a.panese costume.

Have all waiters in the house dressed as j.a.panese waiters.

In fixing up the house, take into consideration the j.a.panese love for flowers and that they have several floral feasts. The flowers can be made from paper. Let one room represent the cherry blossoms, the great flower of j.a.pan. Use the pink cherry blossoms everywhere, against the walls, from chandelier and in the hair of the ladies. Serve cherry ice and small cakes decorated with candied cherries, and cherry phosphate or punch in this room. The wisteria is another flower which is cultivated in great quant.i.ties in j.a.pan. This room should be in lavender, and if it is impossible to secure the wisteria for a pattern, show j.a.panese photographs or have j.a.panese tableaux, a reading from "Madame b.u.t.terfly," or "The j.a.panese Nightingale," and give tiny fans tied with violet ribbon in this room. In August the j.a.panese have their feast of the lotus and the pond lily can be used in decoration of one room. Have everything here green and white. Use the water-lily and its broad leaves in a frieze around the room and in a wreath about the table. For the table decoration use tiny dwarf plants in odd jardiniers surmounting an "island" made of rocks. Mirrors can be used about the base of this rocky pile and a miniature garden laid out with tiny sh.e.l.ls, white pebbles, and the sprigs. The j.a.panese delight in making these miniature landscape gardens in the smallest possible s.p.a.ce; the dwarf trees, but a few inches high, are the wonder of tourists.

In this room serve white sandwiches tied with red ribbons. These may be chicken, Neufchatel cheese, chopped almonds and Brazil nuts, peanuts, lettuce with white mayonnaise. Serve white ice cream, in scarlet tissue cups, and cake. Decorate the squares of white cake with round red candies in imitation of the flag of j.a.pan. The imperial flag is the gold ball on a red field, the national flag a red sun on a white field and the man-of-war flag, a red sun with rays on a white field. Iced tea may be served in this room.

A fancy dress party, each person representing a flower would be a pretty idea for May Day. Dancing, according to history, was the favorite pastime on this occasion and would be very appropriate at the present time.

VARIEGATED ROSES

Pa.s.s pencils and slips of paper to the guests with the following written on each paper:--

1. (A Symbol of purity.) 2. (What has been done with a newspaper.) 3. (A p.r.o.noun.) 4. (A product of j.a.pan.) 5. (A braying fellow.) 6. (A state of insanity.) 7. (A rose without a thorn.) 8. (A verdant growth found on old trees.) 9. (A native of Africa.) 10. (Pertaining to the U. S. and a synonym of lovely.)

Tell the guests that the questions represent some kind of a rose or a word whose last syllable has the sound of rose. A suitable prize is given the person who has the correct answers in a limited time.

The "roses" represented are (1) white rose; (2) red rose; (3) heroes; (4) tea rose; (5) jack rose; (6) wild rose; (7) tuberose; (8) moss rose; (9) negroes; (10) American beauty rose.

RING AROUND A ROSY

The children take hold of hands and form a circle; except one who stands in the center of the ring. They circle around singing this little verse

Ring Around a Rosy A pocket full of posy The one who stoops last Wants to be your Beau-sy

When the verse is ended the children in the circle stoop quickly and the last one down must join the child in the center of the ring. The circle of children go around again singing the same ditty. The last child to stoop this time joins the one who went into the circle the previous time and the child who has remained through the two verses steps out and joins the children in the circle.

DROP THE FLOWER

This is played the same as drop the handkerchief except a flower is used instead of a handkerchief and the verse is a trifle different. The song runs thus--"A tisket a tasket a green and yellow basket. I sent a bouquet to my love and on the way I dropped it, etc., etc."