OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS GAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 305, 24 December 1891, Page 5 (Supplement)

OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS GAMES.

Catch-as-Catoh-Can,

A lively game is what might be called catch-as-catch-can, and it is very popular among bhe younger boys. The player a scab themselves upon the floor in a circle, with one of their number in the centre. They have a lighb rubber ball, and the game is to throw it from one side to the other, and keep ib going thus without letting the one in the centre catch ib. If he succeede in doing so, the player who threw the ball exchanges places with him, and the game goes on merrily amid great shouting and laughter. The Stage Coach. The players seat themselves in a circle. That one of them who is the best hand at making up a story is chosen to be driver. If none of the boys feel equal to the position a prown person may till it. Then to each boy is piven the name of something in connection with a coach or the barI ness, such as Polo, Whiffle-bree, Thorough Brace, Trace, Collar, Rein?, etc. Every player having receive! a name, the driver takes his stand where the whole circle is under his eye, and proceeds to relate a thrilling narrative of the adventures of a coach on a rough and muddy road in the dead of night, which should be simply a harrowing record of disaster. Whenever the words Pole. Whiffletree, Collar, or Reins come in the players bearing those names mn«b spring from their seats, turn completely round and sit down again. Whenever the word stage-coach is mentioned all the players must jump up, turn around and then exchange seats. The failure to do this promptly in either case entails a, forfeit, and when the story is ended tlie forfeits are to be dealb with in tho time-honoured manner. The Orchestra. Very similar, bub rabher more amusing, is tho orchestra. The players seat themselves as before, and the driver lays aside his whip for the conductor's baton, while the others choose musical instruments upon which to perform in pantomime. One takes the violin, another the trombone, a third the Jewsharp, a fourth fcho flute, a fifth the drum, and co on. The conductor then staves some simple, lively, familiar tune, like 'Yankee Doodle,'or 'Comin' Thro' the Rye,' humming it as loudly as possible, and beating time vigorously, all the others joining in, and imitating bo the besb of their | ability the motions of musicians per-1 forming upon the instruments they have i selected. As soon as tho music is well under way the conductor, without any warning, proceeds to imitate one of the performers in his band. The instant he does so the one thus imitated must assume the baton, dropping ifc again as soon as the conductor resumes it. If he fails to do this the music is stopped, the delinquent pointed out to the others, and made to pay a forfeit;, or penalised, or any other way that may seem expedient. Then the conductor strikes up as<ain, and so the game goes on. There is any amount of noise and fun in ib when played with spirit. Post. This is a modification of ' The Family Coach.' Each player chaoses a town which he or she will represent. All remain seated in a circle, except one, who stands in the middle. It will be found necessary to have the names of the towns chosen written down to provonb confusion. The leader, to whom the paper is given, and who assumes the dignity of Postmaster-General, suddenly calls out for instance, ' The poat is going—from Constantinople to Yokohama.' The players representing those towns must change places at once, and the object of the Postmaster is to capture during the change one of the places left vacant, when the ousted player becomes in turn the Postmaster. Once now and then he is allowed to call a 'general post,' when everybody must change places. Elements. One of the party throws a soft ball at another, and names at the same time one of bhe 'elements,' viz.: * earth,' ' air,'' lire,' or ' water.' The thrower then counts ten aloud, and before he has got to the end the person at whom the ball has been thrown must name some animal inhabiting the element in question. The fun of the game consists in bhe almost inevitable tendency to name an animal belonging to one of the o : her elements—a tendency which is much increased by the flurry into which the player generally gets as the number ten is approached. No animal must bo named a second time, and it will be found that tho difficulty of rinding inhabitants for tho different elements after the first five or six is something incredible. Any player who fails to name an animal, or who names one inhabiting another element than that mentioned, pays a forfeit, and has to throw the ball until he can geb'relieved in turn. The great object is to catch somebody who happens bo be looking another way, and throwing the ball at him or her to cry, 1 Air—one.two, three, four, etc.,' when ib is ben So one that the person addressed In the hurry names 'camei' or 'wolf,' or some other such wingless creature. When 'fire' isnamed the person at whom the ball is thrown must remain silent. Geography and Person a^ t d Thing. Two quieter games are Geography and Person and Thing. For the first each player must be provided with pencil and paper. Then the object is fco see who can wribe down the largest number of names of rivors, lakes, mountains, and other geographical features ot the world, beginning with a certain specified letter as M or S or P within five minutes. History or literabure might be similarly treated where the company is mainly composed of adults. This game may be made very interesting and instructive. Person and Thing is a capital question game—one of the very best of its kind. Two of the players leave the room, and arrange together to represent one tho person and tho other the thing, choosing, of course, two subjects that are mutually suggestive of each other, a3 for instance Alexander and Bucephalus, St. George and the Dragon, Mary and her lamb, Balaam and his ass, Mother Hubbard and her dog, Jack and his beanstalk, Cinderella and hur slipper, and so on. They then re-enter the room, and are peppered with questions from the others, who endeavour in every way possible to discover their secret. They must answer correctly all four questions, and their aim should be to do this without betraying themselves. The longer they can manage to conceal their identity the more credit they deserve. When they are found out two others bake their place and try their fortune. 'Jenkins Down, Jenkins Up. , A very bright game which exercises both mind and muscles bears the old name of ' Jenkins Down, Jenkins Up.' For this six players are required, though later more may take part. Sides are chosen, each side having a captain. The players then seat themselves at opposite sides of a table, which should be covered with a cloth. The captain sits in the middle of his side. Somebody produces a coin. Thecaptainstoss up for the privilege of beginning. The winner takes bhe coin and the loser cries 'Jenkins up,' whereupon all his opponents hold their hands up with palms turned toward him. ' Jenkins down,' he orders, and ab once all bhe hands are dropped under the table, and bhe captain passes the coin about until the other captain calls ' Jenkins up,' and immediately every hand must be placed upon the table outspread with back up. Now the (join is hidden under one of these extended hands, and the game is for the other captain to locato ib. He only may call, but his side acts a3 an advisory com j

inibtee. One after another he touches the hands that he thinks hide no coin, and they are at; once turned up. Sj he goes on « nt £ either he has narrowed ib down bo the hana thab has the coin, or, as more often happens, touches a hand that holds ib, when ab once he loses his call and bhe game beg M.3 aS before. . Instead of calling up the hands one by one the captain may call up all bub one or two, 'and then if bhe coin has nob been rS« vealed he has either found ibor has onemore guess. When he does succeed in finding U ,he takes ib over to his side, and the ofche? i captain has the calling np, the coin theS going from side to side until the player 3 have enough of bhe game. Consequences. This 13 avery old game,but it is sure to be a favourite ab Christmas parties, as long aa Christmas comes round. Each player should be supplied with a slip of paper, about two inches and a half long, and a lead pencil. Each person writes an adjective at the top of the paper, folds it over so as to conceal Che writing, and passes it on to his or her next neighbour, who writes— A gentleman's name. Again the papers are folded and passed on. Next write another adjective ; pasa on the slips, and continue to do so until all are written. Write a lady's name. Write where they meb. What they were doing. What ho said to her. Wh;it she said to him. What he gave to her. What she did with it. What she gave to him. What he did with it. What the consequences were. ■What that censorious old lady, MrS Grundy, said. When all are written, the slip 3 are read aloud by one of the company specially selected for that purpose ; and, as they are necessarily made up of tho most incongruous scraps.bhe effect is naturally absurd and laughable. Here is a faithful copy of one such slip :— Tho ugly Mr Jones Meb the conceited Miss Smith At the Italian Exhibition He said to her— ' Why should we wait till to-morrow? — Be queen of my heart to-night? She said, to him■—' lam taking lessons 10 type writing and mathematics.' He gave her some chocoiat-nougafc. She sonb ifc to the Dogs' Home She gave him an Inverness-cape Ho devoured it greedily The consequences were they came down to earth with a parachute And Mrs Grundy said she had expected it of them all along. Our Royal Academy. At Christmas-time, when charades, waxwork shows, Christmas trees, lucky tuba, and suchlike thiugs are attempted ao home, much fun can be provided by a fine art exhibition. The nursery might be devoted to this. A small charge for admission might; be made when the idea is well carried out, and the result of such a collection could be distributed in charity. Here are some subjects that can easily be arranged :— Title of the Picture. 1. A Beauty from bhe Sunny South. By A. Lisbon. 2. Drooping Lashes. By I. Sore. 3. Pledge of Affection. By A. Parson. 4. View of a Well-known Prison. By A. Cook. 5. Tho Light of Other Days. By A« Chandle. G. A Striking Scene. By A. Fliub. 7. The Waifca. By G. Scales. ■ 8. Temptation in the Garden. By H, Adam. 9. Unwolcoma Christmas Visitors. By A. Dun. 10. Old Times. By D. Paper. 11. The Dripping Well. By S; Carisbrook. 12. A Striking Object. By A. Smith. 13. Travellers' Guide. By B. Shaw. 14. Instruments of Torture. By Whistler. 15. After the Valse. By A. Dancer. 16. Christmas in China. By Chow-Chow. 17. Specimen of Antique Lace. By. S. Crispin. 18. True to the Core. By O'Ribstone. 19. A Study ot Fish in Oil. By S. Tiime. 20. An Authorised Portraitof her Majesty the Queen. By R. B. Venue. Other subjeebs mighb easily be thought out by ingenious boys and girls. Objkct Exhibited. 1. A fine orange. 2. Some lashes of children's whips tied in a bunch and hanging on bhe wall. 3. A wedding-ring. 4. A mouse-brap. 5. A tallow candle. 6. An old tinder-box. 7. A few weights. 8. An apple. 9. A file with some unpaid accounts Oα it. 10. A piece of an old 'Times' newspaper. 11. An old dripping-pan. 12. A hammer. 13. Railway time-table. 14. A tin whistle and a child's drum. 15. An old ball-slipper with a hole in ib. 1(5. A sprig of holly in a china vase. 17. An old shoelace. 18. An apple cub in halves fco show ifc ie sound. 19. Sardines in oil. 20. A postage stamp. Fourteen Forfeits. 1. Bo blindfolded, turn round three times and walk straight to the door. 2. Repeat the names of the Kings of England in proper order. 3. Repeat the names of the Queens of England. 4. Find some similarity between a candlesbick and some member of bhe company. 5. For a boy : hop round the room three times, saying ' Oil ! what a donkey I look !' 6. Guess what this is : sixteen adjectives, bwenty-four pronouns, a disappointed lobster, an oyster in lovo, and'ninteea radicals may all be expressed in one common liquid,.which you must discover.— Answer : Ink. 7. Measure six yards of love. This requires no explanation. 8. Bir'ean inch off tho poker. Neither does this. 9. You are to Become a Member of Parliament.—Ask the owner of the forfeib what county he desires to represent ; v/hen he has decided he is requested to spell its name correctly backwards or to make a political speech. 10. Take a Lesson in Palmistry.—Tho person is to be blindfolded and walk round to the persons present, who are to extend their hands to him. A3 soon as ho guesses correctly whose hand he holds he has redeemed his forfeib. 11. All Fours—for a Gentleman.—Tho person to be blindfolded, and crawl round the room on all fours forwards ; the forfeit to ba laid upon the floor, and the owner crawl backwards to ib without knowing where ib is placed. 12. Pub one of your hands where the other cannot; touch ie. This is done by putting your right hand to your left elbow, 13._ The First Set Blindfold.—Eight forfeits may be redeemed together by eight* ■persons being blindfolded and dancing a seb k of quadrilles, or three by daaciog a Scotch reel. b 14. Eat a Lighted Taper. —To do thio cub a piece of apple into bhe shape and size of a round piece of wax-taper; cub an almond into 0. thin slice resembling the wick oi a taper, and stick it in the centre of the piece of shaped apple ; put bhe taner thus made into a taper candlestick; tho" almond will hghb arc! burn. "