SUGGESTIONS FOR ENTERTAINING.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 2562, 20 December 1924, Page 3

SUGGESTIONS FOR ENTERTAINING.

Novel “Slants” for the Festive Season. By Judith Arm Silburn. Now when one is asked “what about games for Christmas?” the enswer would seem as easy as shelling peas! As a matter of fact, it takes no small amount of concentration 'to devise something fresh and out of the ordinary. However, by dint of much help on the part of numerous small bephews and nieces who have evidently studied the art of entertaining very considerably we have managed to get together a fair programme, gom© of the events are as follows; The Quick Change Artist. For this a small platform is arranged in a convenient part of the room with a curtain fa front. Behind it is a table with looking-glass, a few sticks of grease paint, some crepe hair, (sold by the yard) two or three battered hats and a coloured scarf or fwo. If liked a few paper hats. Each member of the company in turn is asked to step up and complete some disguise in a given time. Harks are allotted ho each “actor” and the player obtaining the greatest number ot Barks gets a prize. Something out of Nothing. For this game all the players sit round the table. Each player is supplied with a few odds and ends such os a morsel of crinkled paper, a nut, a piece of silk or cotton fabric, a button hook, a cork, piece of cardboard and so on, and is told to make something out of the material at his disposal. A (time limit is fixed. Small tickets are given out on which each competitor writes the title of his object with his or her name. The objects are the’a all collected and put on a table where they are judged by a small committee of people not playing. A prize is awarded for the best object.

Lighting 1 the Candles, This is much, more exciting than it sounds. Thirty small Christmas candles are stuck on a tin tray, either In circles or squares it does not matter, though it is better to arrange them all in a spiral curve. One match is allowed each competitor. Three turns are permitted and the total number of caudles which each player llgjxts noted. The one who lights the greatest number wins a prize, or number of points, if each competition is being scored as points in the evening’s entertainment. Buried Treasure. A box of bran is plotted out with tape into squares, each square having a number. The players all select a Square and stick a flag into the one they have chosen. The flags shoula be made of white paper so that the competitors can write their names on them. Several small silver trinkets oxpenny toys may be hidden such as, a thimble, a ring and so on. If an amusing message is wrapped round each treasure it makes the game more entertaining. The key to the treasures should be held by the gardener who has the task of digging up the treasures when all the ‘claims’ are staked. Someone who is good at talking should be gardener. A News Competition or Winning the “Nobel” prize. For this game each player Is served out with a pencil and sheet of paper. Some humorou s title for a '•leader” is then read out. The players are given a certain time to complete a finished article o» the subject. The articles are then collected, read aloud to the players, marked, a'nd criticised by a small committee of people not in the competition. The winner gets the “Nobel” Prize of the evening. What Animal am I ? This game is always amusing. A number of names of animals are writen on a slip of paper. Each player has one slip (which he docs hot see) pinned on his bach. The player who guesses the greatest number of animals pinned to his back during the evening wins a prize. Test Your Senses. This game can be made quite ingenious. Small bags of flour, coal, peas, etc., should be arranged on the table with bottles of liquid, (as much like each other in colour as possible) also a cake, box of chocolates, and Borne fruit- Players are then asked Ho guess what each bag and bottle contains and to state the weight of the cake, chocolate and fruit. Each article Is numbered. The player scoring the greatest dumber of points Wins a prize. Who Are You ?

This game needs a number of Ku Ivlux Klan paper costumes. Half the number put on the costumes, ■which by the "way, should all be numbered or bear identification marks for scoring. Those not in costumes .lot down on bards the real names of the ‘mysteri-

ous’ strangers. Afterwards, the other side goes out, the ‘strangers' In their turn guessing. The side scoring the greatest number of correct names is successful. Who Is Missing ?

Two sides are chosen, one set remaining in the room, the other going out. Those who are out choose one among their number as “missing.” These players then all return to the room leaving o'ne of their number to answer questions as to the "missing” member. Only “no” or “yes” may be answered, but as some of the persona; questions put by the opposition are bound to be humorous much fun is got out of the game. Detectives ! This game gives plenty of scope for intelligence. Arrangements should be made early in the evening to secure some personal pi’operty belonging to someone at the party. The person should be taken into the confidence of the “police” and told to act the part’ of not knowing that the article belongs to him. When the game is played the “officer” should announce that such and such an article has been found but no trace of the owner. The article should then be handed round inspected, and examined for the thumb-marks, or anything that would lead to identifying the owner. The one who guesses the owner should be awarded with a prize or points. The Hassock Walk. This competition makes a change from the ordinary three-legged races, etc., but can only be carried out on linoleum or parquet flooring! Two hassocks exactly alike arc served to each. The competitor who succeeds in getting round the room first without falling off his hassock, wins, and has to play off the next man, and so on. A Potato Fight, A couple of competitors select two teaspoons and one potato. A ring is then chalked round them and they stand opposite one another holding in one hand' an empty spoon, in the other, a spoon with a potato. Each one tries to knock off his opponent’s potato without losing his own! This is quite a'n amusing game. The Art Gallery. This is not exactly a game but it makes a very pretty introduction to a dance evening. Arrange six cardboard picture frames round the room. These should be large enough to stage living people behind them. The best way is to suspend the frames from a wire line across the room. Gold or black paint can be used to colour the frames. A block background is the best for most of the pictures.. It is an easy matter to pose characters behind on stools or chairs on a small raised platform flush with the level of the bottom of the picture-frame. The best ‘picture’ wins a prize.

Can You Draw? Here is a chance for the artistl A large blackboard should be placed in front of the audience. One student from School A draws a few strokes oh the board; (a time limit o£ s one minute is allowed for this). Someone from School B then proceeds to complete the picture, and so on. Marks are awarded by a “hanging” committee. The side gaining the most points wins. Anyone failing to draw at all pays a forfeit to the other “school of art.” Spinning the Knife. For this game it is necessary to obtain a knife that will spin on the smooth sux-face of a small tray. Next write down such insti-uctio'ns as ■dance,’ ‘sing.’ ‘play a tune,’ ‘kiss the girl you love best’ etc., on small slips of paper and stick these all round the tray which shoxild be circular. The players then spin the knife in turns, a'nd wherever the point stays, the spinner must accomplish whatever the instructions at that point tell him to do. A Hairdressing Competition. This is quite an amusing interlude in a games evening. Several ladies who do hot mind their tresses being taken down take their seaitls in front of the audience. Gentlemen then proceed to do up the ladies’ hair according to their taste. Brushes and hairpins etc. are supplied ,to each hairdresser. The best dressed head wins a prize which should of course be divided between the gentleman and lady. Advertisements. Players pick sides and sit on opposite parts of the room. One side asks a question such as “What firm has a poster ‘Keep that School-girl complexion’?” If - the opposite side cannot guess, those who put the question score a point. This game can be altered to suit tastes and more scope ■can of course be given if books, plays etc., ai'c included in the list of questions that may be asked.

A General Knowledge Questionnaire. This is suitable for a quiet interval. Competitors are each, supplied with a “questionnaire” sheet on which they must record answers in a given time. The questions should be as humorous, ■catchy,’ instructive and as varied as possible. The player guessing the most number of correct answers wi'ns a prize.