QUAINT SWEET BOXES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18278, 20 December 1922, Page 8 (Supplement)

QUAINT SWEET BOXES.

A box of chocolates is always an acceptable Christmas gift, especially if the box itself is pretty and dainty; unfortunately really attractive boxes are expensive, and often beyond the reach of people with small means.. Why not buy your bon-bona by the pound, and make the box yourself. Box-making, or rather box-decorating, is bv no means difficult. First of all, choose the box—any kind will do if it is-unbroken and fairly strong. Cover and line it neatly with paper, using paste or glue. Ordinary rough, brown paper, such as is used for parcels, makes a charming outer covering, especially it it is stencilled with a conventional design m brilliant colours, and is tied with ribbons to tone. One such box was stencilled with a wreath of oranges and lemons and tied with striped ribbons in the same shades Another, decorated with bunches of purple grapes, was fastened with mauve ribbon. , Chintz wallpaper is delightful for coverin"- boxes. Imagine a deep, square box patterned with rosebuds, and inside, lying on a bed of palest pink tissue paper, a posy of marzipan roses ! It is a good idea to arrange the decoration on the box to match its contents; for instance, in a brown paper box, stencilled with mushrooms, pack a variety of mushrooms made of chocolates and marzipan, or in a green and lavender chintz box arrange white peppermint creams in pale green paper cases. More elaborate boxes may be made by covering and lining the round wooden drums in which crystallised figs are sold with pretfv cretonne (this can easily be clone with strong glue.) Or, if you prefer it, use silk or satin, and when the glue is quite dry, ornament with odds and ends of gold lace, lingerie roses, hand-made, silken fruits, or knots of tinsel ribbon.