HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 303, 23 December 1933, Page 8 (Supplement)

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

HINTS FOR THE HOSTESS. At. this festive season, young folk, middle-aged folk and doubtful age folk gather together in their home circles, an-d many a happy hour is l>assc(i in simple enjoyment. But many people can only remember the last funny story they heard, and, as a result, they appear dull when in company, but, some of the following games, hi which all can join, will help to make everybody feel thoroughly at home. Hot Potatoes. All the players sit round the room m a circle, with the exception of one , who stands in tho centre. A serviette or handkerchief is then thrown to one of the players, who must immediately throw it to someone else, not waiting even to make it into a better and | tighter bundle. The one in tho centre tries to catch the serviette as it passes from one to another, and if he succeeds the one from whom it is sent or through whose fault it is secured must take his place in the centre. Cockfighting. This is for gentlemen only, though the ladies will enjoy looking on. Two men sit; on the floor, hugging their knees with their arms and clasping their hands round their shins. (It* necessary the hands should be tied with a handkerchief; at any rate, they must not unclasp them). Tinder tho knees and above the arms of each man is placed a walking stick. The men are then placed side by side, and told t-> try to push each other over; the one first succeeding in this attempt wins, and another pair takes their place. Flicking the Cork. Flicking the cork off a bottle is a novel and most exciting competition. A large wine bottle, with the cork just balanced on top of it —not pushed in--is placed on a pedestal at such a height that the cork is from four feet to four feet six inches from the ground. Tho competitors range up in a row one behind the other, a couple of yards apart, with their right, arms straight out before them at right angles to

their bodies, and walking as fast as possible round tho room, try in turn, with a flick of the finger and thumb, to send the cork flying as they pass. For some impenetrable reason, players almost always flick high, and it. is no uncommon sight to sc*e half a doz.cn people tear four or five times round and round tho room or along a corridor before any on'e of them succeeds in judging Hie distance correctly and flicking off the cork. An umpire should be privileged to stand opposite the bottle during this competition, for any player slackening his or her pace just before reaching the bottle in order to take aim is disqualified, and competitors must quicken their pace to almost, a run whilst; actually passing by. After this running about most folk will want, to sit down a. while, so here is a qni('t. game to be getting on with. Co-operative Story-telling. This is quite simple, though not so easy to do as it seems at first sightThe players sit round the room, and one begins to tell a tale. At the end of one minute his left hand neighbour takes it. up where he. left, it, continuing the story for another minute, and so on, each being allowed one minute only. Tho story can last any length of tiiue, but it should be the object ol each succeeding raconteur to make the plot more complicated for those who follow, till it comes to the last round, when everyqnc tries to account successfully for and put out of the story at least, one of th ( » characters. Much fun can be got by introducing references to events of the, day.