Entertaining Made Easy | Page 4

"hot air" race and the balloon race. In the "hot air" race the contestants are timed as to the number of words each can say in three minutes with the eyes shut. For the balloon race several strings are stretched from one side of the room to the other, and the same number of toy balloons is supplied. The object is for the contestants to blow their respective balloons across the room, following as nearly as possible the courses of string. The choice of different colored balloons makes for interest and consequent "rooting."
The arrival of the air mail is heralded by the entrance of someone dressed in aviator's garments--warm helmet, goggles, gloves and all--carrying a mail sack (if real, a new one: but an imitation one suffices).
The aviator then proceeds to take out numerous packets which he hands to the guests as far as they go. There should be at least half as many packages as persons present. Each bundle is marked
"_Owner unknown. Find another to share this_."
The explanation is that each recipient of a parcel must immediately seek a partner and, upon doing so, open the parcel. Enough sandwiches for two are revealed. Meanwhile, hot coffee or chocolate is being passed by pretty waitresses with Japanese fans stuck in their hair airplane-wise.
The evening may end with a "musical flight," or, in other words, a rousing "sing."

A MOCK CANTEEN
For one boy who wanted to entertain a few of the fellows who had been in camp with him, his hospitable sister planned a jolly supper party which undoubtedly owed its success to its "homeiness." Certainly its friendly informality accomplished much more than any large outlay in money could have done. There were to be half a dozen boys, so five other girls were invited to make an equal number of girls and men.
To begin with, the hostess passed around to the girls slips of paper and duplicate slips to the men.
Each slip contained the name of some article of food for supper and the man and girl who drew duplicate slips were thus delegated to prepare that particular dish together.
When all had matched up partners they repaired to the kitchen, a big old-fashioned room with plenty of space for all of them. The hostess and her partner did no cooking, but announced that they would manage this cafeteria.
While all the others were in the kitchen, they arranged on a side table in the dining-room stacks of tin trays, knives, forks, spoons, and paper napkins. Over it they posted a bulletin board in good imitation of a real cafeteria. There were listed on it the five dishes which were being prepared and as a joke a number of others--quite impossible to cook at such a time, as roast beef, mince pie, frozen pudding--all of which were then heavily crossed off in black ink.
When the cooks had finished their tasks (and the cheerful uproar that accompanied their occupations may be easily imagined) the food was arranged on a long kitchen table. Thereupon each person, after possessing him or herself of a tray and the required silver and scanning the menu posted, passed on and pretended to select from the counter. In reality, of course, everyone took everything, and received a check from the hostess with a punch against some "stunt" written on it.
The menu as prepared read as follows:
Scalloped salmon Fruit salad Lettuce sandwiches Chocolate pudding with whipped cream Tea or coffee
Two tables were left bare in the dining-room and the company chose seats where they wished.
A great deal of additional fun was gained upon finding that someone had surreptitiously set up a placard on one of the tables reading "Reserved for Ladies." Over the cold water faucet was a sign reading "Water" and glasses were grouped near it.
After supper the various stunts registered on the checks and some rollicking songs filled the remainder of a merry evening in which there had been absolutely no chance for stiffness from beginning to end.
These were some of the stunts:
For the Men 1. Show in five different ways how reveille affected your friends.
2. Give an imitation of a lady and her pet "Peke."
3. Go around the room without touching your feet to the floor.
4. Do a ballet act.
5. Dig a trench (in pantomime).
6. Sing a Mother Goose rhyme through your nose.
For the Girls 1. Give a military salute to every man in the room in turn.
2. Choose a partner to walk around the "chimney" with you ten times.
3. Count to fifty, substituting the words "Oh, fudge!" for fives and every multiple of five.
4. Pretend to eat a bunch of grapes.
5. Represent your favorite movie actress till the others guess her correctly.
6. Flirt in three different ways.

A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY
A group of high school friends, a social club of boys and girls, or a church society of