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Apple, Orange and Pumpkin Games

WE must have six little yellow pumpkins for our new Thanksgiving game, but we may hunt high and low, far and near, for real ones the required size, and not find them, because natural pumpkins are much too large. So we shall have to make oranges and apples into

Fig. 79.—Stand an apple on a square of paper.

Little Pumpkins

Select apples about two inches in diameter, all as near of a size as possible and preferably somewhat flattened at top and bottom. Cut a square of orange-colored tissue paper and stand an apple, stem uppermost, on its centre (Fig. 79). Bring one side of the tissue paper up to the top of the apple and take a wee plait in the paper, at the same time smoothing it up from the bottom of the apple (Fig. 80). Make several more plaits and bring the nearest corner of the paper up to the apple top. Continue plaiting the tissue paper around the apple (Fig. 81) while constantly smoothing it up from the bottom and over the apple until the apple is completely covered and all the edges and corners of the orange-colored paper are folded and brought together at the top of the apple (Fig. 82). Hold the covered apple in your left hand and with your right hand twist the ends of the tissue paper around the stem (Fig. 83).

Fig. 80.—Take a plait in the paper.

Fig. 81.—Bring the nearest corner of the paper to the top of apple.

Playing the Pumpkin Game.

Fig. 82.—Constantly smooth it up from the bottom until the apple is covered.	Fig. 83.—Twist the ends of the paper around the stem.
Fig. 84.—Wind the long end of the thread tightly around the apple.	Fig. 85.—Pinch a square of green tissue paper over the stem.

Examine the apple and make sure there are no raised ridges in the paper and that the entire covering lies flat and smooth. Tie one end of a piece of brown thread around the base of the stem. Wind the long end of the thread once tightly around the apple, giving it a twist around the stem to secure it in place (Fig. 84). The thread must pass across the exact centre of the blossom end of the apple. As you wind the thread turn the fruit and watch the thread that it may not swerve either to this side or that. A second time wind the thread around the apple, making the first encircling thread band double. Cross this double band with another double band, marking the apple into quarters, secure the thread about the stem, and again wind it around the apple, dividing two opposite quarters each into two pieces.

Fig. 86.—Tie a thread around the base of the stem.

Fig. 87.—A little yellow pumpkin.

Divide all the quarters in the same way, then pinch a small square of bright green tissue paper over the covered stem (Fig. 85), smooth it down close and tight and tie a thread around the base (Fig. 86). Bend the extreme end of the stem until it curls, and the result will be a cunning little yellow pumpkin (Fig. 87). Fig. 88 shows how the cross threads should meet at the centre of the blossom end of the fruit.

Fig. 88.—Shows how the cross threads should meet.

An ordinary pastry-board about twenty-six inches long and nineteen inches wide must do duty for

The Game Court

(Fig. 89). Find the centre of the board by running two straight lines diagonally across from corner to corner, the spot where the two lines meet and cross marks the centre of the board (Fig. 90). Make a small circle two inches in diameter around centre spot, surround this circle with a larger circle seven inches in diameter. Erase the diagonal lines within the circles and run straight lines radiating outward midway between the diagonal lines from the edge of the larger circle across the face of the pastry-board. With four more lines cut off the four corners of the court, number the divisions as in Fig. 91, and the game court will be finished.

Fig. 89.—A pastry-board for the Game Court.

Fig. 90.—Run two straight lines from corner to corner.

Fig. 91.—The Game Court is finished.

Stand the little pumpkins, at equal distances apart, on the larger circle of the court, and on the small circle stand a natural, large, round apple without tissue paper cover.

The Game

may be played by any number. The object of the game is to spin the apple so that it will hit one or more of the surrounding pumpkins and roll or shove them on to the highest marked divisions of the game-court.

Each player is allowed only one trial at a time, turns being taken successively by the different players. The spinning of the apple must always be started on the small central circle where the apple is stationed. When the apple rolls off the board the player may have another trial; if the apple rolls off on the second trial she simply loses her turn, there being no other penalty. When a pumpkin lands on one of the dividing lines it counts ten against the player. Often an apple will strike several pumpkins, sending them off on different divisions. Every pumpkin then counts the number in the division on which it stops; sometimes more than one pumpkin will land in the same division, and each pumpkin so landing counts the number in that division. When the apple sends but one pumpkin, the player scores merely the number of that one division on which it lands. After each play the pumpkins must be replaced in the circle ready for the next player.

Five rounds constitute a game and the highest record scored wins. When played by sides there must be an equal number of players on each side. The side making the highest score wins the game.

For the next game let all the players sit on the floor in a ring and by the light of only wee pumpkin lanterns tell a

Rapid-Transit Thanksgiving Story

The leader must begin the tale, which may or may not be original. He must speak for only a few minutes, then stop, when his right-hand neighbor, without hesitation, must take up the story and carry it on for a few moments. In this way the story goes the round, each right-hand player in turn telling his part. Every player has the privilege of making his portion of the tale original, even though the preceding part may not be so. It is also the privilege of every one to change the story to a dream, or a fairy tale. Quotations may be introduced, verses recited, or snatches of song sung; in fact, the oftener the story is twisted and turned the greater the interest; but there must always be some connection between the part being told and that which has gone before. The entire romance must be finished before the light in the wee pumpkins burns out. If a player should fail to continue the story when his turn comes, he must pay a forfeit, and when the story is finished, redeeming the forfeits adds to the fun.

If many guests are present, divide them into small groups for the rapid-transit story.

Make a miniature

Pumpkin Lantern

for each girl and boy present. Take a symmetrical apple which stands firm and steady on the blossom end. Select the best side for the face, and with the small blade of a penknife cut on it a crescent with ends turned upward for the mouth. Cut a triangle for the nose, two small squares for eyes, and two short crescents, points turned upward, for eyebrows (Fig. 92).

Turn the apple over and cut an opening in the back as shown at Fig. 93. Be extremely cautious not to break or tear the edges of the apple skin while cutting the features and back opening. With the small blade of the penknife inserted at the back opening cut away the inside of the apple little by little, taking great care not to drive the knife far enough into the apple to puncture the skin. When you reach the core, screw the large blade of the knife around until the core is sufficiently broken to allow of being cut away without danger of injuring the apple skin by accidental stabs.