Put all the gifts, wrapped in brown tissue paper and tied with gay ribbons, in a toy wigwam which you can make with three sticks and a piece of brown burlap.  When the right time comes, the engaged girl is led up to the wigwam and asked to receive the gifts.  If there is a small brother or cousin who can be dressed up in an Indian suit to hand out the presents, so much the better.

The hostess may make this any kind of shower she wishes.

After the wigwam has been sacked, it would be fun if you could sit around the open fire to pop corn or toast marshmallows and play the Indian Summer game of “Pipe Dreams.”  Each girl writes out an imaginary dream of the bride’s future.  The dreams are read by the hostess, and then each dream paper is consigned to the fire.

The refreshments ought to be very simple, and may consist of hot chocolate and little chocolate cakes, cone-shaped to simulate wigwams, or they may be merely apples, nuts, popcorn, and sweet cider.  Serve the nuts and apples in Indian baskets.

A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER

For the bride who announces her engagement in December, a Christmas tree shower might be given Christmas week.  Send out cards of invitation in the shape of small Christmas trees, or else paste or paint little evergreen trees on white cards.  Ask the guests to bring something small enough to be hung on a little Christmas tree.  The bride should be asked to come a little later than the others, so that they may have time to hang their gifts on the tree.

The tree may be as elaborate as you wish to make it.  Where trees are hard to procure, a cunning little one on a table is quite large enough.  It can be decked with gold and silver hearts and candy kisses, and on its branches should hang the shower gifts, prettily wrapped and tied.

When the bride arrives, she must strip the tree.  Among its treasures may be English walnut shells, gilded and tied together, with fortune verses inside.—­The hostess provides one of these for each guest.

The refreshments may consist of sandwiches cut in the shape of Christmas trees and filled with green pepper and cream cheese; caraway cookies cut in the shape of Christmas trees; and hot chocolate, with a sprig of evergreen tied by a tiny bow of red to each cup-handle.

This affair could be planned specifically as a handkerchief, hosiery or kitchen shower.

WEDDINGS

Following naturally on the engagement announcement and bridal showers come the wedding plans.

If the bride’s house is small, a church wedding may be the solution for her, or else she may plan a house wedding with just a few chosen friends and relatives present.

Very often, if a church wedding is planned, there is a reception afterward at the bride’s home.  If only a few guests are invited to it, a wedding breakfast or dinner may be served, but if a large number of people are asked, buffet refreshments are sufficient.