the little red book

I’ve got this little red book, published in 1907, that I bought at a garage sale several years ago. I think I paid 50 cents for it.

It’s a dusty old thing entitled, “Parties and Entertainments” and I absolutely love it. It’s chock full of ideas for hosting ANY kind of gathering, circa 1907, of course. But therein lies the beauty of it, the simple, quaint antiquity of it all!

So with the holidays virtually upon us, I thought I’d share some party ideas from the little red book. You just never know when an old idea might seem new again. And if not new, then just old and weird and funny.

Here’s a portion of the little red book’s ideas for “Hallowe’en”:

If you are fond of entertaining, Hallowe’en is an ideal night for a party of young men and maidens. Your invitations may read —

“Miss Blank requests th pleasure of Mr. Blank’s company on Monday evening, October the thirty-first at eight o’clock.

She begs that he will come prepared to participate in the celebration of Hallowe’en.”

I like this one:

In the center of the room is suspended the “pendulum,” a paper bag laden with sweets for the guests to break by means of a sharp sword or knife, while blindfolded.

(Ah, yes — wielding a sharp sword or knife WHILE BLINDFOLDED — that’ll liven up a party!)

Then, there’s this, too:

Half walnut shells may be floated in a tub of water by means of tiny sails made from toothpicks and bits of paper. On the paper is written one’s own initial and those of another. The boats are all started at once and the water is agitated. If your ship goes down at sea, you will not win your lover, but happy are the ones whose ships come safely over the troubled water.

Priceless.

But these are not ships on troubled water. These are walnut boats. With toothpick masts. And paper sails. Floating in a tub.

BUT I DON’T CARE — I STILL WANT TO DO IT!!

(Stay tuned for more ideas from the little red book …. later ….)