your poor realtion comes up from the country for the day
Send a car to the station, and tell her she can have the use of it all morning for shopping, unaccompanied by yourself.
LUNCHEON
Provide her with a cocktail, but for goodness sake make it very weak.
Arrange the table decoration in the newest way you know - such as imitation witch-balls in a black bowl - or sea-shells floating in a green bowl. (Make it something she can copy inexpensivly when she gets home).
MENU
Crayfish à l´Americaine
Hazel Hen with Grapefruit Salad
Banana en Flamme
Coffee
Take her to a really charming play at the Haymarket, and send her back to the staion in the car.
N:B: It sounds a lot of trouble but it´s really worth it.
aunt jane visits the dentist
Let us suppose you have kindly ofered to put up Aunte Jane for the night after her visit to the Dentist.
A daintily arranged tray should be sent to her room.
Cream of Chicken Soup
Mousse of Sole
Asparagus, when in season
Orange Fool or Jelly flavoured with sherry
P.S. She will appreciate a glass of champagne if funds will run to it. Most wine-merchants sell half-pint bottles of champagne for (I imagine) occasions like this.
miss moppytop (aged four) hangs up her christmas stocking
A tangerine wrapped in silver paper
A walnut wrapped in gold paper
An enormous Pencil
A tiny Fan
A Doll´s Black Gingham Umbrella
Some tiny Crackers
A Doll´s Dinner Set
A tiny Pack of Cards
Biscuits in the shapes of animals
A Red Skipping-rope
A Tape-measure that springs out of an apple
or a nigger´s head
(little note from me: This is from a book from the 30s, they used the n-word, I have nothing to do with that)
some presents for a sick child
A compass, tracing paper and drawing paper.
A magnet. (Very popular).
An empty scrap-book, a heap of old magazines to cut out and some paste.
A pair of blunt-ended scissors.
Box of chalks, and Lear´s Book of Nonsense.
A little tea-set that can be really used.
An old stocking to make into a golliwog.
Plasticinte.
A small pot of flowers that can be watered daily.
An acorn in a glass.
A snowstorm in a glass paper-weight. (Very popular).
little comforts for the guest room
Bisquits.
Matches and cigarette ash-tray.
Pincushion with with plenty of different kinds of pins.
Needles threaded with black and white cotton.
Aspirins.
Gas or electric fire, with kettle and small saucepan.
Plenty of coat-hangers.
Mushrooms for hats.
Some spare trees for shoes.
All writing material, and a board in case she likes writing in bed.
Reading lamp.
A wide choice of books.
Her favourite magazines.
(from The Perfect Hostess - Rose Henniker-Heaton)
