1885 New Guide Hotel Bar Restaurant

TABLE DECORATIONS, ETC.

The return

of the table were in keeping with the occasion.

— and was of the descriptive

of an officer from the Soudan,

style of table ornament so much in vogue.

It was made as

follows :

On a plateau on which the glass dish containing the trifle is mounted, place dwarf cacti embedded in silver sand. Facing the head of the table form an oasis by placing a small but very graceful tree fern to represent a palm tree. Move a little of the sand aside near this to represent a well, and so discovering the looking glass of the plateau surrounded with little pieces of feathery moss here and there near the well and palm tree. Place here groups of tiny models of English soldiers, and amongst the cacti small Arab figures. Near the English soldiers swinging from the branch of the palm suspend a figure of Fame holding out a laurel wreath, while under the tree behind the men is the figure of a guardian angel with outstretched wings. It may be useful to chefs and caterers to know that sugar and other figures of all kinds for descriptive table decorations may be had at all prices from 4 a penny to the most recherche and expensive, from Messrs. Batger & Co., Wholesale Confectioners, London. — The centre piece was the manger and cave at Bethlehem, each side showing a scene, thus : an arch was formed with four quarters of a circle of stout millboard, and small pieces dovetailed in to make a roof extending half way down the arch. This after being glued together, is coated with common gum paste. The diameter of the circle covering the arch was 10 inches, and that of the arch itself 18 inches. This was supported on pieces of cardboard 9 inches high, and placed from the outer edge towards the centre, their width being 2 inches. For our own Christmas Festival of 1883. The story of the Nativity was told as under :