Tastes Like Vintage: A 1920s New Year’s Eve 4

1920s post card by Hensfeathers

Although convention dictates that a recipe blog post include a recipe, there’s been a little too much conspicuous consumption of comestibles around the Recent History mid century suburban ranch this week, so we’re stepping away from the cookies and focussing on how to give a proper New Year’s Eve party. For advice, we turn to author Jean Walden’s 1927 book, The Art of Entertaining. In her petite volume published by the Buzza Company, Craftacres, Minneapolis, author Walden offers suggestions for ways hostesses can make merry throughout the year. (Most ideas involve playing bridge, so we suspect this book may have been accompanied card sets.) As Ms. Walden says in her preface:

“It is when we throw open our doors with a feeling of true hospitality, in an effort to give our friends pleasure, that we make entertaining one of the most delightful, most natural of Arts, for it is, after all, the Art of Making Friends.”

Don’t know about you, but before WE throw open our doors, WE have to relocate all our treasures waiting to be listed in our Etsy shop from the area formerly known as the living room so that WE can dust and vacuum so that OUR friends have a place to sit and rest their plates of nibbles. WE don’t often have the aforementioned “feeling of true hospitality” before a soiree because WE are exhausted from hiding things in closets and under beds. However one of OUR resolutions is be more prompt in getting our items listed, so maybe WE won’t have that problem next year.

But I digress…Here we go, back to the 1920s for Jean Walden’s wonderful, charming A Watch-Night Party (in her own words):

This party may be said to include two days fun since it starts about 9 P.M., December 31st and lasts until–well, approximately 1 A.M. January first.

Vintage 1920s organdy dress by Bread & Butter Vintage

Invitations are sent to 24 persons, written upon white correspondence cards in the corner of which might be pasted a poinsettia “sticker.”

Dear Mrs. Adams,

On New Year’s Eve, at 9 o’clock…

Won’t you give our front door a knock?

We might play cards–(that’s where you shine!)

But at midnight sharp we all shall dine.

Expectantly yours, Margaret Lee Sanford

Even if she is not particularly artistic, any hostess can cut out circles of white card-board and print upon them numerals so they will resemble the faces of clocks. These may be used for tallies.Next, ink in the hands, being sure to have two clocks set at the same hour, giving one to a lady and one to a gentleman. These two are partners for cards. To explain more fully: Mr. Brown’s “clock” points to the hour three–so does Mrs. Smith’s, and a good “time” is had by all! If the hostess wishes to be relieved of the bother of making her own tally cards, she can find, at any stationer’s, a most decorative clock design, to which she need only add one “hand” to be set at the correct hour.

Antique alarm clock by ArtyFactz

At midnight, a shiny new alarm clock strikes, and is straightway presented to the winner. A card is tied to the handle of the clock with a red ribbon, and bears this little verse.

The older year has gone away

But sent the new one here to stay.

So may he bring you all good cheer

And the happiest “time” for many a year!

A buffet supper (to which everyone helps himself) should be served in the dining room. A crystal or pale green glass bowl, in which a single stemless large red poinsettia is submerged in water, makes a beautiful centerpiece. Two candlesticks, bearing tall red tapers, are placed at either end of the table, and are very effective holiday decorations.

An enormous cake covered with white frosting and made to represent the face of a clock by using tiny chocolate candies to mark the numerals, is an appropriate dessert, and oh! how quickly “time” goes!

1920s cut crystal champagne glasses by NachoKitty.