Show hints about christab it is best not to ant up the decorations until the afternoon before christmas the halls bitting room dining room and library are the most appropriate places for the holly place large branches ove mantels and sideboard and gome of the pictures fill the fireplaces with large dishes containing holly and laurel un leas you are to have a fire at once hava long sprays of english ivy in small wide bottles which can be hang behind picture frames Tw inathe ivy around the supporting wires and the frames do not hang the greens near a fire or over a register they curl and wilt very quickly when exposed to dry heat at least a week before Christeia a get at the florists about fifty cent worth of the green called wandering jew this will fill several bowls arrange it gracefully in the dishes and fill with water after wip ing the outside of the receptacles per factly dry place on the comers of mantels bookcases etc change the water every other day to do this do not disturb the plants simply hold the vaa under the faucet and let the fresh water run until all the old is displaced in a weeks time the vines will have grown into a graceful luxuriant anaf i and with care they can be kept in this condition for months asparagus and cate vines can be used for picture and statuary tut the expense puts them out of the reach of the majority of people there is a hardy wild fern which all florists keep now and sell for about ten cent dozen sprays buy a few dozen of these abic i place them on the cellar floor sprinkle la veil and they will kep for |