April Fool's Day

Source: Games For All Occasions
Category: APRIL FOOL'S DAY



April first would be an occasion for a fancy dress party en masque.
Invitations may be written on a large sheet of paper and folded or
rolled into a small parcel and tied up in wrapping paper like a package.

Decorate the rooms with paper or artificial flowers and plants. April
Fool the guests when time for them to arrive by having the lights as low
as possible. The maid or person admitting the guests informs them the
hostess is "not at home," but immediately adds "please come in and
wait," and they are then directed to lighted rooms where they may remove
their wraps.

An invitation to a "Folly Party" may be adorned with a picture of a
fools cap and bells or a Jester. One form reads thus:--

On ye night of April first at stroke of eight
Ye Fooles and Jesters will congregate
At ---- St; Prithee come, likewise
Bedecked in frivolous garb, Thy face disguise
So unquestioned you may see
"What fools these mortals be."

If there is any question as to which member or members of the family is
giving the party, enclose a visiting card or write the name of the host
or hostess on the reverse side of invitation or back of envelope.

One may choose from the following menu, foolish food for refreshment.

Turtle Soup--au natural
(Soup plates or bouillon cups of water with tiny toy turtle in
each one)

Radishes
(Toy or paper red dishes)

Piccalilli
(A dish of artificial or natural lilies to pick from)

Blue Points
(Short pointed ends of blue crayon or lead pencils)

Crackers
(Tiny fire crackers)


FISH

Baked Sole
(An old sole of a shoe)

Fried Perch
(A wooden perch--the kind used in bird cages)


ROAST

Spring Lamb
(A toy lamb in place of a jack-in-the-box)

Wild Duck
(Throw at the guests a large handful of small rubber or paper balls
attached to rubber strings, so they will return and hit no one--the
guests will "duck" to escape being hit.)


ENTREES

Rabbit en casserole
(Hair (hare) in covered dish)


DESSERT

Strawberry Ice
(Strawberry buried in ice)

Cake--Devil's Food
(Sulphur matches)

Black Coffee
(Have the colored man step in and cough)

Mixed Nuts
(Iron nuts such as used on bolts and machinery)

Raisins
(Yeast cakes)

The hostess should have a bell at her place and ring it before each
course, when the butler (or a gentleman who will act as butler for the
occasion) will repeat in a loud voice the order of the hostess which, of
course, will be simply the name of the food about to be served. Or have
at each plate a small card with the menu written on it.

For a centerpiece a dish of artificial fruit or a vase of daffodils
(daffy-dills) may be used, placed on a cloth centerpiece, circular and
cut in points, a bell on each point. Two colors should be used for the
points.

A few dishes of April Fool bon bons may be distributed on the table.

After this foolish feast is ended genuine refreshments should be served.
One might reverse the order of serving; begin with the dessert and end
with what should have been first.

Many viands may be served "in disguise" and yet be very palatable. For
instance creamed chicken, sweet breads, etc., may be encased in mashed
potato or boiled rice.

Line tin moulds with the potato or rice, fill the center with the
creamed fowl, sweet breads or oysters and heat in pan of hot water. When
inverted on serving plate there will be, apparently, a mound of potatoes
or rice.

Large baked potato skins may be used to enclose the meat, also grape
fruit or orange rinds cut in half and contents removed, then filled with
the hot chicken, etc., and the other half replaced, or cover the top
with a lettuce leaf or sprigs of water cress or parsley.

Lift one section of a banana skin, remove fruit, fill with any desired
salad and replace section of skin. Use a toothpick to keep in place if
necessary.

Olives may be served, each covered with the half of an English walnut
shell. A corn husk may hold a sandwich, etc., etc.

Fruit cups may be made from apples, oranges, lemons, grape fruit,
bananas, etc., and many of the vegetables could be utilized. The large
telephone pea pods may contain a small pickle or relish of some kind.

Mangoes or green pepper pods, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cucumbers, etc., may
be scooped out and filled with food of a different nature.

Cover the opening in the bottom of small flower pots with stiff paper or
fill with paraffin wax. Line the flower pot with stiff white paper to
within an inch of the top. Fill with chocolate ice cream or any desired
cream, but cover the top with chocolate ice cream or chocolate frosting
as dark as possible, sprinkle grated sweet chocolate or bits of
chocolate fudge on top. Stick rather a short stemmed carnation, daisy or
similar flower in the center and serve.

Small cakes may be served from cabbage heads. Use cabbage having the
outside leaves on. Open the outer leaves carefully until there is enough
to hide the interior. Cut out the center of the cabbage and fill with
small cakes.

All sorts of odd candy boxes filled with candies may be used for favors.

Ordinary refreshments may be served on dishes not ordinarily used for
that particular purpose. Use bowls or soup dishes instead of
cups--saucers, vegetables dishes, cups, etc., where plates or platters
should be used.

The clever hostess will, no doubt, think of many ways wise and otherwise
to serve refreshments on such an occasion.


Next: An April First Festival

Previous: Crossing The Delaware

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