Invitations This shower can be a surprise party, the invitation given in person or by telephone to women friends of the bride-to-be. A folding doll house – many large and small ones are in the toy, stationery, and novelty shops – makes an amusing and appropriate centerpiece for this luncheon table. A bride and groom doll about to enter the house are followed by a long parade of toy dogs, cats, horses, and other pets, which wind around the house. Four small bouquets of garden flowers in small matching jugs or tumblers are placed, one at each corner of the setting.
Menu Any good luncheon menu is suited to this party.
Kitchen Cutlery Shower One of the most popular showers from an engaged couple’s point of view is a party that brings in all the small kitchen gadgets they forgot to buy. The large kitchen equipment and obvious utensils, even a few fancy pans, casseroles, a teakettle and the coffee maker usually go onto the bride’s own kitchen list. But cutlery and small grinders, graters, can openers and similar things, although essential, often are omitted.
Friends who plan a cutlery shower for a bride-to-be can make it a surprise. An invitation can be given to her to come to luncheon or tea with a few friends on a suitable date. The hostess and friends plan a list of gifts. In keeping with the old superstition that a knife or scissors or any gift with a cutting edge must be accompanied by a penny so that “friendship is not cut,” bright new copper pennies fresh from the bank should be attached to each piece of cutlery. To add to the fun, ask guests to wrap their gifts so as to disguise the contents. At the party the packages are heaped in the center of the luncheon table or on a handsome serving cart, the cart itself being a group gift, and at the end of the luncheon, the guest of honor must guess the contents of each package before opening it.
Here are some of the things most brides forget to add to their kitchen: a French pastry whisk for beating egg whites, sauces, and cream; a good strong large corkscrew, various knives, from paring size to bread knife; poultry shears, an easy-to-use can opener, rolling pin, cutting board, wooden salad set; wooden spatulas; slicer-boards for potatoes, fruits, vegetables; pastry bag and tubes; skewers, both wooden and long decorative metal ones; chopping bowl with curved, fitted chopper; cheese grater; wire skimmer; long handled, heavy cooking spoons and forks; pancake turner, potato masher. A few minutes’ shopping in five-and-ten cent stores and in kitchenware stores will suggest many other useful gifts in this small gadget category.