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Many different products are sold to the housewife via the party plan and I wondered if Christmas items couldn't be sold that way too. I decided to investigate the possibilities and by holding only two experimental parties, I found the answer: Christmas items too can be sold using the party idea.

In addition to the Christmas card line, I added several more items—products of two hobbies I had been enjoying. One of them was the creating of beautiful rhinestone jewelry simply by gluing rhinestones to metal findings using jeweler's cement. There are several wholesalers who supply both the rhinestones and the findings. By doing the cementing of stones yourself, you can make inexpensive attractive jewelry, selecting the colors of stones to harmonize with various wardrobes.

Every Christmas season I make batch after batch of homemade candy to give as gifts and always my candy is praised highly. So, I thought, in addition to the paper products and the jewelry, I would also take orders for my homemade candy.

TO START my experiment in giving Christmas sales parties, I invited twelve neighbors to my home in Centerville, Indiana, one evening last October. When they all had arrived, I told them they were being used as guinea pigs to test a money-making idea I had. One of the women quickly replied that she preferred to be a guinea hen and that put everyone in a happy party mood.

Explaining to my guests that since this was a party, we would begin by playing a game, I distributed to each of the women paper, pencil, and a magazine to. be used as a lapboard. For the opening game I chose an easy one, that of seeing who could make the most words from the expression "Merry Christmas," not using any of the letters more times than they appeared in the two words. The women were allowed five minutes for this contest and as a prize the winner was given ten sheets and envelopes of pretty notepaper from my Christmas paper assortment.

After all of the group had seen the prize I said that this notepaper was only one of the many items I wanted to show them that would make a nice Christmas gift. Each person was then given an order blank in duplicate. As I passed around the Christmas cards everyday cards, gift wrapping paper, ribbon, stationery, and other paper items, I told something about each one. I mentioned the price, the quantity, and made suggestions as to whom it might be given or how useful it would be to have on hand during the busy Yuletide season. I urged my guests to ask questions and made no attempt to hurry them as they looked at the samples. To speed up the looking process somewhat, I started part of the sample boxes at one end of the room and the rest at the other end. After everyone had finished looking at the paper items, I collected the boxes and displayed them on a card table. Persons interested in ordering any of these Christmas items were asked to fill out their own order blank.

It was then time for another game. This was a simple stunt and brought many laughs. The guests were instructed to draw in the dark a picture of Santa Claus complete with bag and toys. After the ladies had their pencil and paper in position, all the lights were turned off and the women had about five minutes of darkness in which to complete their drawing. Some of the drawings were rather freakish, but everyone certainly enjoyed the game. Later when I had parties in the daytime, I changed this stunt by having the women draw Santa Claus with their left hand, or with their right hand if they were left handed. For a prize to the creator of the winning Santa Claus picture, I gave a pair of rhinestone earrings. Judging the drawings was sometimes a little difficult for me, and if there was any doubt in my mind, I let the best "artists" draw straws for the prize.

NEXT I displayed the rhinestone jewelry I had made and it invariably brought many favorable comments. I had two trays upon which I placed the jewelry samples. By suggesting that two or three women look at a tray together, I encouraged discussion which let them sell one another. Each piece of jewelry was mounted on white cardboard, labeled with a number and the price.

I tried to price my jewelry at a little less than it would have cost in the local department stores. For example, regular $1.20 pieces of jewelry, I sold for $1. I explained to the guests that my prices included the federal tax on jewelry which has to be paid when you order jewelry findings from a wholesaler. I also stressed that jewelry could be ordered in many different colors of rhinestones and included among the samples were all the different stone colors available. I tried to have a variety of jewelry samples and displayed a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings set, several different matching pin and earrings, plus a miscellaneous assortment of pins, scatterpins, earrings, a dress clip and a tie clasp. Customers were not required to order sets, but by doing so they saved some money. Most of my matching pin and earrings sold for $1.75 a set, whereas if they were ordered separately, they sold for $1 each. When everyone had finished looking at the jewelry, it too was placed on display on the card table and another game was played if time permitted. I attempted to start my parties at 8 o'clock at night and planned to be all finished by 10 o'clock. For the third game, the guests were instructed to list vertically down the left side of their paper, the letters in the words Santa Claus. The idea of the game was to write the name of a Christmas gift Santa might bring beginning with each of the letters of his name.

The winner of the third contest received as a prize, a half-pound box of my homemade candy. Naturally, when the winner showed her prize all present started begging her for a bite. As they did this, I brought into the room a large glass tray arranged with ten different kinds of my homemade candies. This tray of mouth-watering sweets always brought many favorable comments. I told my guests I was serving for refreshments, samples of homemade candy that I planned to take orders on for Christmas delivery. Along with the candy I distributed paper napkins and bottles of soft drinks. I charged $1 a pound for a box of assorted homemade candy. The same price was charged for a box containing only one kind of candy unless it was made using nuts or dates; then the cost was $1.25 a pound. Women wanting to purchase candy for the holidays were urged to list their order on their order blanks giving the date they wanted the candy delivered. On the night of this party and following parties, I had packaged several half-pound boxes of candy which sold for 50 cents a box. Several of the women attending were eager to buy this candy to take home to their children.

Before my guests left, I asked if any of them would like me to hold a Christmas sales party in their homes. The hostess would furnish the guests and the soft drinks and I would furnish everything else. I added that hostesses would receive as a gift for having the party, a two-pound box of homemade candy. And, if orders at their party totaled over $25 they would also receive a rhinestone pin and earrings set. Several women immediately volunteered to hold parties for me, saying that they would be glad to do it, even without the gifts, as everyone had so much fun and it was a splendid opportunity for neighbors to get better acquainted. So, I was on my way with Christmas sales parties and had one or two parties a week except during Thanksgiving week, through the first week of December.

AFTER my first party was over I was very elated when I counted up the orders and found they totaled $33. Later orders from persons attending this first party boosted the total to $43. Of this amount about one-third to one-half was profit, depending upon the items sold. Lowest profit items were the Christmas paper products, but they required no work on my part. Profit on these items ranged from 25 to 33 per cent. Most of the jewelry I sold was for 50 percent profit while homemade candy yielded 50 to 60 percent profit depending upon the expensiveness of the ingredients. To be successful, a Christmas sales party should include at least twelve persons. I found from experience that it pays to ask more than twelve, for at the last minute there are those who never appear although they promised faithfully they would be there.

Since this party idea was new to me, I had much to learn as I went along. If you are interested in holding such parties of your own, perhaps offering hobby products other than the ones I had chosen, you can profit from my errors.

First in the Christmas card line; most people who order cards do so early, and anytime after the middle of September is fine to start holding Christmas sales parties. If you have money to invest, it would probably pay to order several boxes of the most popular items in the Christmas paper products. This way you can fill some orders the night of the party, saving travel expense later on. Also, by ordering cards in large amounts, you can buy them cheaper from the wholesaler. On items that are to be imprinted with the customer's name, be sure and get a deposit. Otherwise, if for some reason the customer later decides she doesn't want the imprinted cards, you will be left with them and they will be worthless to you. Also, I would advise against accepting any orders for imprinting after the first of December. I had several embarrassing situations caused by cards being delayed too long at the printers.

As with cards, I would caution against accepting any orders for jewelry that would require ordering from the wholesaler after December 1. Around the Yuletide season, mail service is slowed considerably even when orders are sent special delivery.

MY EXPERIENCES in selling homemade candy are all sweet—no pun intended. To make good homemade candy it is necessary to follow the directions implicitly. Several times I tried to take some shortcuts and lost time and money by spoiling batches of candy. The first thing to get is a good candy thermometer and use it faithfully. When a recipe states to cool candy naturally, it means to let the candy remain undisturbed in its pan without moving, placing in water, stirring or otherwise disturbing the candy mixture causing sugar crystals to form.

Use good ingredients in your candy. At $1 a pound you can afford to do so. If you can locate a place to buy dates and nuts wholesale, you can cut costs considerably. I didn't use nuts in very much of my candy unless by special order. Candy boxes are a problem. Since I didn't know how big my homemade candy business was going to grow, I bought boxes at the local candy store, paying 7 cents for half-pound boxes, 8 cents for pound; 9 cents for pound-and-a-half, and 10 cents for two-pound boxes. Since homemade candy weighs less per piece than commercial chocolates, to avoid crushing, I put all pound orders in pound-and-a-half boxes.

From making candy over a period of years I had several recipes which to me were foolproof. I experimented last holiday season with several more. There are many good candy recipes. I chose ones that were easily prepared, required the minimum of expensive ingredients, and kept well. When you make candy try to select a dry cool day. When it is hot and humid you are going to have difficulties with the candy not hardening. Another word of caution—be extra careful that nut meats are completely free of shell particles. Here are some of my most successful recipes:

3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup milk

Cook sugar, syrup, and milk over medium heat stirring constantly to 235°F. Add dates and cook to 236°F, stirring to blend the dates. Add nuts and cool naturally. When cool turn into buttered pan, knead until creamy and stiff. Shape into a roll and wrap in waxed paper or aluminum foil. Chill and slice. This recipe makes about 2¼ pounds.

I made this with pecans and with black walnuts. The latter flavor was liked by most, but the black walnuts were most expensive.

3 cups granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup cold water
2 egg whites beaten, stiffly
1 tsp. vanilla
food coloring if desired

Place sugar, syrup, and water in pan over low heat. Stir only until sugar is dissolved. Cook to 234°F. Pour one-half of syrup mixture slowly in beaten egg whites, beating continually as you pour. Cook remaining syrup to 280°F. Add this syrup slowly to egg mixture, beating constantly. Add vanilla. Continue beating until mixture is thick enough to drop from spoon. Makes 35 to 40 pieces.

I usually made half of this recipe white and then added red coloring to make the other half pale pink. Care must be taken in not getting tinted candy too harshly colored.

6 cups brown sugar
1½ cups water
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Cook sugar and water together to 240°F. Remove from heat and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and nuts and drop on waxed paper.

For your assortment platter be sure and make pralines small, otherwise they will have to be broken and thus spoil their appearance.

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups milk
¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat sugar and syrup in 1 cup of milk, stirring until dissolved. Then stir frequently, to prevent sticking, to 247°F. Slowly add second cup milk and repeat cooking process. Add final cup of milk, butter, salt and cook to 247°F or until a ball tested in cold water is of the firmness desired in the finished caramel. Remove from heat, add vanilla and pour at once into a buttered pan. When cool, mark in squares. I like to wrap these caramels in small pieces of waxed paper.

4 envelopes unflavored gelatine
1 cup cold water
1½ cups boiling water
3 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon peppermint flavoring
1 teaspoon cinnamon flavoring
red and green coloring

Heat sugar, salt and boiling water to 212°F. Soften gelatine in cold water. Add gelatine to hot syrup solution; stir until dissolved. Boil slowly for 15 minutes, being careful to avoid boiling over. Remove from heat and divide into two equal parts. Color one part delicate green and add peppermint flavoring. Color other part delicate red and flavor with cinnamon. Rinse two pans about 4 by 8 inches in cold water and pour in candy mixture to about a ¾-inch depth. Put in cool place, but not the refrigerator, overnight. With sharp wet knife cut into bite size pieces and roll in powdered or granulated sugar. These taste like high quality gum drops.

½ cup seeded raisins
¼ cup pitted prunes
1 cup pitted dates
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup finely chopped nuts

Combine all fruits by running through food chopper. Add orange and lemon peel and sugar. Form into roll, cover with nut meats. Chill and slice.

½ cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups shredded coconut

Mix milk and coconut together. Drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake in 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until delicately brown.

I use order blanks in duplicate, but if they could be obtained, order blanks in triplicate would be very helpful. The customer is given one duplicate when she places the order. The second duplicate could be placed with the order when delivered, and the original order should be kept for your files. Also, another word of advice—don't forget to keep good records. Not only of the money you spend and the income received, but also the amount of time used in, preparing articles for sale. When you calculate your profit be certain you are making a reasonable return per hour of work, otherwise your hobby will not be a profitable one.

I have attempted to give you an idea of how I conduct my Christmas sales parties. The field is wide open, I believe, and many different kinds of hobby products could be included as long as they would make attractive and popular Christmas gifts.