A birthday is an important event in a child's life, and should not pass unnoticed.

A small party for little children is usually more enjoyable and more easily managed than a large one. With many mothers it is the custom to invite as many little guests as correspond to the number of years of the child whose birthday is celebrated.

Make the table look as attractive as possible with flowers. A pretty arrangement for a fifth birthday is to have a round table, with vines, or a rope of wild flowers or leaves, arranged over it to represent a five-pointed star. The sandwiches, confectionery, etc., may be placed within the star, the birthday cake in the centre, and the five guests seated between the points of decoration.

For a sixth birthday, a pretty arrangement would be a six-pointed star, the points to be made with the long fronds of the sword fern. So many people have pots of these ferns growing in their houses, and the foliage is so abundant, that some of the older fronds of the plant may well be spared. The money myrtle is also effective for this decoration, and, in summer, the little partridge vine with its red berries, to be found in every woods, makes very pretty trimming. The cake should be in the centre, and the other viands placed within the star, the children's plates between the points. Either a round or square table may be used as preferred.

For an eighth birthday, a square table may be used with walls of Troy decoration arranged for two children at a side. If the birthday comes in December, a rope of evergreen is appropriate and very effective for this decoration, with branches of holly or other red berries at the corners, the "goodies" to be placed in the centre.

For a tenth birthday, quite a long table is needed, and a pretty arrangement of vines in scallops, with a small bunch of flowers at each point may be carried out, the viands being placed in the centre, and a child's plate in each one of the scallops.

In all these arrangements due prominence must be given to the birthday cake, the principal feature of the feast. It is placed usually in the centre, is round, decorated with frosting, and as many tiny candles as the child is years old. These are placed in toy candlesticks, made so that they can easily be thrust into the frosting, and the candles are lighted just before the children go to the table. The candlesticks may be purchased at a toy store. It is an excellent idea to place some little souvenir in the cake for each child, tiny china dogs, cats and goats being desirable for this purpose.

A candy house will also make a novel and attractive centrepiece for a children's party table. Build a log house of red and white sticks of candy, and form the roof of cocoanut strips. For a rail fence use sticks of chocolate candy or straws and make the grass of spun candy.