HAVE FUN AT YOUR PAPER BAG PARTY! LOVE, BETTY CROCKER

I collect a lot of paper stuff.  Paper ephemera, if you want to get fancy.  I have a box with ticket stubs, postcards, cookie fortunes, old photos, notecards, lithographs, bookmarks, magazine clippings, paper doilies, vintage valentines, you name it.  I was sifting through some of this huge mess today and found my collection of 1971 Betty Crocker recipe cards in the rubble. 

I purchased the entire set of cards, which came neatly filed in a seafoam green tin, for about two bucks at a Goodwill in Georgia several years ago.  Since then I've lost some, given some away, and the collection has dwindled; roughly twenty-five or so remain in my possession.  While something tells me that no one has actually prepared these recipes in quite some time (just a hunch), they sure are gems to read.  Here are a few highlights, each complete with Betty's own wholesome party ideas from the backs of the cards.

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Balloons--how carefree and fun!  For this party, inflate balloons, write invitations on each with marking pen and deflate them.  Slip each one into an envelope with instructions to blow it up to read its message.

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For a winter birthday or the hottest day in summer!  Go on an around-the-house explorers' party, ending at the North Pole with box lunches, sugar snow, funny little gnomes and Igoo Cake.

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"Come for a tea party and bring your favorite dolly!" How many little girls will love to walk over in their mothers' heels for a special little party under the mock orange bush.  Instead of the usual cookies, why not surprise them with Rag Doll Salads?  To drink?  Why, tea of course, generously mixed with milk.

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Circle party invitations with large and small question marks--"What does a lolligog look like?  We don't know!  If you come dressed like what you think a lolligog looks like, perhaps we'll find out!"  For favors, give jolly homemade lollipops with faces.  Build a lolligog centerpiece with lollipops, wooden pointed sticks and spools.

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Bright paper streamers from the ceiling make a circus tent table; a loaded camera will inspire your clowns to do their funniest, wildest tricks!

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Everybody's talking about astrology, so find out the birth month and day for each child and give horoscopes as favors.  Ask a friend to dress up as a gypsy and tell fortunes.  Serve a bowl full of rainbow-colored ice-cream ball "planets" with your sunshiny Zodiac Cake.

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How versatile paper bags are!  You can cut them, paint or color them, paste curly paper eyelashes and noses on them, make masks or stuff them with paper and shape into puppet heads.  You can put popcorn balls into a paper bag slipped over a styrofoam block for edible table decorations.  Have fun at your paper bag party!

According to these cards, the early '70s were pretty wild times:  funny little gnomes, paper bag parties, that newfangled astrology everyone's talking about...not to mention whatever the heck a rag doll salad is.  Hey Crocker, lay off the hallucinogens, will ya?