Seasonal Parties 100 Years Ago

The holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day usually find people attending a party or two.  Muskogee's social life was alive and well in 1911.  There were at least four parties just in the first week of December.

Here are some examples of party news items found in the Social Section of the Muskogee Times-Democrat. First up was the news that Miss Rosalie Mellette hosted a chafing dish supper for twelve people.  All of the guests, who were named, seem to be young adults.

The next morning Mrs. H. H. Ogden invited twenty guests over for a "Morning Chocolate" party.  The "chocolate" was a going away toast for a young lady returning to Kansas City.  The event was noted for its informality.

Another party that same week was a "Thimble Party."  It, too, was a casual event.  A smaller get together, it also entertained younger members of both sexes.  The article in the local newspaper said that the guests arrived with "their Christmas fancy work." 

In the days before television viewing and tweeting classmates, parties provided a handy excuse for socializing.  Just like quilting bees, a "thimble party" probably offered an opportunity for the fairer sex to visit while sewing or perhaps knitting.  There are no references to the boys' activities while the young ladies cross stitched or crocheted a doily. 

The earliest reference to a "thimble party" appeared in an 1890 Illinois newspaper.  This party was also given in honor of an out of town guest.  Those attending were equally divided between those who were married and ladies who were single.  These women gathered in a Springfield home just before the Thanksgiving holiday.

During the first week of December, a hundred years ago, there were other parties occurring in Muskogee.  Mrs. Leo Bennett hosted the largest tea that week.  There were about one hundred quests.

A number of the women's dresses were described.  Mrs. Bennett wore a cherry red satin gown.  It was veiled in black chiffon.  The dress was accentuated with red beads and some black lace.

Whether family members are driving into town for Christmas, or friends are coming for a party this holiday season, maybe you will take a moment to remember that visiting has been a part of everyday life a lot more than just the past one hundred years.

And if anyone knows of a "Party" they heard about or attended this holiday season, please share that tidbit with the rest of us.  Let's keep the tradition alive.  Please tell us something about who attended, where the party convened, how was the hostess dressed, the theme of the party or something about the activities guests enjoyed.

We will make history next week when we will publish some of the reports!!

Happy Holidays.