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PAGE 15 - PLA1NDEALER - FRIDAY. OCTOBER 31. If THE POINSETTIA: A BRIEF HISTORY Although the poinsettia plant is not indigenous to the United States, Americans have come to associate its brilliant red bracts with the Christmas season. The plant was actually intro­ duced here in 1828 by Dr. Joel R. Poinsett, at that time the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, for whom the plant was named. Poinsettias grow wild in Mexico, reaching the height of their splendor just around the third week of December Their Spanish name, Flor de la Noche-buena (flower of the holy night), derives from a Mex­ ican legend which holds that the poinsettia originated in a mira­ cle. A poor peasant child, with nothing to take to the service honoring the birth of the Christ child, sadly picked a few weeds to give as an offering. Kneeling at the altar with this humble girt, the child's earnest prayer and tears of reverence transformed the weeds into the beautiful scarlet flower we know so well. Today, poinsettias are im­ ported from both Mexico and Hawaii, but a careful plant- lover can keep the plant from one season to the next. Once all of the brilliant leaves have fallen, the plant should be trimmed back to the wood. It will flourish outdoors in the summer in most parts of the country, becoming more hearty as the weeks of sunshine pass. From the first week of Oc­ tober to the second week in November, poinsettias require equal amounts of daylight and darkness to ensure the brilliant red bracts at Christmastime. BAKE A BATCH OF CHRISTMAS COOKIE FAVORITES Christmas is cookie time. Mounds of luscious cookies emerge from ovens all over the world to grace this joyful sea­ son, and children of all ages look forward to them eagerly. If you're giving a party this C h r i s t m a s f o r a g r o u p o f youngsters, you might consider incorporating this favorite treat into your plans. If you have the time, you might bake, build and decorate a gingerbread house. It makes a marvelous centerpiece, and sets the mood to perfection. Around it, display your offering--fresh­ ly baked cookies, grouped by type. Traditional Christmas favo­ rites include gingerbread men, buttery spritz cookies decorated with red and green sugar, crun- chy pfeffernusse dusted with powdered sugar, and scrump­ tious leckerli. You might also want to in­ clude non-traditional delecta- bles such as chocolate or butter­ scotch chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies. Yummm. m LITTON Microwave Cooking aba AM ^ iVMcrowavG LOOKNIQ ^ ^ Free Microwave Cooking Demonstrations Girts appreciate gift of privacy This Christmas give your growing daughter the priva­ cy she needs for study (and to entertain her friends). Santa suggests you give your youngster an attractive room of her own, remodeled from watted space that was once a cluttered attic. After Santa has finished the carpentry and tile appli­ cation, mother and daughter can become Santa's helpers and decorate the room in a manner reflecting her young lifestyle.- .. Av.V^'.'W- ' 3* ' W' '.<» (ft NOVEMBER 8th & 22nd, 9:30 to 1:30 DATES DURING DECEMBER Learn how easy it is to cook with Litton s MeaMn-One™ Microwave Oven. • How to cook 1,2,3 foods, even a complete meal, all at once! • How to grill a cheese sandwich in 90 seconds, cook bacon in 2 minutes, bake a potato in 4 minutes! • A trained home economist will answer all your questions about microwave ovens. • Come taste the results for yourself! Litton... changing the way America Cooks - Prices Start At $35900 Buy a Litton microwave built-in with a lot more built in • Solid-state microwave oven with 1.2 cu. ft. interior. • Memorymatic® microwave program cook­ ing. Programs meals at the touch of a finger. • Vari-Gook^ variable power oven control for time and cooking speed. • Vari-Temp® automatic temperature con­ trol and sensor for exact food temperature. • Extra wide self-cleaning conventional oven -- full 3.9 cu. ft. capacity. • Bronze see-thru glass door. • One-piece, smooth ceramic cooktop. [B LITTON CAREY APPLIANCE Microwave Cooking 1241 N. Green St. SALES & SERVICE McHENRY. ILL. J*