An old-fashioned Valentine's Day party can be created by making your own crepe-paper favors and decorations. Have some fun with these ideas from a vintage party book.

The conventional color for St. Valentine's Day is red, but the introduction of another color is sometimes charming. Why not venture away from the customary colors and combine red with old rose or even use light pink with red? The invitations may be written or engraved on heart-shaped cards; daintily printed invitations may be purchased ready to fill in; or if something more individual is wanted they may be made from cut-outs, stickers or designs stamped cardstock paper.

A table decorated with red crepe paper fringe is most effective and at the same time easy to arrange. Fringe is cut in strips and fastened in place, after which the top is Valentine's Day finished with loops of crepe paper rope. The lower edge is then cut in rounding points. Festoons and cut-outs complete the overhead decoration.

Three cardboard hearts covered with ruffles attached to large gold arrows make a festive centerpiece. A "beating heart" favor is really a penny "cricket" inside a double crepe paper heart. A place card may be attached if desired.

The table shown above has bright red hearts with white and gold wings attached to miniature streamers that are fastened to the festoon decorations and flutter gaily over a Cupid-theme table.

When the refreshments are served the tables are spread with white table covers to which are pasted Cupids and hearts. Valentine's Day Pretty dishes of cut glass or fancy baskets can be filled with heart-shaped peppermint or wintergreen creams. In addition, the roll on each bread-and-butter plate may be tied with a wide red satin ribbon which will add to the festiveness of the decorations. Special favors will increase the attractiveness of the table and can range from inexpensive trifles up to costly silver and gold trinkets. A simple favor could be crepe paper heart-shaped bags containing a tiny cake or a few bon-bons.

The long, narrow tables which are almost always used for a large gathering or club banquet are difficult to arrange in any way that will make them look different. If the number of people to be served is not too large, a suggestion would be to arrange the tables to form a hollow square as shown above. This arrangement, of course, will permit the seating of only about one-half the number that could be accommodated if places were set on both sides of the table. Draping streamers to the far corners is an elegant touch.