Attach your invitation to a plastic snowflake or other flat, unbreakable ornament.

           Include your invitation essentials inside your Christmas card and save on postage!

           Glue a candy cane to plain invitation stock with a custom card you've created on your computer.

           Send your invitation inside a small Christmas-design sock or traditional stocking.

           Pipe your invitation onto a giant holiday cookie, cover in bubble wrap and send in a sturdy box. Or include the cookie and write the invitation to your sweet celebration right on the box.

           For a cookie exchange, send your invitation inside a cookie tin and ask guests to fill up the tin and bring to your party.

           Cut out the front design of an old Christmas card and write your invitation on the back.

           Write your invitation on the back of a Christmas-design paper plate and let guests know they can find the holiday goodies at your party.

           Enclose a Santa hat  with each invitation. Then invite guests to decorate their hat for a contest to be held the day of the party.

         While planning your celebration, don't forget to include elderly neighbors and lonely friends and workmates to join you in this season of giving. After all, the more, the merrier.

        For evening events, line your walkway with luminarias you've made from    small decorative bags (plain lunch bags will work), partially filled with     sand and a votive candle inside a glass or metal holder.  If you want, you  can use a decorative hole punch (available in craft stores) to make designs to let the light shine through.

           Create a path to your Christmas palace with oversized plastic candy canes (available in discount stores) and string twinkle lights from cane to cane.

           Brighten your path with potted poinsettias or small evergreen trees. For evening events, you add battery-operated twinkle light sets.

           Wrap small boxes (save cardboard boxes from pasta, cereal and the like) in waterproof paper. Tie with all-weather ribbon and dangle the gifts from your trees.

           Fill your flower boxes with plants or an assortment of "gifts" wrapped in water-resistant paper and ribbons.

           Dangle lighted ornaments  from trees and bushes.

           Line your path with lighted tubing, tiny lights or connect glow sticks  end-to-end from the street to your front door.

           Create a festive doorway to your party with a Santa-topped metallic fringe curtain .

          Wrap your front door like a huge package with paper specifically made for this purpose and white, weather-proof ribbon. After all, your party is the best gift yet!

·        Styrofoam "snowballs"

          Add more interest to your design by using novelty lights with a Christmas design.

          Cut snowflakes from paper or lace doilies and suspend from your ceiling on thin thread and straight pins. The pins won't leave noticeable marks and your guests will feel as if they've walked into a "blizzard." Other lightweight items such as Styrofoam balls and plastic ornaments also can be hung the same way.

          Dangle reflective "streamers"  from your ceiling to sparkle from your decorative lighting.

         Make each door in your home more welcoming with a festive door hanger.

          Short on time or imagination? Purchase an entire Christmas party decorating kit .

        Make your restroom more festive with holiday-patterned toilet tissue. 

    A starlite pattern  trimmed in gold is both festive and elegant.

 You'll find a lot of child-like whimsy with a snowman and Santa patterned  set.

 A wreath filled with holiday instruments  is the perfect design for a music-based Christmas theme.

     For upscale elegance that's perfect for a generic winter holiday theme for a mixed guest list, the gold and white winter floral collage  will create just the right statement for your "something for everyone" party.

  Finally, if you want to mix and match, then choose a solid design  In fact, you can pick a different color each year to project a totally different design.

         What's Christmas décor with candles? To set a soft illumination to your setting, put out a collection of candles. If you're going for an elegant feel, silver tree candles  will create just the right atmosphere.  If gold is your goal, then these lovely gold tree and ornament-shaped candles  would be the perfect touch. Plus, the set would make an ideal gift.  (Remember: Never leave lit candles unattended and never place near anything that is flammable. Position candles in an area where they can't be jostled and accidentally fall over.)

       Perfect for martinis or champagne, the reusable glasses  can be programmed to match or coordinate your drink's color from a choice of 7 hues. Best of all, they're also perfect for theme parties and New Year's celebrations.

        Want to give your punch some punch? Try these colorful flashing, reusable "ice" cubes 

        Give your plain tumblers and bar glasses their own light (and protect your furniture) with these glowing coasters 

      Want to give your sip a zip? Try these colorful, glowing drinking straws 

     Shock your guests with these colorful shot glasses 

       These shimmering margarita glasses  are not only perfect for a Felice Navidad celebration, but can be used at your next fiesta or whenever you want your guests to say "ole!" They're also perfect for adding fun to your standard shrimp cocktail or frosty desserts.

          This charming trio of Santa singing and dancing music men  would be a great gift or the perfect table topper.

           Speaking of music and merriment, what's Christmas without a toy train? This delightful musical wreath  can be hung on your door or placed as a centerpiece and includes a toy train set traveling on its circular track.

           And don't forget yourself! This adorable Santa apron and hat  will not only show off your Santa style, it also will help protect your party attire.

           Hosting a sit-down meal? Here are a couple of ideas that can serve multiple duty as décor, place card setting and party favor. Using glitter glue, write your guest's name on a Santa hat or stocking .

           As a bright idea and detail, roll your napkins (with the silverware if it's a buffet) and tie the bundle together with a glow bracelet , flashing lighted bracelet  jingle, bell necklace,  or a light-up fanciful and fabulous holiday necklace.

           For sit-down celebrations, take an instant photo of guests upon arrival and then put into an adorable frame to act as their place card, décor and go-home gift.

          Don't try to do it all yourself.  Get help and enjoy the festivities as well.  Even small children can wash vegetables, put out silverware, and make simple artwork to decorate your home or table.

          Ask everyone to bring a favorite dish to the celebration and create a menu showing each person's contribution or put a place card near the dish identifying what it is and the chef.  (Be sure to get a commitment for specific dishes early on so you don't end up with too many bowls of potato salad and not enough appetizers or desserts.)  Even those guests who don't cook can bring canned or bagged snacks, beverages, supermarket platters or floral accents.

           Divide the duties so that those who were involved with the set-up, don't have to work on the clean-up and vice versa.

          Need some additional space for all of your platters and bowls? Set up an ironing board at serving height and cover with a festive tablecloth. It will give you extra space and it can be easily removed after the meal.

         Every party needs the right musical background. This collection of Christmas standards  will be the hit of any party.

           Want to host a sing-along? This CD  is filled with all of your holiday favorites and it even includes the lyrics.

          For a more spiritual atmosphere, this CD collection of hymns  is the perfect choice for your holiday singing.

          At your Thanksgiving celebration or sometime before the party, pull names out of a hat so that each guest can participate in a fun gift exchange. Be sure to limit the items to white elephants or a set dollar amount.

         Invite guests to bring along a new, unwrapped toy and/or non-perishable food items which can later be delivered to a local shelter. If your guests are so inclined, make arrangement with the charity to bring along your group to distribute presents and sing Christmas carols.

           If your party is going to be held early in the holiday season, contact your local church or United Way to ask about adopting a family. This way you will have the specifics so that guests can bring along the perfect gift(s) for people in one special and deserving family.  Another option for an early party is to contact your local Salvation Army to be part of their "angel" program where you purchase guests for one specific child. Either choice will be the most satisfying Christmas shopping you'll do all season.

          If you opted to send your invitation with Santa hats to decorate, hold the judging of the contest. Don't forget to include multiple categories (fanciest, funniest, most imaginative and so on) for both the adults and children.

          A CD filled with holiday favorites and the lyrics to help friends sing along. 

          A CD collection of Christmas standards  that guests will enjoy for years to come.

           Your spiritual guests will sing your praises with this CD collection of holiday hymns 

          A collection of your best cookies along with the recipe.

          For fun and festive finery, female guests will enjoy a flashing lighted bracelet  jingle bell necklace  or a light-up fanciful and fabulous holiday necklace.

         For the chief chef, a Santa apron and hat. 

          This charming trio of Santa singing and dancing music men  will make your guests want to sing and move along with the music.

A fine idea for a host gift that is filled with good tidings.