���������� 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.

���������� 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!

���������� Of course, your Christmas tree will be the centerpiece of all your decorations. Your choice in decorations is limited only by your imagination. While stringing popcorn and cranberries is a fun and festive activity, it's not always the safest d�cor choice if you have pets or small children around. Plus in many cases, the exposed food is just an insect feast. However, if you want to be a little creative, here are a few unusual, yet, personal and festive d�cor designs:

�������� Toys (planes, boats, dolls, stuffed animals, etc.)

�������� Antiques

�������� Photos attached to small frames or glued to paper

�������� Ribbons and silk flowers

�������� Small mirrors attached to ribbons to reflect all the holiday lights

�������� Cookie cutters

�������� Sporting equipment (balls, golf tees, tiny baseball mitts, fishing flies, etc.)

�������� Snowflakes cut from doilies

�������� Seashells (and/or leis)

�������� Toy musical instruments

�������� Cones made from sheet music and filled with candy or potpourri

�������� Costume jewelry

�������� Ornaments made from buttons and sewing notions

�������� Glowing ornaments�

�������� Artificial fruit

�������� Cellophane-wrapped or fake candy

�������� Tiny decorated gift boxes

�������� Jingle bells

�������� Christmas stockings�

�������� Wind chimes

�������� Silver flatware

�������� Christmas cards (just punch a hole in the corner of the card and attach with thin ribbon)

�������� Feather boas

�������� Festive beads

�������� Pine cones and nuts (these should be painted and/or coated with shellac to deter small children and insects).

�������� 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 d�cor 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 d�cor, 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, d�cor 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

��������� 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.