Christmas is that time of year to get excited and be ready for trips to the malls, the office parties, and being the host of one at your house. The parties start the day after Thanksgiving and go until the New Year. Here are some ideas on costumes you can wear for all these occasions.

The most famous costumes is Santa Clause of course. To get the jolly suit plan ahead and order online, or you can rent it at a costume store. They will have everything you need to make you look just like the ho, ho, ho, man himself. Just know that with the Santa suit if you start looking before Halloween you will be able to find it. But if you decide to do this at last minute you can always look at the stores where they sell Christmas lights and other holiday products.

Santa always needs a helper to hand out that wonderful candy cane after the children see the big guy. The elf is the second best person in the holiday season. They are  helpful and funny, and always lets the kids see Santa. There are green outfits and big shoes help topped with a little green hat. And of course you have to paint a little red on your cheeks to make you look happy as you can be. Green tights help top off the ensemble.

Who gets Santa and the elves to the mall? It is the famous reindeer! They do have these costumes available at the costume store. If you are good at sewing you just need fur brown cloth and a big red nose for the most famous of them all.

Mrs. Claus is the right hand lady that keeps everything running smoothing. You need a red dress that goes down to the ankles, a white lace apron, and a old fashion hat that looks like the pioneers wore to bed at night. You always want to put a little red circle on each cheek to make her look rosy.

Angels are very easy costumes to make. Get a white gown, put a gold wrap around your waist, a beautiful gold halo on the top of your head, and some very nice wings on your back.

Frosty the snowman is always nice to sing with in the snow. He would be easy to find on the internet. Frosty would be good to have at an office party, or at a party you are going to have for children. They would love to have him. Just make sure he has a big black top hat with a flower on it. Add a pipe and you are set.

The Grinch that stole Christmas is always a great costume for office parties, kids parties, or when you have one at your house. If you host one just remember that he is green with fur all over, and he is mean at first. When he is nice you can put a huge heart on his chest to say I am nice and I love Christmas.

Churches always have the kids do events with the nativity. Characters include Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. You also have the angels who float around, and  the wise men that have important parts in these scenes. With the animals you have camels, goats, horses, lambs. When making the nativity costumes they are usually made by hand by the church kids. This let’s them take pride in what they did by themselves.

Christmas costume theme parties are very popular now. You just host a party and have every one dress in there character they love the most and have a wonderful themed party. Dressing up is not just for Halloween and for kids any more. Remember the Christmas season is to have fun and being at a theme party where every one wears a Christmas costume will be festive and will remembered for a long time.

The holiday breakfast is becoming more popular each year, and it’s easy to understand why.

You can offer a formal morning meal for less money than you’d spend on a dinner. You can do it early in the day, leaving you time for other commitments. And you can make many of the dishes ahead, which should free you up to spend more time to enjoy those around you.

Some people stress and fuss over party meals so much that they can’t relax and, consequently, neither can their guests. That’s because too many people don’t get themselves prepped. To get yourself organized, start with the menu. The good stuff is worth the effort. That means no skimping on the centerpiece, whether it’s sausage, bacon, smoked salmon or seafood.

Forget pancakes. They must be served immediately and that ties you up for the entire meal. Waffles, on the other hand, can be made before guests arrive and held in a warm oven to stay crisp. Plus, you can create a toppings buffet that lets everyone add fruit, whipped cream, butter, syrup or nuts. Crêpes can be made several days in advance and stored in a stack with waxed paper in between. Wrap them in a moist paper towel.

Before guests arrive, remove waxed paper and warm the crêpes to 300 degrees in the oven under a moist paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Then let people fill their crêpes with their choice of sweet or savory fillings, from strawberries Romanoff to chicken hash.

Quiches, egg casseroles, strata and frittatas can all be made ahead and slowly reheated or served at room temperature. Eggs and French toast are always inexpensive dishes to make, but they don’t have to taste that way. Dress up a frittata with crab, lobster or wild mushrooms. Use smoked salmon or shrimp on eggs Benedict. Mix up your French toast batter a couple of days in advance and flavor it with a liqueur such as amaretto, Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Frangelico.

Mimosas and bellinis are breakfast standards, but let me suggest something slightly different: Mix peach purée with Moscato d’Asti, a semi-sparkling wine with a light touch of sweetness.

But the menu is only one part of the party to consider. Set a convenient time, such as 10 a.m., that is not too early for you or too late for your guests to go without a morning meal. Let your guests know how special they are by setting an elegant table. And don’t hold back. Set the table just like you would for a dinner party. Bon Apetite! 

IT’S the time of year when we’re gearing up for a month of festive cheer and bonhomie, when we eat, drink, make merry and feel hellish the morning after.

You know the symptoms: a banging headache, lethargy and a tummy that’s screaming out for some TLC. But this is no winter bug, it’s the sign of a self-inflicted hangover thanks to over-indulgence during the party season.

Not only are puddings over-egged, but stomachs over-stuffed and heads over toilet bowls, as the full impact of seasonal excess hits home hard. After all, if we consume a gluttonous 6000 calories on Christmas Day alone though food and drink, when you multiply that by the countless invites to festive dining that are sent out by friends, relations and workplaces, it’s no wonder that our bodies are left with a desperate need for Alka Seltzer and a lie down.

More than 17 million working days are lost each year in Britain through hangovers, according to government research, and an estimated two million people will fail to turn up for work over the festive season after downing too much drink or food during parties, losing the economy some £110 million.

Yet, while everyone knows what causes a hangover, getting rid of one is another matter. What should be remembered is that a hangover isn’t just about having a bad head, but muscle cramps, indigestion, tiredness and dizziness. And, of course, once a hangover has kicked in, there is no way of stopping it, all you can do is alleviate the symptoms.

The British Medical Association advises taking aspirin or ibuprofen to get rid of the headache, drinking fluids to offset dehydration and eating foods high in carbohydrates and fructose (a natural sugar found in fruit juices and honey) to deal with nausea.

But while many will turn to painkillers to curb that morning-after-the-night-before feeling, not all are ideal.

Aspirin, for instance, is an anti-inflammatory drug and is effective for treating headaches, but if you have acid indigestion it should be avoided. Ibuprofen is also an anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever, but again not great for those with indigestion. Paracetamol is a kitchen cupboard favourite because it’s a highly effective pain reliever, but remember the maximum dose you can take in 24 hours is 1000mg - that’s two tablets, four times a day. Overdosing can lead to liver damage.

There are other options. For a start you could try Hangover Hotch Potch Bitters, available from Napiers Herbalists’ Stockbridge and Teviot shops. It is a herbal solution which should leave you feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as long as you take a little in a glass of water before you go out, another dose before bed and one more first thing in the morning.

Loretta Seagrave, shop manager at the Hamilton Place branch, says: “It has a lot of bitter herbs that stimulate the digestion, some ginger for nausea and there are also tonic herbs in it like milk thistle which have traditionally been used to benefit the liver.”

Peppermint and chamomile are also good for sensitive stomachs, while artichoke and feverfew are ideal for hangover headaches. Lavender oil is also soothing for a painful head, add two to three drops to a carrier oil and massage into the temples or neck.

AT Holland and Barrett in Rose Street you can stock up on Evening Primrose Oil which contains essential fatty acids to keep cells strong and healthy, which could help prevent the need for a big fry-up.

Similarly, Cynara Artichoke supplement, available at Boots, contains extract of dried artichoke leaves, which stimulates the liver to help break down and eliminate fatty foods and alcohol from the body. Also at the high street chemist, you’ll find Vitabiotics Wellwoman Fizz, dissolvable tablets which produce a cranberry flavoured drink, combining B-complex vitamins, Goti Kola, Gurana and L-Carnitine, which should make you good again.

Apparently, the fitter you are, though, the quicker you’ll bounce back from a hangover. Malcolm McPhail, health and fitness director at the Next Generation club in Newhaven, advises: “Being fitter makes you more capable to cope with hangovers.

“If you do have a hangover, the best thing to do is a bit of gentle exercise such as a nice walk or a couple of miles on an exercise bike. And don’t use a steam room. It will only make you more dehydrated.

“Drink plenty of water in between alcohol. And the following morning, rehydrate with sports drinks.

“Rather than having a big greasy fry-up, I would recommend something light such as scrambled eggs on toast. And steer clear of milk, as it’s too heavy on the stomach.”

If all else fails, then there’s always the hair of the dog.

That wonderful mix of vodka, sherry, tomato juice, Lee & Perrins and Tabasco is almost a meal in itself. Or if you need a stronger kick-start and think your stomach can take it, try a Prairie Oyster, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, vinegar and an egg yolk.

You never know, it could work.

Clear thinking needed to fend off the hangover from Hell

Drink plenty of fluid to counteract the dehydrating effect of alcohol; aim to drink twice as much water as booze.

• Eat something sugary to counteract the alcohol’s blood-sugar lowering effect.

• Choose your favourite pain relief but beware the stomach-irritating effects of aspirin.

• Take an indigestion remedy, which contains an alginate - a compound which forms a protective layer over your irritated stomach lining (ask your pharmacist).

• Vitamin C may help.

Web links >
Alcohol Focus Scotland > http://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk
Health Education Board for Scotland - alcohol > http://www.hebs.scot.nhs.uk/topics/alcohol/index.h  
Alcohol Concern > http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk 
Alcohol Information Scotland > http://www.alcoholinformation.isdscotland.org

There are certain songs so magical, so enchanting, they have the power to put even the worst scrooge in a merry holiday mood.

But for every “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole or “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, there are also those dreaded songs that have the reverse effect, turning Christmas cheer into holiday jeer as soon as the first note blares from the speaker system.

“Holiday depression is caused by those barking dogs,” insists Scott Frampton, contributing music editor for O, The Oprah Magazine, referring to the semi-humorous, mostly maddening rendition of “Jingle Bells” by the Singing Dogs.

What’s irritating to one ear, however, may be intoxicating to another. If you’ve been delegated to come up with the musical mix for an office party, family gathering or blowout with friends, devising a holiday soundtrack that will leave everyone happy may seem as elusive as a Santa Claus sighting. But music aficionados say it’s doable with good planning and good taste.

“I think people start going wrong when they bring out ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ and those kind of novelty hits, because they wear on people,” says Frampton, who has more than 200 holiday music CDs and creates special-mix CDs for family and friends each year.

“They don’t look around, because they just don’t know that there is a lot of really great stuff out there that would appeal to a lot of different people.”

Indeed, for a genre that’s popular only about two months a year, the variety of holiday music is staggering, from jazz to hip-hop, from comedic to religious. This year alone, artists putting out holiday CDs include R&B songstress Faith Evans, jazz siren Diana Krall, veteran rocker Brian Wilson and country singer Ricky Skaggs.

Herb Agner, vice president of catalog marketing for EMI, which puts out several Christmas albums each year, says there are obvious songs to dust off every holiday season: “White Christmas,” the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Charlie Brown Christmas,” or Elvis Presley’s “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” are among the enduring favorites.

“Obviously people want the classics,” says Agner. “It’s part of a sense of home and staying a part of something you grew up with.”

At the same time, many people want something fresh and updated; even old-timers get a little weary hearing “Jingle Bell Rock” the umpteenth time.

Frampton suggests mixing some updated renditions from current artists with tried-and-true gems, putting a Destiny’s Child remake of “Silent Night” in the same rotation as Dean Martin’s “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” for example. Or adding Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” after Eartha Kitt’s campy “Santa Baby.”

But picking the right modern-day interpretation of a holiday standard can be tricky, says Ron Zellner, senior vice president of XM Satellite radio, which is adding five different channels of holiday music for the season.

“It’s sort of a Catch-22 that many artists go through when they launch a holiday album because they obviously want to sing songs that are familiar, but they run the risk of people comparing them to these icons,” he says.

Agner’s company has tried to incorporate the best of both with funky, chill-out remixes of old favorites on the new CD “Merry Mixmas.”

“You’re getting those songs and those artists that you know and love, but basically, you’re getting them as a twist, seen through a new set of eyes, and we thought that was a great way of basically having it both ways,” he says.

It’s also important to time the tempo of the evening with the music.

“If it’s a dinner party, where people are going to stay and want to talk throughout the rest of the night, you can’t go too dancey,” says Dahlia Ambach-Caplin, a Verve Records executive and producer of its “Verve Remixed” series, which give jazz classics a modern spin. “People won’t be able to hear one another.”

Frampton agrees. Think about Christmas music as you would any other music when planning the evening, he advises.

“If you were going to have a dinner party … during a salad course, would you have a bunch of rousing singalongs?”

It also might be good to add some non-holiday songs to the rotation.

“Everywhere you go during the holidays, you hear Christmas music ad nauseam,” says Ambach-Caplin. “Not everyone wants to listen to Christmas music all day all the time.”

And as on any other evening of entertaining, it’s important to know your audience and which songs will elicit a knowing smile or a grimace. Cheech & Chong’s “Santa Claus and His Old Lady” might be a riot for your friends, but raise eyebrows at an office party.

Perhaps the worst offense is repetition: As enchanting as “The Christmas Song” is, even Nat King Cole can get stale after a gazillion listens.

“That’s the biggest challenge, for people to find something that they really like that’s fresh,” says Agner. “You don’t want to be only playing ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ … Although at the right time, that song might be the perfect thing to throw into the mix.”

THIS YEAR’S HOLIDAY MUSIC ENTRIES
It’s hard to put a new spin on holiday classics like “Jingle Bells” or “Silent Night.” Yet every year, several artists try, hoping their rendition may stand out from the crowd and become part of the Christmas musical canon.

A few notable albums from this year’s hopefuls:

Anita Baker, “Christmas Fantasy”, The husky-voiced R&B diva brings her sensual tone to classics ranging from “O Come All Ye Faithful” to “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Brian Wilson, “What I Really Want For Christmas”. One of the most melodic rockers takes on melodies including “Silent Night” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Jane Monheit, “This Season”
The jazz siren with the lush pipes covers traditional songs like “Have a Merry Little Christmas” and “This Christmas.”

Martha Stewart, “The Holiday Collection”
Can she get any more overexposed? The recently freed felon, who seems to be making up for lost time with two TV talk shows and a host of new products, puts out this three-disc box set. Thankfully, she doesn’t sing. Instead, she selects the best holiday music for your soiree, from traditional pop to jazz to classical. And of course, there are recipes and tips to make your own decorations.

Diana Krall, “Christmas Songs”. Just the cover, which features Krall leaning back in a sexy pose, gives you an idea of the mood the album inspires. Seductive and sassy, Krall is joined here by the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

The LeeVees, “Hanukkah Rocks”. Plenty of humor, with tracks like “Jewish Girls (at the Matzoh Ball)” and “At the Timeshare.”

Various Artists, “A John Waters Christmas”
Anyone who picks up a Christmas album with an “explicit lyrics” tag on it probably isn’t worried about offending anyone. In fact, that may be the goal. If so, this Christmas CD from director John Waters will more than deliver, with songs like “Happy Birthday Jesus,” “Santa Claus Is a Black Man,” and “Little Mary Christmas.”

Yourself, “U Sing It Christmas”
Hey, why should those “American Idol” kids have all the fun? This album lets you sing Christmas classics and have an instant karaoke party. Pop it into your computer, sing and e-mail it to the universe for a laugh or to become the next Nat King Cole.

It must have happened while we were shining our disco ball. The ’70s came back. To the max.

Platform shoes and maxi skirts. Groovy graphics on dinner plates and wrapping paper. “The Jeffersons” on cable. The first season of “Saturday Night Live,” circa 1975, just out on DVD. Even the Captain and Tennille have a new Christmas CD. So in that spirit, let’s have a very Brady Christmas!

How to trim your home:
From shag rugs to bean bags, our prop designer found it all. There’s so much ’70s out there right now. Decorate your home with a 7-foot yellow Christmas tree from the ’70s, decked out in lime-green ornaments. Muted greens and golds are the colors of a ’70s Christmas vibe. Check your local antique shop, maybe you will find a treasure trove of ’70s goodies, from teardrop-shaped ornaments to plastic lighted Santas.

What else you need:
• A felt tree skirt. Check also to find some nice 70s tablecloths with vintage prints.
• Gold garland. As artificial as you can possibly get. Gold garland was the major trend, and it’s back.
• A retro Nativity scene. Oversized figurines, a big-big baby Jesus.
• Vintage-print wrapping paper. Check party related shops.

What to give:
The car aisle at Toys “R” Us is where you can find miniature remakes of the hot cars of the ’70s, including the Mustang and Firebird. The one in the show is that weird lime-green color from 1971.
You may also find a stash of ’70s-inspired lunchboxes at other retro shops. Is there someone on your shopping list who would love a Holly Hobbie lunchbox?

What you need:
• For the home: A Tupperware deviled egg container and a lava lamp. Buy some shag rugs and beanbags too.
• For the kids: Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, Mystery Date board game.
• For the fashionista: Adidas or Puma sneakers, big hoop earrings, a halter blouse, sweater coat, a Keep on Truckin’ T-shirt.

What to wear:
Look to find the ’70s alive and well, from the colors to the mixing of patterns to layering. All of those things are very reminiscent and just scream ’70s. Check at your local vintage shops. 

What you need:
• Something crocheted, preferably in an open-weave. Think scarves, hats, shawls and ponchos.
• A macrame choker.
• Candies. Those are shoes.
• Anything embroidered. It was very “in” to embroider all over Levi jackets, to repair holes, and sew on patches, and to decorate with names, flowers, suns, peace signs, hearts.
• A wrap dress. The wrap dress in cotton jersey by Diane von Furstenberg was very big in the mid-’70s. Very flattering to most women’s figures.
• Something plaid, a skirt, pants, jumper, blazer. Even better, mix your something-plaid with something-striped.
• Corduroy pants, flared. True-to-the-era colors: various shades of tan and brown, burgundy and bottle-green.
• Knee-high socks or striped tights.

What to listen to:
There’s no shortage of what refers to as “so many idiotic Christmas records” from the ’70s. Everyone from the Partridge Family and Brady Bunch to Johnny Cash and Grandpa Walton, to Mud and Slade and Rod Stewart recorded holiday songs. One of the most popular Christmas crooners of the decade? Karen Carpenter. Merry Christmas, darling.
But don’t stick with Christmas music while you’re making gingerbread. To keep the action in the play moving, set it to lots of pre-disco ’70s funk and soul, because it’s more interesting than James Taylor.

Music you need:
• Stevie Wonder
• The Jackson Five
• David Bowie
• Led Zeppelin
• Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” 
• The “Superfly” soundtrack

What to eat:
You can’t have a ’70s Christmas without Pop Rocks, Necco wafers, Lemonheads and Pixy Stix in the stockings. Candy cigarettes would be so-oooo politically incorrect. But they were fun in the ’70s.
For your retro Christmas party, channel Carol Brady. Even though we suspect housekeeper Alice did all the cooking.

What you need:
• Appetizers: Fondue, deviled eggs, stuffed celery
• Dessert: Hummingbird cake, baked Alaska, cherries jubilee. (Search cooks.com.)
• Main course: Quiche Lorraine, beef Stroganoff
• Side dishes: Three-bean salad, green beans au gratin, ambrosia salad, Watergate salad, Waldorf salad
• Beverages: Kool-Aid, Harvey wallbangers, tequila sunrises 

On the 12th day my true love suffered indigestion. Don’t let that happen to you. Find out how to overcome those festive ailments, from drinking too much to sore feet.

You feel terrible! Why did you have that last cocktail?. If you feel trapped on the festive treadmill, all those parties, all that shopping and all those rich meals to wade through, Christmas can seem more of a trial than a treat. Late nights, rich food, too many sneaky cigarettes, bad breath can strike all of us. In fact recent research estimates that four in 10 people worry about it.

Bad breath is one of the hidden complaints. You either know you have it and are devastated, or you don’t know you have it and devastate those around you. The good news is, it’s easy to correct. Keep a toothbrush and some whitening toothpaste in your desk drawer or handbag.

Two-thirds of those questioned admit to putting on a stone in weight as a result of stuffing themselves, as well as the turkey, over the Christmas holidays. It’s hardly surprising as a traditional plate of Christmas dinner can contain 1,300 calories, that’s without the pudding, the drinks and that indulgent breakfast.

Even making small changes can help. Have a light breakfast like fruit instead of a fry-up. Choose stuffing made from chestnuts or dried fruit instead of sausage meat and save 100 calories and 11g of fat per serving. Try to take a walk instead of slumping in front of the television on Christmas Day and the exercise will aid digestion and help burn off a few calories.

You’ve partied like Paris Hilton, gone on shopping sprees that would put Wayne Rooney’s girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin to shame and worked as though overtime is going out of fashion to hit deadlines before the festive break.

It’s little wonder Christmas Day is renowned for people snoring on the sofa. By the time December 25 is opened on the advent calendar, we’re all exhausted. Exhaustion can make you feel irritable, overwhelmed and depressed. In the run-up to Christmas there’s a tremendous amount to do. People cram everything in with work and home and that combined with the party season and late nights leave people struggling through the day.

Pace yourself in the build-up to Christmas. Try to tackle things one by one and make lists so that you set yourself manageable targets. Amongst the busy times with friends and family, allow some space for yourself and your partner. Sleep is a handy tool to combat exhaustion. It’s important not to have too many late nights or drink too much, which can affect sleeping patterns. Go to bed at a reasonable hour with a camomile tea. Herbal sleeping remedies are good because they don’t make you feel zonked out the next day.

Celebrating the festive season with one cheeky tipple can rapidly turn into excessive merriment and a few too many empty wine bottles for the recycling bin. Whatever your poison, a spinning room, thumping headache and a quick dash to the bathroom are often part and parcel of the morning after the night before.

It’s estimated 17 million working days are lost to hangovers each year and the festive season is sure to be high on alcohol-induced sicknotes. The best advice is not to drink, but if you do indulge, follow these tips for preventing a hangover:

* Limit yourself to one drink per hour. The body can process alcohol at a rate of about 15ml per hour, the equivalent of about one small can of medium strength lager.

* Eat a meal before you start drinking. Food helps to absorb alcohol, giving the body more time to process it and reducing the risk of a hangover.

* Drink plenty of water to counter the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

* Intersperse alcoholic drinks with water to avoid the ‘morning-after thirst’.

* Avoid drinks that contain large amounts of congeners, as these tend to cause more severe hangovers. Generally, these are dark-coloured drinks such as red wine, brandy, and port.

Staggering around with laden shopping bags or dancing the night away in sky-high stilettoes can add up to some serious aches and pains. A little commonsense goes a long way. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes when you’re on a major shopping mission.

If you don’t want to give up your dancing shoes, try invisible gel cushions. These nifty gel pads slip inside your shoes and cushion the balls of your feet. Available from major pharmacies.

Eating on the run during shopping trips, indulging in too many rich meals or gobbling down suspect party snacks can also cause festive misery.

Around 37 per cent of people suffer from a stomach complaint, indigestion or bloating over Christmas, according to another survey. Get relief from bloating and trapped wind with gel capsules, from supermarkets and pharmacies.

Holiday decorating would be a snap if only we all had some combination of the following >
> Infinite free time
> The skills of a floral designer
> A couple of crates of family heirloom ornaments
> The budget and staff to help

Most of us are lacking some or all of the above. But that’s still no excuse for a home whose only nod to the Christmas Season, decor-wise, is one of those inflatables on the lawn. Adding a few festive touches can be simple and easy. Holiday decorating should not be a big, overwhelming chore, and simple doesn’t mean you can’t have a rich, elegant look.
Provided you make use of these tips >

* Gather clear glass vases, pitchers and hurricanes of different sizes and fill them with assorted round ornaments. Arrange them on a dining table, a mantel or windowsill.

* Set pillar candles inside small wreaths, real or fake, and use them as centerpieces or on a mantel.

* Dress up a grouping of framed pictures on a wall by tying small sprigs of greenery with narrow red ribbon and attaching them to the frames.

* Decorate a window with ornaments hung on ribbons.

* Pile candy canes into a clear glass vase or a silver bowl and add some sprigs of greenery.

* Make a “candlescape” using five holiday-hued pillar candles, all the same color, but in different sizes. Arrange on a platter or cake plate with sprigs of holly or other greenery. Or arrange white taper candles in holders of different height for a dramatic look.

* Instead of buying or making a wreath, dress up your front door by filling a small but deep basket with different types of greenery, pinecones and berries. Attach a wide piece of ribbon to the basket and secure it to the top of the door.

* Lack a Christmas tablecloth? Make a runner out of three pieces of wide ribbon spaced 3 inches apart. Anchor by placing candles on top.

* If you want to go on record this Christmas Season giving people permission to light those candles, then go to people’s houses, you will notice they have all these candles and none of them are lit. Yet candlelight creates such a beautiful ambience.

* Follow the advice of your Home Safety Council, though, which points out that home fires caused by candles peak during the holiday season. Keep candles out of reach of children and pets, and away from draperies, and never leave burning candles unattended, even for a short time.

* Finally, don’t forget to use your backyard as a decorating resource. Cut tall branches, both bare and evergreen, to arrange in a vase you can tie with a ribbon.

* Use a section of bare branch to make a “twig tree” decorated with miniature ornaments.

* Or gather pinecones or sprigs of holly to enhance your store-bought wreaths and garland.