Glitz it up:

• A generous pile of pillar-box chillies can make a stunning centrepiece.
• A sprig of fresh sage entwined with rosemary looks fabulous on each napkin.
• Dried branches sprayed gold and silver can make striking table displays.  Make them high so guests can see each other through them - unless there's someone you want to avoid!
• For name cards with a difference, use a gold or silver pen to write names on large fresh bay leaves.
• For a buffet table, write the name of each dish on a gift tag and tie it to a golden-sprayed pear placed alongside each dish.

Funky Drinks:

• Freeze star anise in ice-cubes to use in ginger flavoured drinks.
• Cranberries look lovely, too, for Thanksgiving or autumnal drinks.
• Thread a few fresh cranberries onto a short skewer to use as a drinks swizzle stick.
• Serve this spiced apple and cinnamon warmer at the beginning or end of a party. Warm apple juice with a little honey and lemon juice in a pan, add cinnamon sticks, a few cloves, star anise and some sliced root ginger. Simmer for 30 minutes, discard the ginger and serve hot. Dark rum or calvados enhance it enormously.
• Gold vodka is a beautifully decadent drink to serve with canapes or with a fishy first course. Tip a bottle of vodka into a blender add 4 sheets of 24 carat gold leaf (from art shops), blend briefly, transfer back to the bottle and freeze for 2 hours. Shake before serving to disperse the gold. Looks fabulous served in a dark candlelit room.

Cookcare:

Time in the kitchen can be relaxing but to make sure it goes without a hitch preparation is the key.

• Lay the table and sort serving dishes the day before.
• Select your wines and dig out your glasses before the event - you wouldn't serve food without tasting as you go, so why not pour yourself a glass to taste.
• Give yourself a treat for those feet - advocado, yoghurt and lime makes a luscious cooling foot rub if you've got any going spare.

After Dinner Delights: 

• For a frivolous touch, dip your coffee spoons into melted dark chocolate, transfer to a plate lined with parchment paper and chill until solid. Serve for melting into your favourite cup of coffee.
• Hot chocolate shots with a dash of bourbon make a change from coffee at the end of the evening.
• Pass the port - add pomegranate seeds to white port for a dash of festive flair.