The festivities have begun, shops are laden with colourful decorations and gifts are in abundance. what would Christmas be without Santa and his helpers being ever present in the malls, with children flocking around to put in their Christmas wish lists or to catch a glimpse of Santa.

Your shopping is all but over and now it's time to turn your attention to throwing the most amazing party!!

If you would like your party to stand out forever in the minds of your friends then this article is an absolute must read. Make originality your art form and choose one of the following themes.

Costume Theme ideas: - Winter Wonderland - Ancient Dress - Santa's helpers - Naughty or Nice Christmas - Red & Green - Christmas Decoration or a Gift - Biblical - Holy or Unholy (similar to Naughty or Nice, however slightly tamer) - Christmas Carol (dress as a character or thing from a Christmas carol e.g. a bell from "Jingle Bells", taka a miniature Christmas tree and go as a -Rocker- star adorned with a Santa hat for -Rockin around the Christmas tree-. - Edible Food (dress in red & white stripes for a candy cane) - Toy (dress up in uniform, take along a toy rifle and hey presto you have the makings of a toy soldier)

Now that you have chosen your theme, what character do you want to dress up as?

Costume ideas:

- Winter Wonderland - Snow Queen or King, Frosty the Snowman, Ice Princess, penguin, reindeer - Ancient Dress - Ghost of Christmas past, Jesus, 3 Wise Men, Joseph, Mary Angel, Devil, Shepherd - Santa's helpers - Mrs Claus, elves, reindeers, sexy helpers - Naughty or Nice - Wicked Snow Queen, the Grinch, Ebenezor Scrooge, Angel, Christmas caroler, Evil - Elf, Devil, Fallen Angel, Sexy Helper or Elf - Red & Green - Christmas tree, parcel decorated, baubles, mistletoe, elf, Santa, Mrs Claus, the Grinch - Christmas Decoration or Gift - Angel, star, gift wrapped parcel, Christmas tree - Biblical - 3 Wise men, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Angel Gabriel, shepherd - Holy or Unholy - Jesus, 3 Wise men, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Angel, shepherd, Devil, Fallen Angel - Christmas Carol - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bell Rock, little Drummer Boy, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, - Santa Claus is coming to town, Rockin around the Christmas tree, Mary's boy child, Mistletoe & Holly, - Frosty the Snowman, Silver Bells - Edible Food - turkey, chicken, plum pudding, gingerbread man, candy cane - Toy - Toy soldier, doll, Jack in the box, drum

Not interested in wearing a traditional costume this year, or being nice; try naughty instead!!! here are a few ideas to get your juices going.

Naughty Sexy Costumes: Elves there are so many variations on this character. Elves are known to be mainly whimsical, however why not add a touch of sexy to your costume, by wearing long striped red/white or green/white socks with high heels in place of the traditional green tights.

Santa's female helpers can be fairly tame in their red dresses trimmed with faux fur. Try wearing sexy red frilly knickers, gloves and striped stockings with a set of suspenders and high heels.

Angels are known traditionally for their purity and spread peace and goodwill. they generally wear long flowing white dresses. Create a sexy look to your costume this year and shorten the length, add marabou fur to the hemline. Purchase a pair of white sexy thigh high stockings and team with high heels.

Mrs Claus wants to play hard this year, forget the traditional long skirt, blouse, vest and apron. once again shorten the hemline, lower the neckline of the blouse and team it with a corset and a short frilly apron. Perhaps wear a pair of long black or white boots.

Give a woman another reason to buy new home decor, and you will never be disappointed! Same goes with Christmas tree decor, as trends these days span from one spectrum to the other. From kitschy to elegant, retro to modern, tree themes can be anything that your heart desires and still remain in the spirit of the Holiday season. after all, people who celebrate Christmas come from various nationalities, backgrounds, traditions and locations. why limit the joy of using your imagination?

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas:

When we think of recycling, we think of bland brown paper, compost, empty plastic bottles and soda cans...not very Christmas-like or attractive! But believe it or not, recycling and using natural materials can be very beautiful and even elegant. try popping large feathers between the branches, or find feather ball ornaments hung on silver or gold painted twine. take small tree branches that have fallen in your yard and paint them with silver, gold, copper and white tempera paints (water soluble and non-aerosol - very eco-friendly). Poke the branches vertically at the top 1/3rd of the tree. this creates a "tree topper" effect that adds sparkle while still looking natural. Any ornament that represents mother Earth, animals, fruits and veggies, nature or recycling are, of course, very appropriate! Fruit and bird ornaments like red cardinals can add that splash of color to offset the normally drab palette of the recycled materials. try colored twine or a braided robe as garland to keep the natural feel.

The Princess and the Tree:

All little girls (and grown up ones too) will love this theme: start with a pure white artificial tree and string white or red lights (even purple lights from the after-Halloween sale!). Add pink marabou fir boas as your garland, blown glass and delicate spun glass ornaments, and ANYTHING with crowns or tiaras or rhinestones! A sequined or rhinestone tree topper will bring it all together.

Red in All its Glory:

Classic Christmas red is once again back in style in 2008. But using the entire palette of red is what makes it fresh and interesting. Decorate in tones ranging from pale pink to apple red to dark purple. Berry tones like strawberry, cranberry, plum and raisin compliment traditional reds and bring a richness and elegance to your tree. So if you have a traditional image of Christmas but still want to unleash your inner Holiday diva, this theme is a new way of presenting a perennial Christmas favorite.