Here are more than a dozen fabulous ways to make holiday foods that stand out.

Ole, Guacamole!

Turn margarita glasses into serving containers. Prepare several glasses in advance and serve one glassful at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated for replenishing the appetizer table. To prepare, rub the glass rim with a lime slice; then dip into coarse salt. Spoon in guacamole.

Fill small bowls (such as unused votive candleholders) with salsa and press them into the guacamole, inserting them off center to allow more room for dipping. Surround base of glass with tortilla chips and garnish the rim of the glass with a thin lime slice.

Lively Lemon Sorbet

Using a zester/scorer, score around a lemon, removing a long, narrow strip of peel; discard strip. Cut lemon in half, and remove the pulp with a melon baller; discard pulp.

Place the hollowed-out citrus bowls in festive glasses and add scoops of lemon sorbet. Garnish with mint leaves.

Chill and Trim

To decorate and chill punch without diluting the flavor, in a ring mold, freeze a shallow layer of fruit juice that will complement the punch flavor. Arrange fruit, such as thinly sliced lime halves and fresh cranberries, on top of the frozen layer in the mold.

Add about 1 inch of fruit juice to hold the fruit in place as it freezes. When frozen, add additional fruit juice to fill the mold and freeze it solid. Unmold and float it in the punch bowl.