Make dessert even more special with the addition of a little holiday spirit.

Decorate a pie, frosted cake, or cookie platter with chocolate stars. Spoon melted and cooled chocolate into a small, self-sealing plastic bag. Snip off one corner of the bag, and pipe the melted chocolate onto a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, forming a square. Pipe a second square at a 45-degree angle to the first. Let chocolate stand until firm.

For a simple but festive presentation, arrange loops of wired star garland in random curls around the base of a pedestal cake plate.

Before placing a serving on a dessert plate, stencil the plate, using a paper doily, a sieve, and cinnamon, cocoa powder, or powdered sugar. Place the doily on a plate and spray lightly with nonstick spray coating.

Sift a topping over the stencil, then lift off the doily carefully. Stencil the dessert in the same way (omit the spray coating). Use cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, or cinnamon-sugar mixture on cake with a light-colored frosting. Try powdered sugar on a chocolate-frosted cake.

Freeze cranberries and use them instead of ice to cool the champagne. As the berries thaw, they take on a frosty charm.

For Sugared Cranberries, combine 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon refrigerated egg product. Brush cranberries with the mixture, then roll in granulated sugar. Use within 2 hours to decorate desserts.