Having guests over? It's the season to be jolly and time to add some festive flair to your home that your guests will appreciate. Decorate your home this season by celebrating with baubles, tea lights, ribbons and a riot of colour...

Bowl them over

Fresh orchids are expensive but faux ones can look just as good — and last forever.

Placed in a glass bowl vase with fairy lights, this arrangement adds sparkle and interest to a dark corner of the room or, even better, welcomes guests in your entrance hall.

Sweet treats

At the end of the meal, invite guests to enjoy a variety of sweet treats in your living room.

Colourfully displayed on a glass plate balanced on a sturdy vase, your selection of egg cups or shot glasses filled with nuts and jelly tots, chunks of chocolate, mini marshmallows, jellies and sweetie pies will have guests drooling over what to choose.

Chairs in bloom

Decorating your dining table needn't stop at what actually happens on the table — make guests feel extra special by adding a floral touch to your dining-room chairs.

Cut petal shapes from layers of crêpe paper and wrap around the stem of a posy of faux flowers. Secure with sticky tape and cover with lengths of pretty ribbon.

Light me up

Candles and a length of ribbon up the stairs show the way, so your guests know where they can go to freshen up. We grouped three candles of different shapes, sizes and colours along a pretty ribbon on each stair — simple yet effective.

Floral charm

A blooming lovely display — instead of just putting any old bunch of mixed flowers into a vase — wrap bunches of the same bloom in wide florist's ribbon and place in individual vases. Grouped together they have fresh appeal and they'll brighten different rooms around the house after the party is over.

Fortune cookies

Fortune cookies make for an interesting addition to any party. Wrapping them in brightly coloured cellophane tied with raffia makes them look like special party favours and adds to the fun of opening them to find that positive message that will make your evening even better!