Christmas is upon us and some of us are still asking ourselves what we'll serve that evening. If you're feeling adventurous you can always incorporate a dish, beverage, dessert, or appetizer from another country. For instance, we took baby steps in Thanksgiving when my brother brought over an Italian red, Il Bastardo, to enjoy after dinner. Not too expensive, and it was pretty decent. Here are a few suggestions I hope will help.

APPETIZERS

To entertain guests while dinner is still cooking you can try the following:

- Asparagus wrapped in thinly sliced Virginia ham, you can add a cheddar cheese spread onto the ham for more flavor.

- Whole wheat cheese sandwiches, no crust, garnished with some parsley.

-Fried shrimp with a chipotle dip. For the dip you can buy a can of either Herdez or Goya chipotle peppers, sour cream, and half a teaspoon of garlic salt, you mix it all together in the blender, and presto, you have a delicious dip to accompany the shrimp.

-Then of course, there's the ever popular cheese ball in all its different varieties. Crackers or bell pepper slices are two options. If anyone out there can think of anything else to serve cheese balls with, please let me know.

DINNER

Our family is blessed to have such an amazing cook in my Dad. In past Christmases we've enjoyed:

- Turkey of course. Paired with green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and that delicious ground beef stuffing that includes prunes, walnuts, and is seasoned to perfection with some red wine, worcestershire sauce, and oregano.

- Glazed ham garnished with pineapple slices and cherries. And those cloves that give it the perfect amount of spice. Again, mashed potatoes and green beans are perfect sides.

- Chicken cordon bleu with mushroom gravy, pasta bows in alfredo sauce, and broccoli normandy vegetable mix.

This is the one night we indulge in carbs so bread rolls and croissants are a must.

DESSERT

For the kids in your family, brownies are always a welcomed delight. You can also set a tray with cookies, cupcakes and candy canes adorned with a garland made of white-powdered doughnut holes.

A great and easy dessert for adults to enjoy is apples simmered in red wine. The following recipe serves 2:

* 2 Medium 'Golden Delicious' apples, peeled and without the core * 2 Cups of red wine * 1 Cup of sugar(you can add more if desired) * 1 Cup of water * 1 Lemon peel and juice * 1 Cinnamon stick (about 2 in. long) * 2 whole cloves You cook all these ingredients over medium heat for 25 minutes or until apples are soft. Do not overcook to avoid them falling apart. Once done, set aside until cool.

For the filling you're going to beat 190g of Philadelphia cream cheese, 1/4 cup of whipped cream, and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. You can crush some candy canes and garnish the rim of a martini glass and serve.

BEVERAGES

Sodas and juice for the kids. Coffe's great for digestion after a big meal, unless you're not a coffee drinker as I am, go for the red. You can never go wrong with a Merlot or Cabernet Suavignon from Sterling Vineyards. Although the aforementioned Il Bastardo at $8 a bottle was pretty good, too. If you want a white wine the Dry Riesling from Pacific Rim has an amazing flavor. But please, if you're going to drink do so responsibly.

I hope these suggestions will help someone; nobody wants to deal with a stressed-out hostess. It's perfectly okay to ask for help around the kitchen or with errands to the store. This is an evening for the entire family to enjoy. It's fun to go down memory lane and remember when. Do try to live out the true meaning of Christmas. It's something you won't find in a shiny package under the tree.