‘Twas two weeks ’til Christmas and all through the land, spirits were high and parties were being planned.

Bad poetry aside, chances are you have a gathering ahead. It may be a company do, a neighborhood open house, or a more intimate evening with friends or family. Whether you’re hosting or simply contributing one goodie to the spread, the holidays inspire us to try to make it special.

I have two occasions ahead I need to take something to; that sent me searching for some festive appetizers. Here are a few that look promising. I’m not the biggest fan of guacamole, but it’s hard to resist the visual appeal of guacamole Christmas trees from tasteofhome.com. Think of it as a Tex Mex spin on the holiday. And it can start with store-bought dough, something else in its favor during this time-crunched month.

Cranberry and baked Brie bites are one of the prettiest appetizers we could serve up, in my opinion. Ready-made filo shells jump-start the recipe. Making the cranberry mixture is the most work you’ll do here, but even so, it’s not labor intensive. These are best suited for entertaining at home; they should be served immediately.

The ubiquitous cheese ball takes on more panache when it’s presented as a holiday wreath. Use a small Bundt pan to form the wreath shape. Fresh parsley gives it the green; finely chopped peppers the red. (You could fashion a “bow” of sliced bell pepper to add as well.) If desired, sprinkle toasted sliced almonds on the wreath.

Do you have a favorite recipe you always make at Christmastime? We’d really like to know. If you’re willing to share, please email it to [email protected].

FESTIVE GUACAMOLE CHRISTMAS TREES

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated seamless crescent dough sheet

1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning, divided

20 pretzel sticks, broken in half

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup guacamole

2 medium sweet yellow peppers

1 medium sweet red pepper

1 medium green pepper

Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

• Preheat oven to 375 F. On an ungreased baking sheet, unroll one tube of crescent dough and press into a 13-by-8-inch rectangle. Prick with a fork; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon taco seasoning. Repeat with remaining dough and seasoning.
• Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Cut each rectangle crosswise to make four strips (about 8-by-4-in.). For trees, cut each strip into five triangles, reserving scraps at each end for another use. For trunks, insert a pretzel piece into the base of each triangle.
• Beat cream cheese and guacamole until smooth; spread over trees. Halve and seed peppers. Cut 40 stars from yellow peppers using a 3/4-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Dice and julienne remaining peppers for tree decorations. Decorate trees with pepper pieces and, if desired, cilantro. Refrigerate until serving.(Source: tasteofhome.com, originally published as Guacamole Appetizer Squares in Best Holiday Recipes 2015)CRANBERRY AND BAKED BRIE BITES

  Prep time: 5 minutes

  Cooking time: 20 minutes

  Makes 15 Brie bites

  1 (15-count) package frozen mini fillo shells

  3 ounces Brie, cut into 15 evenly-sized cubes

  1 batch cranberry sauce (see below)

  Fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

  For the cranberry sauce:

  1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) fresh cranberries

  1/4 cup Bota Box red wine*

  1/4 cup water

  1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or your desired type/amount of sweetener

  * To make without alcohol, substitute water or orange juice for red wine.

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• To make the cranberry sauce, stir all ingredients together in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to “pop.” Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Meanwhile, spread out mini filo shells evenly on a baking sheet. Fill each with a piece of Brie. Bake 5-7 minutes, or until the Brie is completely melted.
• Spoon a few teaspoons of the warm cranberry sauce into each filo shell. Top with a torn fresh basil leaf, if desired. Serve immediately.
• Note: If you would like your cranberries to remain somewhat whole (instead of getting super-mushy), stir them gently and remove them from the heat once they start popping (instead of letting them simmer for too long).(Source: gimmesomeoven.com)HOLIDAY CHEESE BALL WREATH

  Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (15 active)

  Makes 16-20 servings

  1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

  2 cups shredded firm cheese, such as cheddar, pepper Jack or colby

  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1/2 cup pickled piquante peppers, such as Peppadews, finely chopped

  1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

  Crackers, sliced bread or crudites, for serving

• Line the inside of a 6-cup Bundt pan with plastic wrap. Process the cream cheese, shredded cheese, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and few grinds of pepper in a food processor until smooth. Empty mixture into a medium bowl, and fold in all but 2 tablespoons of the chopped peppers.
• Spoon cheese mixture into prepared Bundt pan; pack it in, spread into an even layer and cover (or simply form the cheese mixture into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap). Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour up to 2 days.
• Uncover and invert the cheese mold (or unwrap and transfer the ball) onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with chives and parsley to completely coat the wreath, and garnish with the reserved 2 tablespoons peppers. Serve with crackers, sliced bread or crudites.(Source: foodnetwork.com/Television Food Network)

Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.

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