Beautifully iced holiday cookies or a sampler platter of cheesecake varieties can put a festive and satisfying spin on your holiday gathering. Contact a local baker to find out about some of the seasonal goods that are being sold and use some customization techniques and fancy displays to entice your guests.

Iced and Decorated In-House or By You

If you are going to have an intimate gathering and many children will be attending the event, you may find it to be a little more special to add each guest's name on top of a baked good. Fruit preserves, chopped nuts, whipped cream, and candy pieces are some decorative options that will make cakes or pies more appealing to your guests.

After deciding how many dessert items you will be serving, pick single items and slices, which can be arranged across trays or plates or larger baked varieties, which can be sliced during the gathering. If you choose to have items iced and decorated, you may want to get some cookie containers and cake or pie trays ready, before picking them up from the bakery or having them delivered. This way, you can store the items inside of airtight containers before placing them inside of your refrigerator or pantry.

If you are going to decorate items yourself but you still want to order the main desserts from a bakery, purchase some complementary toppings and piping bags. Use color-themed decorations that will match the theme for the gathering.

Some To-Go Bags or Trays

Ordering a lot of baked goods may seem to be your best option, especially if there will be many people attending the social gathering or if you aren't certain what kinds of desserts your guests will prefer. Avoid wasting products that aren't consumed during the event, by preparing some to-go bags or trays for your guests to bring home with them.

You can use white bags and markers to prepare custom bags as well as plastic trays and clear covers for an assortment of treats that guests can take home. Purchase some bakery tissue paper, disposable gloves, and festive bows to aid in preparing each custom bag or snack. If your guests will be helping themselves to the treats that they will be bringing home, then line up the baked goods at the end of the evening and supply each person with a means to pack the baked items. You can then place a bow on each bag or tray.

For more ideas, contact a local bakery delivery service.