As the winter chill sets in, and colorful leaves of fall and give way to bare tree branches, it casts a more somber tone on the landscape. But just because the vivid oranges, golds and reds fade away outdoors, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice color inside. In fact, the late fall and winter are perfect opportunities to get creative with seasonal décor.

For instance, rather than just relying on cold weather plants and blooms to liven up a room, why not add an extra point of interest with complementary fruits? Of course, pumpkins and gourds are the go-to option for early fall and Halloween, but don’t limit yourself to them. The chilly months offer a variety of vibrant options, including pears, cranberries, and pomegranates. Even a large bowl filled with a lively selection of fruits, intermingled with dried leaves or flowers, can have an attractive effect.

If you aren’t sure where to start, these ideas might offer some help:

• Kumquats: Don’t overlook the potential of these lovely, palm-sized citruses. Better Homes and Gardens suggests creating your own seasonal kumquat topiary using flower foam as the foundation. Simply the cut the foam to the desired shape and attach kumquats around the base with picks, topping it off with coordinating rose blooms.

• Cranberries: For a clever way to add an extra splash of color to a flower arrangement, fill the vase partially full with cranberries. Be sure to add enough of the tart fruits in the vase to prevent them from floating around in the water, and the stems will also nest securely in the bed of berries. To replicate this effect in a gift, send someone a seasonal flower arrangement filled with cranberries.

• Pears: Bring out the glitter and gold for the winter, and try your hand at gilding pears. Highlight the fruit’s delicate shape with easy-to-use gold, silver or copper leaf paper. Most craft stores sell gilding kits that should include everything you need. USA Pears recommends silver leaf on Gold Anjou pears and copper on Red Anjou.

• Pomegranates: These symbols of good luck also dry beautifully for long-lasting décor accents. According to eHow, the first step is selecting fresh, healthy pomegranates that are smooth and firm. Then, all you have to do is space them out on a wire rack and allow to air dry for at least three weeks. Take care to turn them every couple of days as well to preserve their shape. Once dried, integrate them into floral centerpieces, wreaths and garlands or display them on their own.

• Apples: The wonderful part about decorating with apples is their sheer variety. Bright green Granny Smiths, blushing Galas and sunny Golden Delicious are just a few of the options you can choose from. Martha Stewart suggests coring out apples, placing votive candles inside the spaces and floating them in water to cast a warm glow on an autumnal meal. Or showcase a harvest-themed centerpiece made up of chrysanthemums, roses, carnations and eucalyptus, interspersed with glossy apples.

As you start thinking about how to liven up your home for winter, consider bringing the fruit out of the kitchen and into dazzling displays. They can provide cheerful notes on the fireplace mantle, coffee table, dining room centerpiece or any entranceway. Just find a fruit you like and have fun with it.

Did you know that people have been dressing up for Halloween for around 2,000 years? Historians think that the ancient Celts, who founded many of the Halloween traditions we still practice today, would dress in costume on the night of Oct. 31 to disguise themselves from spirits of the dead roaming around. These days, most of us probably aren’t worried about encountering unfriendly ghosts on Halloween night, but picking the perfect costume is still of utmost importance.

Kids’ Costumes

For kids, Halloween costumes go hand-in-hand with trick-or-treating. Since boys and girls will probably be walking around in their costumes all night, parents should keep safety in mind when helping them pick one out. Adorable superheroes and fairy princess should make sure that their capes and dresses aren’t dragging along the ground. Any fancy footwear should also fit well and not pose any tripping hazards. In addition, masks can block visibility, so makeup might be a safer alternative.

This year, the National Retail Federation predicts that the five most popular kids’ Halloween costumes will be princess, witch, Spider Man, pirate and pumpkin. Other classic characters such as cowboys, rock stars, athletes and animals are also cute choices.

Adult Costumes

Dressing up isn’t just for kids, however. More than 50 million American adults donned Halloween costumes in 2008. When selecting a costume, older partygoers should first consider where they’ll be wearing it. Halloween shindigs in a family or work atmosphere call for more all-ages outfits like famers and friendly witches. But if you’re heading to an adults-only fiesta, the sky’s the limit.

If you’re interested in a unique Halloween getup, you might want to stay away from the most popular adult costumes. For 2009, those are witches, vampires, clowns, pirates and wenches. Can’t think of anything interesting to be? Maybe a personality from a favorite movie, television show or band could be fun to dress up as. Or, perhaps political figures, famous couples or supernatural creatures (zombies, ghosts, etc.) are more up your alley.

Once you’ve come up with the right Halloween costume idea, think of ways to personalize it. Wigs, makeup, fake teeth and prosthetics can all transform a generic dress up outfit into a one-of-a-kind costume. Just don’t get spooked about being creative and get into the true spirit of Halloween!

It’s a magical time of year–fireworks, BBQs, pool parties and fun on the beach. It’s a time for getting together with your friends and family to laugh, eat and celebrate our independence. Read on for some great ideas for entertaining your 4th of July guests.

Crank up the Grill

Two words come to mind for 4th of July: Fireworks and BBQ, and not necessarily in that order! In addition to the summer staples–hamburgers and hot dogs–why not try something new this year? Try this Ultimate Barbecued Chicken and be sure to impress. Molasses and brown sugar set this recipe apart from the rest. For a delicious and unique main dish give this Sweet Cola Ribs Recipe a try. For a quick, easy and nutritious side dish, just slice up some eggplant and zucchini, coat in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and throw it on the grill. Yum!

Entertaining

What’s a 4th of July get-together without all your favorite family and friends? If you’re entertaining this year, try out these creative party ideas. Instead of just serving boring beer to your adult guests give these Fun 4th of July Cocktails a try. And don’t forget the music–make a patriotic themed playlist with songs like ‘Born in the USA’ and ‘Bye Bye American Pie’.

Setting the Scene

Why not have fun with your 4th of July party this year? String up some red, white or blue holiday lights in your backyard for a festive touch. Miniature American flags scattered along backyard paths is a nice touch. For centerpieces, pick a beautiful and festive flower arrangement to set the mood. Surround with boxes of sparklers for an extra fun touch!

American Spirit Flower Bouquet

Happy 4th of July!