Two Weeks Ahead

• Select serving trays and utensils; make sure they are clean and polished, if needed.
• Prepare Beef Triangles, and freeze them.
• Prepare the chocolate mixture for Mint-Chocolate Truffles, roll into balls, and freeze.
• Cook chicken, and freeze it to use in Chicken Salad Cream Puffs.

One Week Ahead

• Prepare and freeze the cream puffs for Chicken Salad Cream Puffs.
• Three Days In Advance
• Prepare Sweet-and-Sour Dipping Sauce.
• Drain yogurt for Savory Coeur a la Creme.

Two Days In Advance

• Prepare Fluffy Fruit Dip.
• Prepare the bell pepper and the cucumber mixtures for Striped Ribbon Sandwiches.
• Take Beef Triangles, Mint-Chocolate Truffle balls, and cooked chicken from freezer, and thaw in refrigerator.

Day Before

• Cook, peel, and refrigerate shrimp to serve with Sweet-and-Sour Dipping Sauce.
• Prepare Chutney Sauce and Savory Coeur a la Creme.
• Put Striped Ribbon Sandwiches together.
• Prepare mixture for Hot Crab Dip.
• Prepare Chicken Salad and thaw cream puffs for Chicken Salad Cream Puffs.
• Roll the truffle balls in cocoa and powdered sugar.
• Chill the ingredients for Sparkling Cranberry Blush.
• Wash fresh herbs for garnishing Savory Coeur a la Creme and the Striped Ribbon Sandwiches. Select the prettiest sprigs, place them in a zip-top bag, and seal.
• Select fresh celery leaves for garnishing Chicken Salad Cream Puffs, if desired.

The Big Day (Several Hours Before Party)

• Unmold Savory Coeur a la Creme onto serving plate; garnish with herbs, and cover with plastic wrap until serving time.
• Wash and gently pat dry strawberries; chill in serving container.
• Place Fluffy Fruit Dip in serving bowl; cover and chill.
• Arrange Mint-Chocolate Truffles on small serving dishes.
• Cut Striped Ribbon Sandwiches into shapes, and arrange on serving trays; garnish with fresh parsley sprigs. Cover sandwiches with slightly dampened paper towels until serving time.

One Hour Before Party

• Bake Beef Triangles, and keep warm.
• Bake Hot Crab Dip.
• Cut off tops of cream puffs; fill cream puffs with Chicken Salad, and arrange on serving trays.

Fifteen Minutes Before Party

• Combine in punch bowl all ingredients for Sparkling Cranberry Blush except champagne (add the champagne as first guests arrive).
• Arrange serving trays on table, and place serving utensils near appropriate foods.
• Place heart-shaped lahvosh or other plain crackers near Savory Coeur a la Creme.
• Place plain crackers near Hot Crab Dip.