Heavenly Idea

• Invite everyone to participate in decorating the angel tree.Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  For a church gala or one to benefit little children, use an angel or little angels theme. Decorate with blinking strings of white lights, large paper clouds with angels and stars, angel centerpieces, an overhead halo (circle of lit globes), and an angel tree for which everyone brings an ornament. As background music during the party, play songs such as "Angel" by Aerosmith and by Sarah MacLachlan, "She Talks to Angels" by The Black Crows and "Earth Angel" by The Penguins. Offer choice of angel hair pasta with sautéed vegetables in Alfredo sauce or angel hair pasta with chicken breast in pesto sauce, and angel food cake for dessert.
  
  

Location Inspiration

• Decorate for a Philadelphia benefit gala with a picture of Independence Hall.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Let your city be the benefit gala theme. For example, in Philadelphia, use the names of its neighborhoods in the names of food served at the event: choice of Greenwich garden salad or Somerton Caesar salad, Society Hill sausage and peppers or Bella Vista baked fish, Packer Park polenta or Millbrook mashed potatoes, Andorra asparagus or Sharswood chard, and Frankford frangipane tart or Chestnut Hill chocolate mousse. Raffle off dinner to a favorite local restaurant or a stay at a historic downtown inn. Play the music of famous Philly bands. Decorate with lighted paper columns, crepe streamers and large, framed pictures of the city skyline.
  
  

Ethnic Event

• Auction off a beautiful kimono at a Celebrate Japan gala.Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
  
  Use a culture as a theme. Try, for instance, a Celebrate Japan benefit gala. Decorate with paper lanterns and scrolls of Japanese writing. Use Asian lilies in vases for centerpieces on some tables and miniature zen gardens on others. Hold a silent or traditional auction for such prizes as an origami class for kids, Japanese flower arranging class for adults, a kimono, or a large set of paper fans to hang on a wall. Let guests dine on sushi rolls; grilled beef, pork, shrimp, chicken and tofu marinated in teriyaki or soy sauce; and green tea ice cream. Give a set of chopsticks as party favors.
  
  

True Hue

• Add sushi to the black-and-white food table.Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Go all out with a color as your benefit gala's theme. In the invitations for a black-and-white party, request that guests wear either black or white evening attire. Decorate with black and white balloon clusters, streamers, tablecloths and candles. Let guests dance to such tunes as "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues, "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles, "Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum, "Paint it Black" by The Rolling Stones, "White Flag" by Dido and "Black Magic Woman" by Santana. Serve black martinis, white Russians and black-and-white finger foods: a scallop on a mini bed of black rice, mozzarella cheese cubes sprinkled with black sesame seeds, black bean quinoa cups, white crackers topped with caviar, sushi and cupcakes with vanilla frosting and a black fondant star.