Honor a spring arrival with this seasonal bloom.

Start the celebration with sweet almond petit fours you can make yourself.

A cherry-blossom branch fashioned into a place card will greet your guests with this sweet sign of spring.

Embellish woody branches that you have pruned from the yard with colorful paper blooms to create the focal piece of the party.

Or if you are lucky enough to celebrate while cherry blossoms are in season, simply group oversized branches together in large glass vases to frame the room with touches of the pink flower.

Poured into simple, modern glasses, these graphic layers of flavored gelee elevate the childhood staple. Top them with a single cherry blossom.

Another dessert idea? Pay homage to the place of origin of many a cherry tree -- Japan -- by serving mochi. We positioned the treat on cherry-blossom confetti placed along a flowering branch. Then, using a stencil, we sprinkled confectioners' sugar on each bite to create a floral imprint.

It doesn't get any easier (or cuter) than this. Put dragees in notched-petal favor boxes. Arrange five of these unusual shapes together in a circle, and voila, you've got a classic five-petaled cherry blossom.