They offer everything from a fully staffed sit-down dinner at home to a plate of cookies. Finding the right caterer and settling on a menu might seem almost as much work as doing it yourself, however. The range of prices and services is wide, but if you keep in mind a few guidelines, caterers can be a godsend.

If you want a Saturday night party in December, fully staffed by a good caterer, yes, it's probably too late to book. The earlier the better for any level of service.

Mark James, owner of A Taste of Class in Cheviot, says they get a lot of phone calls right after Thanksgiving, and dates not already booked get filled then.

You pay for this kind of service by the person. James says a nice affair with a carved beef tenderloin and shrimp, staffed with a bartender and servers, would be $18-$22 per person.

But you don't need to go full-service. Most caterers will drop off food in appropriate containers, letting you be in charge of serving. The items probably won't be quite as upscale - more like meatballs and cold appetizers. For this option, A Taste of Class charges $8-$12 per person.

To keep it even less expensive (but not as convenient), pick up trays of cocktail sandwiches, fruit and cheese plates at the caterer's office. A Taste of Class charges about $8 per person for carryout. This option works well for smaller parties and requires far less planning.

Even if you can manage your own meatball and cocktail snacks, you could get some extra help by adding a cookie tray. At Servatii's, a 2-pound tray serving about 20 people with three or four different butter cookies costs about $20. Consider dressing it up with Servatii's colorful Christmas marzipan fruit or a gingerbread house.

E-mail pcampbell@enquirer.com