What am I doing wrong?

I'm shooting some party pic's this Saturday night and of course it will be dark and I'll need to use my flash. Just practicing around the house using my tree as a backdrop, I'm getting the best results just putting it on the green box. The colors seem much better than using "P" or AV and high speed sync. Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong?

You're doing something wrong.
But it's hard to know what, without more specifics.
Upload a few shots with EXIF info and we at least have something to discuss.

I usually shoot most of my indoor stuff starting in M mode at ISO 400, F5.6, 1/60th, using the flash in ETTL. From there I just play around until I get the exposure I want - I do think that I did put the flash on manual for these and just played until I got what I wanted. The shots below were taken with one bounce flash and miminal PS in a very dark room. Throughout the night, I did use a second flash, located behind the couples on the floor pointing up into their hair - guess you could call it a hair light - got good results with that to.

Note sure if this is what you are looking for.

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

Curtis--I'm not a place to be able to do that right now, but I'd like your opinion on what to do. I have a lone 430EX and a Lightsphere and need to get some indoor shots of some kids around a Christmas tree. What in your opinion should I do--AV and high synch, P or Green box? I'm a flash novice. Any help would be appreciated.

It's all in the details. You need to first assess the surroundings and the situation and then make some decisions.

Indoors/outdoors? High ceiling/low ceiling? Tungsten/fluorescent? Do you want the tree lights to show up? Can you use a tripod? Are the kids old enough to sit still? Do you need to take a hundred shots or can you take the time to make one really good one?

Well, i think your problem is balancing the ambient light with your flashlight. (that's usually the problem with flash photography when ambient light is really low but you still want to capture the environment).
If that is what your problem is, then upping the iso and dropping the shutterspeed will help you to catch more ambient light....


[edit]
that was just my wild guess about the issues you are running into...if not..ignore my comment...