You can create your own holiday centerpieces and add festive beauty to your celebrations.

Christmas is a time for family, friends, and holiday gatherings. Everyone wants their home to reflect the beauty and charm of this special season. Whether you are planning a dinner party, cocktail party, or an afternoon holiday tea, you can design elegant table decorations from simple items that are easily found at local stores, garden centers, or even your own home.

Christmas Tree

Nothing creates the ambiance and atmosphere of the holidays like the twinkling lights and fresh pine scent of a Christmas tree. Purchase a small potted evergreen, place it in a festive container, and decorate it with berries, ribbons, sparkling ornaments and mini lights. Not only will this make a perfect centerpiece, but it will also be a great addition to your Spring garden.

Christmas Ornaments and Trinkets

Traditional decorations are a simple way to add sparkle and color to your holiday table. Gather together various shaped bowls, cocktail glasses, and vases, and fill them with festive items such as ornaments, bells, and snow sprinkled pine cones. Artfully arrange the containers in the center of your table and surround with evergreen boughs, silk poinsettias, and berries.

Wreaths

Purchase a holiday wreath, real or artificial, and decorate it to match your style and color scheme using pine cones, berries, ribbons, lights, mini ornaments, bells, fruit, acorns, or flowers. Complete the centerpiece by placing an elegant pillar candle in the center.

Gingerbread House

Special Christmas memories are built on the spicy fragrance of gingerbread and the excitement of candy coated houses. Whether you make your own or use a pre-made kit, gingerbread houses can reflect you own personal decorating style and make a great addition to any holiday table.

Floating Candles

Are you planning a Christmas dinner party and need a last minute, quick and easy centerpiece that will fill your table with holiday cheer? Simply fill a large glass bowl with water, add a few drops of red food coloring, toss in a handful of cranberries and a few sprigs of evergreen that you snipped from the tree in your front yard, and complete with several floating candles. The festive beauty and warm glow is sure to put guests in the holiday spirit.

Candy Cane Vase

You can create this stunning centerpiece with a few inexpensive items. Begin with a round vase or empty coffee can, wrap an elastic around the can and insert candy canes behind the band. You may want to use double sided tape or a bead of glue to hold the canes in place. Tie a ribbon around the container to hide the elastic. Fill with water and flowers, a Christmas pillar candle, or an arrangement of greenery and berry branches. If your table is large enough, you may want to place your vase on a platter and surround with Christmas ornaments, evergreen branches, and pine cones.

Using popular Christmas items, it is easy to create beautiful festive centerpieces that will give your holiday décor a personal touch.