If you are hosting guests this holiday season, you know that a beautifully set Christmas table becomes the centerpiece of your dining room or kitchen. But what about a centerpiece for that table? Many hostesses find that they are intimidated at the prospect of a make-your-own Christmas centerpiece, and will opt instead for a store-bought adornment. While arrangements from a florist can be a lovely addition to any table, these Christmas centerpieces can also be expensive. The good news is that you can easily create a masterpiece for your table that you will love and your guests will admire.

Christmas Centerpieces Don’t Always Mean Flowers

There are many materials that you can use to create your Christmas centerpiece. But before you head to the craft store to shop for supplies, you need to determine the size of the centerpiece that your table requires. There are a couple of handy rules of thumb here. First, do not make your Christmas centerpiece too high, unless you plan to remove it during the meal so that your guests can actually see each other across the table. Also, you need to decide if you want one grand piece in the center of your table, or a coordinated collection of items to add interest to your holiday setting. Collections can include bowls of fruit or potpourri, miniature Christmas trees or a flickering set of scented candles.

While flowers and greens can make festive and fragrant Christmas centerpieces, don’t limit yourself to arrangements strictly from your florist shop. With Styrofoam cones and glass ornaments, you can create elegant tree topiaries in colors to coordinate with the rest of your table. Other materials can include candy canes, beaded fruit or boxes wrapped to look like holiday gifts. Whatever type of Christmas centerpiece you decide to use on your holiday table, you can take the theme a step further by adorning napkin rings, place markers, or even the backs of your chairs with similar items. For example, if you decide to go with a present theme, you can hang a couple of extra wrapped gifts from the backs of your chairs with pretty ribbon. Add small gift boxes to napkin rings or simply center them on empty salad plates.

Going Fresh

If you do opt for a fresh Christmas centerpiece, wait to assemble your arrangement until a day or two before your dinner. Make sure that you keep fresh water in the container that houses your centerpiece, and keep the arrangement on a pretty tray to catch falling needles and petals, or dripping water. To add interest to your arrangement, add greens like holly, boxwood and cedar to your traditional pine boughs. Keep in mind that some Christmas plants like holly and poinsettias can be poisonous for pets and children, so keep potentially dangerous plants in a safe location. Christmas centerpieces can be a beautiful focal point for your holiday table. Have fun and let your imagination help you create the perfect centerpiece for your home.