Do-It-Yourself Christmas Centerpieces

The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is often unavoidable. With our never-ending obligations, sometimes decorating takes a backseat, but surrounding guests with Christmas cheer is often one of the most important aspects of a party. Christmas decorations set the mood to the festivities and are the visual representations of the occasion. And, since most holidays revolve around the dinner table, the center of attention should always be the Christmas centerpiece.

It's easy to find beautiful Christmas centerpieces at online Christmas shops or at local stores, but if you prefer to do-it-yourself, you can make your own unique centerpiece that will blend seamlessly with your holiday decor. Even if you have a "To Do" list as long as Santa’s, in a few spare moments, you can put together a simple, attractive, colorful, and effective centerpiece by following our tips below.

Christmas Bulb Centerpiece Directions
Gather spare Christmas bulbs of different sizes and colors, place them in any size clear bowl, adorn the bowl with gold or holiday colored ribbon, and in seconds you have a Christmas table centerpiece! Or use a hot glue gun to attach the bulbs to a styrofoam balls to create festive orbs like the ones above from Better Homes & Gardens.



Christmas Gift Centerpiece Directions
For another easy holiday centerpiece, wrap a few small boxes of different shapes with your favorite seasonal wrapping paper and pretty ribbon and arrange the boxes in the center of the table with some fresh pine boughs or other greenery. Not only will this centerpiece provide your guests with something to look at, it will spark their curiosity and excitement. You could even use some of the real presents from under your tree!

Modern Citrus Centerpiece Directions
For a very simple and modern citrus centerpiece, fill glass hurricane canisters with mixed citrus fruits and eucalyptus. Or, with a little more effort, you can make a pomander centerpiece like the one on the right. You'll need a cake stand, some oranges, cloves, thin rubber band ribbon and some greenery, like white pine, eucalyptus or mountain laurel. Pierce the oranges with the cloves in a pattern that you like. You can use the rubber band to help make sure that the cloves are lined up neatly. Arrange the pomanders on a cake stand with the greens and you're done! Make your own variation by mixing in a few lemons, limes or kumquats to add a little extra color, or add an extra layer on a glass plate, or put a candle in the middle. The options are endless!

Just remember, Christmas centerpieces should be made to be looked over, not over looked! Keep the height of your centerpiece low enough that your guests will be able to see each other across the table.