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The best Christmas centerpieces are low, simple and made of two or three things: something green, something to hold it, and a little light.
That is all a table needs. A centerpiece you can talk across beats a tall showpiece that gets moved to the floor before the first course.
So each of these 17 Christmas table centerpieces is one arrangement on a table that is otherwise bare or simply set. Cedar, pine, olive, berries, fruit, wood, stoneware and candlelight do the work.
I kept one rule for any table people sit around: under about 12 inches tall, with the place settings left clear. The taller ones are for a sideboard, an island or a console, and I’ve said so.
Most of the greenery is faux and comes back next year. Where a candle has a real flame, I’ve said how to keep it clear of the green, and where flameless is the better choice.
1. Cedar Garland Runner With White Tapers in Black Iron
A garland laid straight down bare oak works because it is one long, low line. Nobody has to look over anything.
Two sets of the black chambersticks give you four white tapers. Slim candles are the one thing that can rise above eye level.
Designer tip: part the cedar so each holder stands on bare wood.
Shop this room: Green Soft Touch Faux Cedar Garland at World Market, Black Taper Candle Holders Set of 2, Iron Candlestick Holders on Amazon and White Traditional Unscented Taper Candles 6 Pack at World Market.
Check Black Taper Candle Holders
2. Dough Bowl of Cream and Brown Glass Ornaments
One bowl in the middle of a round table, and nothing else. The long 20 inch shape gives a circle a direction.
The ornaments are cream, taupe and brown glass, so the cedar sprigs are the only green. That restraint keeps it calm.
Designer tip: mix glossy and matte balls evenly, and let two sprigs trail over the rim.
Shop this room: Hanobe Large Wood Decorative Dough Bowl for Coffee Table Decor, 20″ Brown on Amazon, Noel Neutral Ornaments (Set of 9) at McGee & Co and Faux Green Cedar Spray at World Market.
Check Hanobe Large Wood Decorative
3. Cedar Wreath Laid Flat Around a Glass Hurricane
A wreath used flat makes an instant ring. The faceted glass hurricane lifts the ivory pillar‘s flame above the cedar and shields it.
The wreath is 22 inches across, so on a small table for two I’d lift it off before dinner.
Designer tip: bend the inner sprigs toward the glass so no gap of table shows.
Shop this room: Green Soft Touch Faux Cedar Wreath at World Market, Cassina Glass Hurricane at McGee & Co and KONNI Ivory Pillar Candles Set of 3, 3″x 6″ Unscented on Amazon.
Check KONNI Ivory Pillar Candles
4. Speckled Bud Vases in a Row on a Flax Linen Runner
Repetition does the decorating here. The same small vase down the runner reads as one centerpiece, and still leaves gaps for passing dishes.
Each glossy speckled oatmeal vase holds one pine sprig and one or two red berry picks. Garden cuttings are fine.
Designer tip: three sets make six vases. Alternate the tall and the short.
Shop this room: Linen Table Runner at Quince, Erma Bud Vases (Set of 2) at McGee & Co and Fangoo 20 Pack 7 Inch Artificial Red Berry Picks on Amazon.
5. Faux Paperwhites in Terracotta on a Wood Riser
These paperwhites are faux. That means white blooms on day one and no forcing bulbs.
The round acacia riser is what turns a potted plant into a centerpiece. Two inches of lift give it a base and a shadow.
Designer tip: at 14 inches tall, it belongs at one end of an island.
Shop this room: Potted Faux Paperwhites at McGee & Co and WILDMOS Decorative Round Wood Riser for Display, Pedestal Tray (10-inch) on Amazon.
Check WILDMOS Decorative Round Wood
6. Pinecones, Cedar and Oranges on a Mango Wood Board
No candles, so this one can stay out all day on a kitchen table.
Coil the cedar garland around the footed board (its pinecones come attached), then pile on whole oranges and dried orange slices.
Orange is the one warm color against all that green and brown.
Designer tip: the board is 15 by 10 inches, so pile it compactly.
Shop this room: Mango Wood Rectangular Pedestal at McGee & Co, Faux Cedar Garland with Pinecones at Lulu and Georgia and 30 Pcs Dried Orange Slices with 30 Pcs Hemp Rope on Amazon.
7. Three Black Lanterns in Pine Garland on the Sideboard
Sideboard only. The lanterns stand 15, 20 and 23 inches, too tall to talk across.
Stepped heights make a triangle, the steadiest shape a grouping can have.
The set includes its flameless candles, so nothing hot sits near the pine or the serving dishes.
Designer tip: tallest at the back, shortest in front, garland around the bases.
Shop this room: Perfnique Modern Farmhouse Lanterns, Set of 3 Black Metal Lanterns with 6hr Timer Flickering Flameless Candles on Amazon and Draping Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland at Quince.
Check Perfnique Modern Farmhouse Lanterns
8. Mixed Brass Candlesticks With Olive Tapers
Slim candlesticks take up less table than any arrangement, and you see straight past them. Good for a 40 inch round table.
The set of three plus one or two single holders gives you mixed heights. The tapers are olive, a softer green than forest.
Designer tip: cluster them off center, with one green sprig flat at the base.
Shop this room: Candlestick Holders – Antique Brass Finish (Set of 3) at Quince, Antique Brass Taper Candle Holder at McGee & Co and Olive Taper Candles (Set of 12) at McGee & Co.
9. Footed White Bowl of Pears and Pomegranates
A foot is the difference between fruit in a bowl and a centerpiece. It lifts the pile about four inches and gives it a silhouette.
Green pears and deep red pomegranates are Christmas colors that happen to be dessert.
Designer tip: cut the faux laurel into short sprigs and tuck them under the fruit to fan over the rim.
Shop this room: Delphi Footed Bowl at McGee & Co and Faux Laurel Leaf Branch at McGee & Co.
10. Bottle Brush Tree Forest on a Kraft Paper Runner
My pick for a kids’ table: nothing breakable, no flame, and a runner they are allowed to draw on.
The trees come in five sizes, which makes a row look like a forest instead of a lineup. The wood bead garland winds between them.
Designer tip: stagger the trees in a loose zigzag, tallest toward the middle.
Shop this room: 30Pcs Mini Christmas Trees, Bottle Brush Trees with Wooden Base (Green-A) on Amazon, Bryco Goods Jumbo Kraft Paper Roll, Brown, 18″ x 2100″ (175 ft) on Amazon and Natural Wood Bead Garland at World Market.
Check 30Pcs Mini Christmas TreesCheck Bryco Goods Jumbo Kraft
11. Eucalyptus and White Berries in a Matte White Vase
Silver green and white is the snowy version of Christmas. Two colors let a small arrangement read from across the room.
The vase is 8 inches tall and narrow. Trim two or three eucalyptus bunches so it all stays near 12 inches.
Designer tip: the berry stems are only about 10 inches, so place them at the front.
Shop this room: D’vine Dev 8 Inch Ceramic Flower Vase, Matte Finish, White on Amazon, Faux Mini Seeded Eucalyptus Bunch at World Market and Felice Arts 6 Pack Christmas Picks Artificial White Berry Stems on Amazon.
Check D’vine Dev 8 InchCheck Felice Arts 6 Pack
12. Red Berry Branches in a Grey Stoneware Crock
One crock, one color. I skipped a runner because red berries on bare wood are already enough.
The grey stoneware keeps bright red from looking loud. A cool, plain vessel calms a hot color.
Designer tip: bend or trim the stems to about 14 inches and fan them wide. They are faux, so no water in the crock.
Shop this room: Emilia Crock at McGee & Co and GREENTIME 6 Pack Red Berry Stems, Long Christmas Picks, 25.2 Inch on Amazon.
13. Mango Wood Tray With Brass Bells and Beeswax Candles
A tray turns separate objects into one thing, and it lifts off in one move when the coffee table is needed.
Everything on it is a shade of honey: natural mango wood, yellow beeswax, rough brass-toned bells and walnuts in the shell.
Designer tip: candles at one end, bells at the other, and never leave the flames unattended.
Shop this room: CRAFT Natural Mango Wood and Antique Iron Rustic Tray at World Market, HIGHBIX Set of 3 Giant Harmony Cow Bells, Vintage Handmade Rustic Christmas Hanging Bells on Rope (Large) on Amazon and 100% Beeswax Pillar Candles, 2.8×3 inch, 4 Pack on Amazon.
Check HIGHBIX Set of 3Check 100% Beeswax Pillar Candles
14. Floating Candles in a Frosted Pleated Glass Bowl
Frosted glass glows where clear glass only shines. The pleats catch the candlelight and spread it across the table.
This bowl is deeper than a classic floating candle dish, and it holds two or three candles. That is plenty.
Designer tip: fill it to an inch below the rim, then float rosemary sprigs and star anise between the candles.
Shop this room: Fountain Glass Bowl by Ferm Living at Lulu and Georgia and Royal Imports Floating Candles 3 inch White 12 Pack Unscented Wax Discs on Amazon.
Check Royal Imports Floating Candles
15. Mini Lit Tree in a Seagrass Basket
In a studio, the centerpiece can be the tree. A 24 inch fir in a basket gives you the whole ritual on a table for two.
The seagrass hides the base and adds the natural texture a faux tree lacks. Battery lights mean no cord.
Designer tip: push it to the wall side so both plates stay clear.
Shop this room: National Tree Company 24in Pre-Lit Majestic Fir Mini Christmas Tree on Amazon and DOKOT Seagrass Plant Basket with Handles, 9.5 inch Diameter x 11 inch Height on Amazon.
Check National Tree Company 24inCheck DOKOT Seagrass Plant Basket
16. Weeping Pine Branches in a Terracotta Vase
Console only. Three 50 inch pine stems sweep wider and higher than anyone could see past.
The drama comes from scale: long loose needles above a plain 12 inch vase.
The vase is short for such stems, so add pebbles or sand to weight it.
Designer tip: stand the glass hurricane a hand’s width clear of the lowest needles.
Shop this room: Green Faux Weeping Pine and Mini Pinecones Stem at World Market, Dobbyby Ceramic Flower Vase 12 inch, Farmhouse Rustic Terracotta (Large) on Amazon and Clear Glass and Black Wood Base Hurricane Candle Holder at World Market.
Check Dobbyby Ceramic Flower Vase
17. Wooden Votive Tray With Olive Branches
Eight small flames in a line read as one long glow, and the tray stays narrow enough for serving dishes on both sides.
The votive glass is amber-brown and comes with the tray, so the light is warm before you add anything.
Designer tip: lay one olive branch along each side, beside the tray and never over the glass.
Shop this room: Creative Co-Op 9-Piece Round Glass Votive Holders on Solid Paulownia Wood Tray, Brown Rustic Finish on Amazon and Faux Olive Branch at McGee & Co.
Check Creative Co-Op 9-Piece Round
6 Christmas Centerpiece Mistakes to Skip
Tick each one off before you call the room done.
☐ A centerpiece too tall to see over. Keep anything on a dining table under about 12 inches, measured from the tabletop. Slim tapers can go higher because you look past them, and anything bulky and tall belongs on a sideboard.
☐ Greenery creeping into the place settings. Leave about 15 inches of clear table depth in front of every chair. On a table 36 to 40 inches wide, that keeps the centerpiece to a strip roughly 8 to 10 inches across.
☐ Real flames sitting in the greenery. Stand every candle in a holder or inside glass, with the flame several inches clear of any needle or leaf. Never leave it burning in an empty room, and switch to flameless candles if kids or pets share the table.
☐ Scented candles at dinner. Use unscented candles on any table where food is served. Save pine and cinnamon scents for the hallway or the living room.
☐ Too many materials in one arrangement. Stop at three: one green, one vessel and one source of light or color. A fourth element is usually the one that makes it look busy.
☐ A long centerpiece on a short table. Let a runner or garland run the full length, or keep the arrangement to about a third of the table’s length. Anything in between looks like it was cut short.
Real Greenery or Faux: How Long Each Lasts on a Table
Fresh-cut cedar and pine look their best for roughly one to two weeks indoors, and less beside a radiator. After that they shed onto the table.
Faux greenery is the practical base for a centerpiece that stays out all December. Choose real-touch stems, since a table is the one place people see them from a foot away.
The trick I like is a faux garland with a few fresh sprigs of rosemary or cedar tucked in on the day. You get the scent without the needles.
Dried-out greenery also catches fire more easily, which is one more reason to keep flames well away from it.
Start with what you already own: a board, a bowl or a tray. Add one kind of green and one source of light, then stop.
If you buy a single thing, make it a faux cedar garland. It runs down the table this year and along a shelf or mantel the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall should a Christmas centerpiece be?
Under about 12 inches for any table people sit at, so everyone can see across it. Taller arrangements, like lanterns or long branches, belong on a sideboard or console.
Is it safe to use real candles with greenery?
Yes, if each flame sits in a holder or inside glass and stays several inches clear of the greenery. Never leave a lit candle unattended, and blow them out before you leave the room.Flameless candles are the easy alternative for a kids’ table, a buffet or anywhere you can’t keep watch.
How far ahead can I set up a Christmas centerpiece?
A faux arrangement can go out on December 1 and stay. Add fresh fruit, rosemary or cut sprigs a day or two before guests arrive, since those are the parts that fade.
What is a good Christmas centerpiece for a small table?
Pick one piece with a small footprint: a crock of berry stems, a cluster of slim candlesticks or a single bowl. On a table for two, choose something that lifts off in one move when the plates come out.
Can I make Christmas centerpieces DIY with garden cuttings?
Yes. Pine, cedar, rosemary, bay and holly all work, and one sprig per bud vase is enough.Cut them the same day if you can, and keep them away from candle flames as they dry.
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