Easy Christmas Centerpiece Ideas

Fresh Greens

For an elegant winter centerpiece that captures nature's beauty, nestle frosted pinecones, green hydrangea, pears and white amaryllis into a length of faux pine. Wrap white pillar candles with a sleeve of green vellum and set on saucers, then place a pinecone atop the napkin at each place setting for extra whimsy.

Feathers and Ice

Glass cake stands and shallow footed vessels resemble delicate icicles on a tabletop. Tuck a mix of clear and metallic orbs and shimmery feathers into a bed of faux greenery for subtle shine.

Winter Whites

White chrysanthemums and branches of white pine (Pinus strobus) make a striking winter centerpiece. A birch-look pillar candle anchors the arrangement in the center of a wooden bowl.

To create the arrangement, cut florists foam even with the top of the container, wet the foam and set it in the bowl. push the candle in the center, then insert pine branches and mum stems into the foam. Try white spider chrysanthemums, white football mums and white garden mums for a variety of blossoms. Tuck a bit of gray-green dusty miller around the edge for a finishing touch.

Woodland Table

This lush centerpiece takes minimal effort. Lay a foundation of live moss (available from florists or online) around a focal point, such as a gnarly log or a mound of stones. (The moss stays green for weeks, but it does shed. Lay a protective surface under it.) Forage at crafts stores or nurseries or in your backyard for extras. Tuck fern clippings or tiny potted houseplants in crevices. Scatter real or faux acorns and pinecones. "Plant" a few ceramic toadstools. To finish, nestle glass bud vases, votive candles and tapers around the arrangement for sparkle and color.

Cranberry Candles

For a simple yet stunning centerpiece, place five votive candles (in a variety of Christmas colors) in a line down a red rectangular serving dish. Fill the rest of the dish with cranberries, garnish with a few pine twigs and dust with artificial snow.

Tiny Trees

Foot-high yew trees, with root balls nestled in moss, look fresh lined up in a galvanized tray. Anchor with white and purple eggplants for an all-natural centerpiece. See more ideas for decorating with tiny trees.

Colorful Baubles

Create a colorful centerpiece by filling a silver bowl with an assortment of brightly colored ornaments. Place the bowl on a cake stand and cover the extra space on the cake stand with holly and evergreens.

Pretty Platter

For an easy DIY tablescape, decorate a serving tray with silver ornaments. Tuck in boughs of evergreen for a simple yet elegant centerpiece.

Sparkling Accents

Curiosities such as milk starbursts grab attention in a centerpiece of pinecones and greens. Repurpose serving pieces as candleholders and tiny planters to add charming interest.

Amaryllis Beauty

A tall, clear cylindrical vase supports amaryllis blooms in just a few inches of water. Put cranberries in the bottom and wrap a bright red ribbon at the waterline. A sprig of greenery continues the holiday theme.

Homespun Cheer

Antique collections and homespun adornments populate the rest of this family home, so why should its holiday decor be any different? A galvanized container layered with faux pine branches, citrus fruits and a string of tapered white candles feels rustic and homey for the holidays. Take the tablescape even further into festive territory by placing a pair of glass vessels filled with cranberries and amaryllis at the end of the table.

Coming Up Roses

It's tough to beat a refined, classic palette of reds and greens, especially when displayed this beautifully. To make this centerpiece, fill a compote bowl with a base of clipped greenery before adding a bouquet of roses. Any color will do, though for Christmas, dusty pink and deep red are a match made in holiday heaven.

Clear Glass Sparkle

Create a lovely centerpiece with an assortment of clear or lightly tinted glass bottles. Fill some with small glass balls, and add a sprig of boxwood or other greenery. Everyday white dishes look fresh and elegant with a colored linen napkin on top.

Tower of Apples

Green apples are the perfect hue for an easy Christmas display. Fill a glass jar with apples; mix in loose greens for a wintry feel. Place container on a beveled edge mirror (that serves as a table runner). Fill in with additional greens, ball ornaments and candles of different sizes.

Holiday Tiers

Display favorite Christmas cards on a tiered stand along with artificial greens, small presents and ornaments.

Simple Lantern Centerpiece

A trio of candle-filled lanterns (two identical, one slightly taller) interspersed with greenery and pinecones is a simple, striking holiday centerpiece for a rectangular dining table. Bonus: Because this arrangement is wintry and not overtly holiday-themed, you can use it well beyond Christmas.

Scrapbook Paper Trees

Turn holiday-theme scrapbooking papers into an inexpensive tabletop display. Cut and fold papers to create simple cone "trees" of different sizes. Secure seams with double-sided tape.

Woodland Charm

Line a two-tier cake stand with a forest floor of dried moss. Add a dusting of faux snow, then bring the scene to life with evergreen sprigs, pinecones, painted acorns and glass balls. Snow-white tumblers filled with sprigs and pinecones lend height and prop up reindeer cookies.

Holiday Spirit

If your family celebrates Hanukkah and Christmas, this centerpiece is the perfect blend. Place a menorah on one side of a silver tray and fill the remainder of the tray with colorful ornaments.

Card-Display Tree

Show off Christmas cards on a centerpiece "tree" made with twigs from the yard. Arrange twigs in a pitcher or vase, and clip or tie cards to twig ends. For an added burst of holiday color, weave a red ribbon or piece of rickrack through the display.

Natural Touches

Wintry white tulips lend a soft touch to this natural holiday centerpiece. Fill varying sizes of glassware with fresh flowers and arrange around metallic-sprayed pinecones and silvery ornaments.

Luminaria Glow

Transform plain white paper bags into luminarias for an inexpensive centerpiece. Use a large scalloped-edge punch to decorate the bags, then weave ribbon through the openings and secure with tape. Use battery-operated tea lights instead of candles.

Easy Flower Arrangement

Create your own customized flower composition by covering coffee cans with wrapping paper and embellishing them with ribbon. Fill with inexpensive white carnations and baby's breath, plus evergreens cut from your yard.

Game Greeting

Using Scrabble game tiles, spell out a seasonal message. Place on a platter and accent with ornaments, fresh greens, nuts, berries or ribbons.

Pyramid of Ornaments

Create a pyramid of solid-color ball ornaments on top of a compote. Use a hot-glue gun or scrapbooking glue dots to adhere ball ornaments to each other. Fill in with loose evergreens. To complete the look, top candlesticks and votive holders with matching ball ornaments.

White Christmas

Make a mini tree the focal point of the dinner table. For a simple, dreamy look, use a white artificial tree. Anchor it in a tin pail and adorn with white lights and paper stars or other all-white ornaments.

Snowy Scenes

Create a white Christmas using inexpensive glass cylinders from a crafts store. Place one cylinder inside a larger one, then sprinkle a dusting of fake snow between the two and nestle a sprig of greenery on top of the snow. Add a pillar candle or battery-operated candle inside the center cylinder. Group different size cylinders for your display.

Merry Moss

For a low centerpiece, fill a tray with moss and votive candles in holiday holders.

Bountiful Bowl

Fresh loose greens, large pinecones and red pears give a compote a natural look. Tuck in antlers for textural contrast.

Candlestick Cones

Top silver candlesticks with silvery painted pinecones for a glittering display. Group several on a tray, and add some blue or silver ornaments for even more impact. To paint pinecones, apply several thin coats of metallic silver spray paint.

Glass Gift Centerpiece

To make a showy centerpiece, place solid-color ball ornaments inside a clear-glass vase and "serve" on a silver tray. Sprinkle faux snow over the display, and wrap it up with matching ribbon.

Bright Idea

Recycle Christmas bulbs as a quick centerpiece. Place a single pillar candle in a glass dish and fill in with festive-color lights.

Festive Tulips

While tulips are typically considered a spring flower, they make a stunning Christmas arrangement if you can find them. Arrange red tulips alongside pine branches and snowberries (or any white berries) for maximum contrast. Place the arrangement in a metal pail and garnish with a white ribbon.

Black-and-White Photo Centerpiece

Make family photos the focus of your centerpiece. Choose pics from Christmases past for a trip down memory lane. Place two photos back-to-back on memo clips, so you'll be able to see a picture no matter where you sit. Set photos on a cake stand or plate using frosted gel memo cubes or clay.

Snowflake Hurricanes

Create a modern Christmas feel by using white tape, stickers and other craft store supplies to create snowflakes designs on clear hurricane candle holders. Place candle holders on a silver tray and accent with tinsel, pine twigs and brightly colored ornaments.

Long-Stemmed Beauty

Spectacular yet easy, our long-stemmed amaryllis centerpiece sparkles in its tall glass vase. A length of sheer ribbon holds the stems together.

Centerpiece of Greens

A clear container nestled in a green wreath holds bright green ornaments and a spray of mixed evergreens, all set off by a red tablecloth. Matching green wreaths hang in the dining room window.

Snow Globe Cloche

Transform a cloche into a snow globe with a few crafts materials. Set a snowman ornament on a layer of fluffy snow. Cover with a bell-shape cloche embellished with rhinestone gems. Scatter snowflake confetti to complete the arrangement.