We have a big family.
BIG.
Aunts and uncles and cousins and sisters and brothers and a nana or two.
And every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas and a few random birthdays they all gather around this table.
It’s the best part of the holidays.
Laughter and conversation and stories and catching up on all the minutes that we missed this year. And so today in our “12 Days of Getting Ready for Christmas” series, Leslie and I are sharing our best table ideas.
To inspire you.
To give you ideas.
To make your table even cuter.
Here are 7 simple and easy Christmas centerpiece ideas for your holiday table.
1. Snowflakes and sleigh centerpiece
You’ve seen this sleigh in a zillion places. I bought it years ago at a yard sale and spray-painted it white and I’ve been using it ever since.
I’ve used it on coffee tables and hutches and side tables and the back porch. I’ve used it year after year on my dining table.
It’s one of the easiest centerpieces to create. The key is the ornaments. I simply fill the sleigh with ornaments and then layer milk glass along the table runner and scatter even more ornaments around as a centerpiece. Here, I even used the ornaments as place card holders, too.
2. Bright and merry centerpiece
I put this centerpiece second because it’s a version of the first centerpiece.
More ornaments, but the difference here?
Instead of a sleigh, I added a flower arrangement in a present. Use cake stands or books to give your centerpiece height.
One quick tip to add color and pattern to your table? Wrap tiny presents (or even just empty boxes), add ribbon and scatter them amongst evergreens on your table.
3. Silent night centerpiece
I found these little houses and used them to create this glowing centerpiece.
Start with a white or neutral runner. Then add the houses along with runner with bottle brush trees. Vary the heights of the houses with wood stands or books.
Next add tea lights. This year I’m all about faux candles on timers and I found this set of battery-operated tea lights that you could set to stay on for a certain time every night.
4. Santa’s Workshop Centerpiece
This a centerpiece I created for a coffee table on our back porch.
It’s just a collection of my favorite things.
I added two trees for height, a bowl of ornaments (apparently I am in LOVE with red ornaments) and a Santa’s Workshop sign.
You could recreate this centerpiece with anything you have with your Christmas decor. You just need a little height, some texture and coordinating colors.
5. Christmas tree centerpiece
Hello, easy.
I’m looking at you.
All you need to create this centerpiece?
Different types of trees.
Here metal trees and grapevine cone trees are lined up on this table. Larger bottle brush trees would also mix well with this centerpiece.
6. Dough bowl centerpiece
This is a large vintage dough bowl that I’ve had for years.
To create this centerpiece I filled the dough bowl with pinecones and burlap ornaments and then layered a ribbon over the entire dough bowl.
Here are some other ideas for a dough bowl centerpiece:
- fill the dough bowl with greens and pine cones
- fill the dough bowl with white ornaments
- add a row of mini trees
- fill the dough bowl with wrapped presents
7. Joyful and happy centerpiece
I made this centerpiece last minute for a party.
All I did was layer wrapped presents from under the tree in the center of the table and then filled vases with packages of mini ornaments.
To tie the centerpiece into the rest of the table, I hung colorful ornaments from filament wire from the chandelier.
This holiday season this table will be set for all those aunts and uncles and cousins and sisters and brothers and a nana or two.
Because a table full of family?
It’s the best decoration of all.
And now?
Be sure and stop by Leslie’s house to see her amazing Christmas table ideas.
12 Days of Getting Ready for Christmas
(what you might have missed)
- DAY 1: What You Should Be Shopping for Christmas Now
- DAY 2: How To Choose a Christmas Theme
- DAY 3: 17 Ways to Make Last Year’s Christmas Decor Look Like New
Here’s what Leslie has been sharing
- DAY 1: How to Shop for Seasonal Decor
- DAY 2: A Cranberry Christmas Theme
- DAY 3: 11 Ways to Repurpose Last Year’s Christmas Decor
The little village is my favorite .... partly because I absolutely love your old dining room with the amazing wooden chairs. Do you still have those chairs? I don't live close enough to take them off your hands, although I wish I did!
Great ideas, my beautiful friend. I love your dining room. Hugs to you.
They are all so pretty and festive! I see all these elaborate, beautiful table decorations and wonder, do you take them all off the table when people will be eating at the table? There's no room to put the serving dishes, so do you serve buffet-style and leave most of the decor on the table? I'd want my guests to see the lovely display, but it seems much of it would have to be removed before you set the table. Thank you for giving us so many creative ideas all year long.
I agree Sue P. - I simply love you and your website, Karianne! To get around taking the big center piece off the table while dining (which then you need to figure out where to place it for the time being!) I always use low glass vases or containers to put flowers or flowering plants in - sometimes one for each end of the table with greens or villages or old colorful old Christmas balls. I also will fill the vases with cranberries, very festive especially if you put a candle or tea light on top of them.. Even put cranberries with pine cones and a couple sprigs of evergreen on a small plate or low container. Hope this stretches Karianne’s ideas to work in a smaller way. Keep up the great work Karianne!
The red/white collection is absolutely stunning and an idea which inspires me! Thanks for sharing your ideas for making a beautiful Christmas!
Oh my goodness!!! They are all SO gorgeous. I really love the sleigh and think it's a beautiful idea to put a red, bulb ornament on each plate.
As always love what you do for centerpieces. So you! Full of joy!
Your writing is the best, you make every post interesting, yesterday's was the best, your funny too. I look forward to every word! Love your style, all of it!!!! Thankyou!!!
Love ❤️ the silent night centerpiece, and where did you get those smocked curtains? Thanks Karianne, I always get some great inspiration from your posts.
As always, GREAT ideas and I think ideas to be beautiful and not break the bank! I saw several ideas to utilize!!! Thanks KariAnne!!!
I love seeing your amazing decorations. The Christmas table looks so beautiful with the red decorations on your beautiful blue and white decor.
You are getting me into the Christmas spirit but I’m still dreaming of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
I also love those blue and white curtains, I want them for my guest room!!
I see them HPD !! Lol reading one of God's greatest gift!!
It all looks so beautiful! Each room looks lovely! Thank you for all of the inspiration!
I just used a sleigh to make a space-saving cocoa bar in my kitchen. Now you've given me an idea of how I can use it in a tablescape too! I love seeing all your beautiful Christmas decor KarriAnne, you have such great taste!
So festive!! I love them all!!! xoxo
All your ideas are just so good...wish I had larger home so I could use them all,,,have downsized and had to let go of so many items I really liked so it gives me a lot of joy to see your blog and your comments, Thank You! Also would like to know what that red lipstick you posted earlier (I would like to try it--although at 84 may just wear at home). lol Thank you again for all your comments with your delightful posts. Blessings,
Of course! Here's the link to my favorite red lipstick (affiliate): https://amzn.to/3Cbt79F