Holiday Centerpieces

So, it's only a couple of days before Christmas. If you're like me, your house is filled with the debris of Christmas Future. Stacks of things to go in stockings. Gifts to be wrapped. The wrapping paper, bows and tags to wrap said gifts. And probably a recipe card or cookbook or two as you finalize the holiday menu.

Don't panic. You'll be ready. Sit back and pour yourself a holiday cocktail and let's talk about how to make your table festive for your Christmas buffet or dinner party. I've got several ideas. Check the post below for pictures of all three.

The first is a little "non-traditional." Certainly red and green are the colors of Christmas, but, for me, blue and white and silver conjure up images of winter in general. This is a look that can carry over to your New Year's Eve party as well as be a beautiful tablescape for Christmas. Silver candlesticks or candleholders. (I have several silver reindeer that I love.) Blue runners and napkins and tablecloths. Crystal candleholders and serving trays. That silver tray you never use. A clear glass or white bowl filled with silver and white Christmas balls. All complemented by candlelight. To top it off, I like to use white spider mums as the floral accent. They remind me of snowflakes.

But there's nothing wrong with tradition either. The second photo shows a wonderful green pottery container that I have filled with evergreens and holly. You can get assorted evergreen branches in the floral section of large groceries. Or you can sometimes get trimmings for free from home centers or Christmas tree lots. The holly can be clipped from your or a neighbor's (get permission) yard. Set on a red platter, this is wonderfully old-fashioned and provides a great natural touch.

Of course, Christmas is a time for the kid in all of us, and the third idea fits that philosophy perfectly. Glass vases or jars filled with peppermints and gumdrops. And if you're lucky enough to find one, a gum drop tree just like the one my grandmother always had. Your guests can both look at and taste your centerpieces. Put a couple of toys or children's ornaments alongside and you have a table just begging to be played with.

Another idea I've seen in magazine this year is using cut amaryllis. A couple stems of amaryllis in a glass vase filled with cranberries or glass beads is easy and quite beautiful. (I did three white amaryllis in a rectangular glass vase filled with clear glass beads for our pot-luck wine dinner at the beginning of December.) You can buy amaryllis stems at flower shops. Make sure and fill the stem with water and put your thumb over it as you sink it in the vase.

Enjoy. Post a comment below and let me know what you do to bring the Christmas spirit to your table.