Winter is officially here, and that chill in the air means holiday festivities! It’s the time of year when you want to make your home warm and inviting. November is all about Thanksgiving Centerpieces. Now in December, we’re here to talk holiday centerpieces for the many coming holidays and celebrations of the season!
A centerpiece plays a vital role in your holiday decorating. It sets the tone for your overall look and serves as a welcome and conversation piece. Like wreaths, centerpieces work in a number of spaces and settings. We have a few simple tips to help make your centerpiece choices just right for the occasion!
Successful Christmas Centerpieces
There are a few ways to make your centerpieces work for your space. When planning centerpieces, start with these guidelines in mind. They will enhance both the comfort and delight of your guests!
Anchor the decor. A good centerpiece is a focal point. Key placement of eye-catching centerpieces on entrance tables, fireplace mantels, and other places besides the dining table helps center your decorating scheme. Use them to simplify your decor, focusing on concentrated bursts of color, and avoiding a clutter of decorations.
Stay consistent. When you’re planning your holiday room decor, make sure your centerpiece and all the other decorations are consistent and complementary. You don’t need to be rigid, but your room decor should not fight with itself in terms of style and color scheme.
Pay attention to fragrance. Centerpieces on dining and buffet tables shouldn’t overpower the food. Use unscented candles and lightly scented flowers. More fragrant centerpieces are wonderful for other areas in the home!
Draw attention, but don’t block the view. When planning a tablescape for seated guests, keep their field of vision In mind. A centerpiece doesn’t need to be tall to steal the show!
The Right Size for Your Centerpiece
Tall, showy centerpieces are fantastic for entryways and mantels, but to keep the social atmosphere flowing, just make sure the centerpiece isn’t the only thing your seated guests can see and doesn’t block site lines between seats! Some locations call for a tall centerpiece, and there are plenty of ways to add height without interrupting the flow of social interaction. Just be mindful of this when planning your table.
Taper candles, clear glass hurricanes, and tall narrow vases work well to create height and leave space for conversation. On larger tables, you can complement the main centerpiece with a tablescape of smaller decorations. Remember, there’s plenty of room below eye level for a lavish centerpiece. Our best-selling bouquets offer a range of options in every size.
As for buffet tables, fireplace mantels, entryways, and other gathering areas, that’s when you can go all out! Your centerpieces don’t need to share star billing with the meal or guests. Let them take up a little more room and set the mood!
Traditional Christmas Centerpieces
Christmas is steeped in family traditions and nostalgia. So while there are a few tried and true foundations to a traditional centerpiece, there are endless ways to add a personal touch.
Christmas always brings to mind red and green. Complement those colors with white, gold or silver and you have a traditional Christmas palette. A bouquet of red and white flowers and lots of greenery makes a classic centerpiece.
Along with holiday flowers, pinecones and Christmas greenery like pine, holly, boxwood, and fir are traditional natural decor elements. Classic Christmas ornaments, ribbons and beads add creative flair. Think bouquets, wreaths, garlands, and nostalgic Christmas decorations.
Modern Christmas Centerpieces
Modern centerpieces often steer away from traditional Christmas colors in favor of metallics, jewel tones, and white as foundation colors. Black is a striking color choice for a modern Christmas centerpiece. Flowers in any of these hues, with green or metallic accents, make a beautiful modern centerpiece.
Rather than realistic Christmas trees, modern conical tree figures are common in centerpieces, as are glass hurricanes, which can showcase candles, string lights, branches or twigs sprayed in white or metallic paint. Look for contemporary shapes when choosing vases, bowls, and other centerpieces.
Remember, any holiday item that’s special to you and your family can make a centerpiece, and any space that you like as a backdrop is an appropriate place for one. A grouping of snowman figurines, a townscape, or an arrangement of snow globes can show off part of a collection in a centerpiece. Your holiday decor can tell a story with the centerpiece as the main character, so be creative. Let your unique style shine through!
Outdoor Christmas Centerpieces
Will you be entertaining outdoors this holiday season? Don’t leave out the centerpiece! This is a great opportunity to go all in with decorative lights and candles. Add string lights to a flower bouquet or a wreath of greenery surrounding ornaments and candles. Or weave a string of larger lights around the table for a magical holiday mood. If you’re concerned about wind, use flameless candles, and avoid breakable containers.
Hanukkah Centerpieces
A Hanukkah tablescape is all about blue and white. Your centerpiece can feature a blue and white bouquet or a menorah as the focal point. Traditional elements like dreidels are often included.
A variety of materials and textures can take your centerpiece in a more traditional or modem direction. Lilies are traditional Hanukkah flowers, but other blue and white flowers are popular as well.
Kwanzaa Centerpieces
Kwanzaa is deeply rooted in symbolism and tradition. Your Kwanzaa centerpiece can start with a flower arrangement, handmade basket, or a Kinara (candle holder for the seven Kwanzaa candles) in the traditional colors of red, green, and black. Seasonal fruit and dried corn cobs are traditional symbols to include.
Wrapping a vase or wreath in Kente cloth is a fitting way to add a personal element. Clear glass candle holders can be layered with colorful dried corn and beans to hold candles in place and give continuity to your centerpieces.
Holiday Color Palettes and Decor
These days, almost any color scheme can be used in holiday decor. Common monochrome themes include red, green, blue, silver, gold or black. Often a complementary accent color is used in centerpiece arrangements. Of course, red and green are ubiquitous as a pairing, but other two-color combinations are also typical of the season: red and gold, red and white, blue and silver or gold, or all metallic. Some folks love a multicolored decorating scheme, reminiscent of multicolored tree lights.
When choosing your color scheme, the most important thing is to stick to it. You want all your holiday decor to create a flow, and changing up color and style too much can clash and confuse the eye.
Beyond the Table
As we’ve mentioned, centerpieces are not just for the dining table. A centerpiece is a simple way to decorate any gathering space. Think about an entryway console, a fireplace mantel, or a coffee table. If you are limited on space, you can even hang a wreath or arrangement from above to make a centerpiece. Wherever you place it, a centerpiece takes up a defined amount of space, so you can easily design around it. Just find the right surface to showcase it, and let the centerpiece do the rest!
Memorable Centerpieces for Memorable Holidays
Centerpieces, in any setting, color or style, will set the atmosphere for all your holiday gatherings. They are leading characters in your own personal holiday story. The centerpiece acts as a welcome to your table, so put your signature on it!
The options are endless this season for expressing your holiday spirit with spectacular decor! We at The Bouqs Co. are here to help with all your holiday flower and decorating needs. You can also check out our post on holiday front door decor and see what special holiday bouquets we have available. With so much to do during this busy season, the most important thing is that you enjoy your holiday decor as much as your guests do!
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