Holiday Centerpieces -- Make Your Own Inexpensively

• The 5 Minute Centerpiece--Pull out some of your crystal serving bowls or hurricane vases. Fill them up half way with fresh cranberries, and if you have them, push a few pine branches down the inside of the glass. Fill with water and float a few white candles in the water. Beautiful!
• Centerpiece with Aroma--Place a round candle about 4 inches high into a hurricane vase.  Surround the candle with whole cloves and cinnamon sticks almost to the top of the candle.  As the candle warms, your home will be filled with the most wonderful smell.  Just like you baked for hours. Very nice on buffet tables and in bathrooms.
• Fruited Garland Centerpiece--Buy live pine garland from your local nursery. Run it down the middle of your table weaving it back and forth so it is laid out like a snake. Fill the spaces you created with fruit. Lemons, limes, pomegranates, apples and oranges work well. Then mingle 6-10 votive candles in between the pine and fruit. Use unscented candles so they do not compete with your food. This one works great for a dinner party because it is low and allows your guests to easily see across the table.
• Sparkly Ornament Centerpiece--Fill a hurricane vase with inexpensive glass ornaments.  They come in all shapes and sizes, can be used year after year and they add amazing sparkle and color to any room, buffet table or dining table.
• Glass Beads and Flower Centerpiece--Find small glass vessels around your house. Anything will work like votive holders, creamers or glass teacups. Fill them up with an inch or two of colored glass beads which can be found at craft stores. Buy your favorite fresh flowers and cut the stems really short so that the flowers fit tightly in your vases. These little centerpieces can be used in so many different ways.  You can surround larger centerpieces with them or place them in smaller areas like bathrooms, on bartops  or on mantles. Really any place that you want to spruce up.

Why spend a fortune on centerpieces when you can make them yourself using glassware that you probably already have around the house and inexpensive items from a craft store?