If you’re hosting a holiday dinner party this year and searching for inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll show you a slew of ways to plan your menu, make the perfect cocktail, impress (or horrify) your guests with the ugliest sweater, and even help you set a stunning table. Speaking of the table, as you know, no holiday dining situation is complete without a festive centerpiece. So we’ve gone ahead and rounded up our favorite 20—some are table ready, some require you to unleash your DIY side, but all are totally ready to turn your Christmas table into something totally wow-worthy!
1. Floating Fruit: Drop your brightest Granny Smith apples into water-filled hurricane vases. Pro tip: for extra holiday cheer, throw in a few apples of the Red Delicious variety. (via Real Simple)
2. Amaryllis Candle Centerpiece: A little red goes a long way on this nearly all-white table. The deep red amaryllis add just the right amount of pop to your holiday table. (via Martha Stewart)
3. Vintage Outdoor Lantern ($27): Add a rustic vibe to your dinner table with these romantic lantern candle holders. Birdie not included ;)
4. Hanging Baby’s Breath: Who said a centerpiece has to sit on the table? Take to the sky with this DIY centerpiece that suspends a delicate arrangement of baby’s breath from the ceiling. (via HGTV)
5. Sweater Wrapped Votives: Repurpose an old sweater by creating a cozy for your candles. You can always add extra cozy to mason jars if you’re serving up a hot bevy like cider or hot cocoa! (via Better Homes and Gardens)
6. Mistletoe Centerpiece ($25): We wonder what happens when you’re sitting at a table covered in mistletoe…
7. Sweet Stash: Imitate this playful centerpiece as is, or swap the lollipops for candy canes and call it a day. (via Real Simple)
8. Christmas Mason Jars ($28): This might be our favorite way to bring some J-O-Y to the table. You know we just can’t pass up another way to repurpose a mason jar!
9. Tree-Shaped Candles: Give yourself a white Christmas with tree-shaped candles that emulate the dreamy, snow-covered landscapes of winter. It’s easy to cut these candles to shape using cookie cutters. (via Martha Stewart)
10. Copper Pipe Candelabra ($79): If you’re going for a sleek, industrial vibe, this piped candelabra will definitely do. Upgrade its holiday cheer with alternating red and green candles.
11. Cranberry Centerpiece: Achieve the perfect balance of red and green with this layered arrangement of Epsom salt, cranberries, and clippings of outdoor vegetation. (via Madigan Made)
12. Evergreen Candles: Go green with your candle display by applying flat pine needles around the base of your votives or hurricanes. We love how it brings some natural texture to the table. (via Better Homes and Gardens)
13. Tall Glitter Cone Trees ($10): These towering trees are sure to add a skyline of chromatic shimmer to your dinner table. We’d definitely throw down for a colorful assortment!
14. Glittered Candle Holders: Are you into the glitz and glam of holiday entertaining? We sure are! Add extra sparkle to your table setting with these glitter dusted hurricane candles. (via Martha Stewart)
15. Succulent Wreath ($50): Holiday flora is not limited to poinsettias and pine. Try something new with this colorful succulent wreath arrangement, which mixes all the colors and scents of Christmas into one gorgeous centerpiece.
16. Floral Muffin Tin: We couldn’t resist sharing this whimsical centerpiece again. Drop your favorite holiday blooms and into a muffin tin for a totally fun, non-traditional holiday centerpiece. (via Better Homes and Gardens)
17. Branching Out: Spray paint a few branches—real or faux—a matte-finished white and display them in bottles or vases to make this modern holiday centerpiece. (via Real Simple)
18. Modern Striped Trees: Our favorite thing about these triangular trees is that each can be customized however you want. While we love the starbursts, we’d stick with posh gold stripes to make our table extra luxe! (via HGTV)
19. Bright Mini Glitter Trees, Set of 6 ($7): These sparkly mini trees will add wow to your table without breaking the bank.
20. Tree Topper: Here’s an idea: A centerpiece that doubles as dessert? Genius! Decorate sugar cones in icing and sprinkles to look like tricked out Christmas trees and arrange on a multi-level dessert stand. (via Real Simple)
BONUS:Homemade Egg Nog: Yes, we took a cue from that last centerpiece and are now totally suggesting you make our perfect holiday cocktail the center of table attention! With the festive drink within arms reach, don’t be surprised if you’re left with an empty bowl ;) (via Brit + Co.)
How do you plan to decorate your holiday tables this year? Tell us in the comments below!