36 Budget-Friendly DIY Christmas Centerpieces (2024)

Vintage-Inspired Decoration

You don't need to spend much money to create a gorgeous but simple Christmas table centerpiece this season. Instead, hit the thrift store, grab mismatched vases and votives, and arrange them down the center of the table with loose evergreen branches and a floral arrangement. Fill the vases with small votive candles ($11, Bed Bath & Beyond) and light them just before dinner.

Mason Jar Assortment

This easy and inexpensive Christmas centerpiece idea for a dining room table starts with recycled glass jars. Fill them with sprigs of faux greenery, berries, and branches, and add a glitter solution. Glue the caps on, and you have a stunning centerpiece that will last through the holiday season.

Rustic Wood Tree

This rustic DIY wood tree is the perfect addition to any farmhouse-inspired Christmas decor scheme. The pretty wood tree is made from scrap lumber and can be accessorized however you like. Surround it with ornaments, pinecones, or faux evergreen branches ($6, Joann).

Fresh and Natural

Christmas table decorations don't have to be complicated to assemble! This simple Christmas table centerpiece consists of piling seasonal produce in a low bowl. Stick to classic Christmas colors and add oversize red blooms to finish the holiday decoration.

Recycled Christmas

A display of pine branches and bright red faux berries pops in a vintage flour sifter that acts as a non-traditional vase. Make one large statement piece for the center of the table, or hit the thrift store (or your grandma's basem*nt) for an assortment of vintage vessels to line down the center of the table.

Pretty Pinecones

Turn pinecones from the backyard into an elegant farmhouse-inspired centerpiece: Gather as many pinecones as you like.

1. Cut wooden skewers into 2- to 4-inch lengths and push one end of each skewer into a hardware nut.
2. Use hot-glue to attach the hardware nut to the base of a pinecone.
3. Drill a small hole into a wood ball and insert the other end of each skewer into a wood ball.

Once you've made as many pinecone trees as you like, coat each with a thin coat of white paint ($3, Michaels).

Greenery and Candles

Sometimes a simple Christmas table centerpiece arrangement is the prettiest. For an elegant look, layer faux greenery down the center of the table and accent with white pillar candles ($6 for two, Target) and pinecones. Place the candles on rustic wood slices to add height to the display.

Glittery Votives

Instead of an over-the-top floral centerpiece, try creating mini individual Christmas table settings that sparkle. To get the look, paint the bottom half of a glass votive with gold glitter paint ($3, Michaels). Once dry, fill with tea light candles and cut poinsettia flowers.

Potted Plant

This Christmas centerpiece idea for a dining room table requires one trip to the garden store. Grab a seasonal plant like holly or a small spruce and plant it in a cheery red pot. Place it on the table, and your Christmas decor is done!

Bright White Christmas

Bring your white Christmas tree to the table! Place a mini white tree in a low galvanized bucket. Top it with your favorite ornaments, lights, and a sprinkle of faux snow for a winter wonderland.

Evergreen Candles

Let winter greenery add color to this clever Christmas candle display:

1. Use a glass votive, wineglass, or hurricane as the candleholder.
2. Choose a flat pine needle branch like the fragrant arborvitae.
3. Apply spray adhesive to one side of the greenery and press firmly onto the glass. Clip off loose pine ends if needed.

Seasonal Garland

A handmade greenery garland is a fun take on traditional Christmas centerpiece ideas for your dining room table. To make this cranberry and wood bead garland, use seasonal greenery like pine branches to create the base, then add a few holiday classics like strung cranberries and wood beads. Easy and beautiful!

Fruit and Flowers

Dress up a purchased floral arrangement with sliced apples! Display the floral centerpiece on a white plate. Use cut slices of red and green apples to create a border around the plate. Add a few glass globe ornaments, and you're ready for Christmas dinner.

Candlelit Wood Beads

Create a stunning DIY wood bead candle centerpiece with just a few simple supplies. We used a plain wreath form and geometric wood beads to form the base. Fill it with pillar candles and a few sprigs of fresh greenery for a subtly festive Christmas table decoration.

Pom-Pom Bouquet

This Christmas table decoration starts with tissue paper! Fill a tall bowl with handmade tissue paper pom-poms or flowers to create. Next, add a pillar candle ($4, Target) in a clear vase and finish with metallic ball ornaments.

Marble Dish with Ornaments

A low marble dessert stand stars in this simple Christmas table centerpiece. It only takes one step to make: Stack it high with colorful glass ornaments! Look for fun vintage ornaments at antique stores or flea markets.

Amaryllis and Pineapple

Let nature do the legwork in a Christmas floral arrangement that's also a conversation starter. Simply hollow out a pineapple, set it in a tray filled with cranberries, and arrange classic Christmas amaryllis inside the makeshift vase.

Editor's Tip: To make this floral centerpiece last, set the bouquet in a vase with water first; set the vase inside the pineapple.

Colorful Ornaments

You can assemble this festive Christmas centerpiece in seconds. Pile sprigs of fresh-cut greenery on a low white cake stand. Add colorful glass ball ornaments, and you're done! Stick to classic holiday colors, or mix them with your favorite holiday decorations.

Mini Votive Nests

No one will guess how simple this stunning Christmas table decoration is to create. Place faux bird's nests on top of a simple patterned table runner. Add battery-powered small tea light candles ($5, Michaels) and a few fresh succulents. Finish the look with a few bird figurines and fresh holiday greenery.

Citrusy Colors

Elevate a humble wooden box to Christmas-centerpiece status. Start by lining the box with dry florists foam to anchor evergreen sprigs. Attach citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, limes) to florists picks and tuck into the greenery. Add interest by cutting some of the fruits in half or adding decorative details.

Editor's Tip: Make orange pomanders by using a large needle to poke holes into oranges. Push the stems of whole cloves into the holes in the oranges.

Sweater-Wrapped Votives

Add coziness to basic votives with a small cutting from the sleeve of an old sweater. Cuff the bottom of the sleeve or turn it inside out for a variety of textures. Be sure to wrap the sweater around the glass (not the candle itself), and always monitor a burning candle.

Wreath-Wrapped Candles

Ring a merry wreath around holiday-hue candles for a quick Christmas table centerpiece. Fill a small watertight vase or planter with wet florists foam ($7, Michaels). Tuck in pine sprigs and vibrant hypericum berries for color. Secure candle into the vase using florist picks.

Stacked Bowls

Look around the house—you likely have everything you need to whip up a pretty centerpiece in a jiffy. Stack white bowls filled with small ornaments, nuts, fir cuttings, or berries for an inspired design. Place on a flat surface to ensure the tower is stable.

Winter White Holiday

A holiday table is even cozier when layered in winter whites.

To make the runner:

1. Cut 18-24-inch wide felt by the yard to the needed length.
2. Trace halfway around a drinking glass at the ends of the runner to create scallops; cut out with scissors. Embellish with punched scalloped-edge circles.
3. Punch more scalloped-edge circles on smaller sections of felt, and wrap felt around oversized glass vases.
4. Insert candles for a soft, wintry white glow, and scatter felt snowflake cutouts across the table runner.

Cranberries and Candles

This stunningly simple Christmas table centerpiece is surprisingly easy to put together. To make, line a rectangular tray with red, green, and cream votive candles. Complete the look with fresh cranberries dusted with sanding sugar and touches of greenery.

Blooming Tree Vase

Put a twist on typical holiday table decor with a tree-inspired Christmas vase idea. To create the trunk, wrap a clear glass vase ($5, Target) with bark chips. Next, add variegated faux moss at the base of the trunk and top with nuts, berries, and tiny decorative birds to mimic a forest setting. Then, bring the "tree" into bloom with a lush floral arrangement of hydrangeas, roses, fresh greenery, and hypericum berries.

Tray of Yews

Foot-high yews with root balls nestled in moss look fresh lined up in a galvanized tray. You can find these mini evergreens at your local nursery. Anchor with white and purple eggplants for an all-natural centerpiece.

Editor's Tip: Place out of direct sunlight and water twice a week to keep plants from drying out. Limit display time to 2-3 weeks; after three weeks, trees will come out of winter hibernation and start to grow like houseplants.

DIY Rustic Holiday Vases

Salvaged boards become a rustic holiday vase. Cut two matching wood slats that slide and lock together to hold a vase. When sizing the notches for the vase, add ⅛-inch to the diameter measurement to easily slip the vase into the notch. Bittersweet and pine are simple accents for this Christmas vase idea.

Tulips and Pinecones

Incorporate natural elements, such as fresh flowers, in your holiday centerpiece. Fill varying sizes of cobalt blue— or your favorite festive hue—glassware with wintry white tulips. Arrange the makeshift vases around oversize pinecones sprayed with metallic paint ($8, Michaels) and silvery ornament balls.

Tissue Paper Flowers

Petals scattered around candles in glass goblets make an elegant but simple Christmas table centerpiece when displayed on a simple wooden platter. These paper petals bloom beautifully all season long—perfect for holiday soirees!

To create a blossom:

1. Cut 3-inch circles from eight layers of light-colored tissue paper ($3, Target).
2. Place in a stack, then poke a hole through the stack with a pin.
3. Pull the paper off the tip of a twist tie and insert the exposed wire through the paper layers. Twist the wire to create the flower center.
4. Help the flower bloom by gently pulling up one layer at a time.

White Hyacinth

This centerpiece filled with natural seasonal elements is versatile enough for any holiday occasion. Fill a large, low bowl with boxwood, pinecones, and white hyacinth. This simple Christmas centerpiece is a good option for a round table.

Red Carnation Orbs

This tabletop take on pomander balls makes an eye-catching and easy Christmas display. Simply soak florists foam balls in water and cover with red carnations. Place the finished balls atop white vases or urns placed in a row along the center of your table. Use a green cloth table runner as an anchor for the vases and a pop of color.

Sparkling Season

Capture the look of a snowy Christmas with an all-white centerpiece and table decor. The secret to this beautiful monochromatic Christmas centerpiece idea is using various materials. Here, the table boasts everything from elegant white orchids to dishes and flatware in shades of ivory.

Editor's Tip: Texture often assumes greater importance in a monochromatic setting. The ribbed vases, pressed-glass stemware, and embroidered tablecloth all add interest to the scene.

Simple Ornament Platter

Natural or artificial magnolia leaves (we gave ours a quick spritz of gold paint) are set on a flat platter to form the foundation for an arrangement of holiday ornaments and tiny berry sprigs.

Go for a non-traditional color scheme by using a set of hot pink ornaments to make a bigger statement. A monochromatic version would give a more modern look to the Christmas table decor.

Tiered Tradition

A pair of stacked cake plates dressed with evergreens, glass balls, pinecones, and red berries make a sophisticated and simple Christmas centerpiece. A snow-covered display (just sprinkle plastic snow over the top and around the base of the cake plates) gives the Christmas table a magical aura.

Tabletop Christmas Trees

Tabletop Christmas trees are the perfect last-minute accessory for an empty tabletop.

To make your own Christmas table centerpieces like these:

1. Use a flat paper cone template to trace and cut out miniature Christmas tree shapes from crafts felt. Fold the felt in half and hand-stitch down the side to make it three-dimensional.
2. Finish by opening the cone shape in the middle and repeat the steps to create a bunch of centerpiece-worthy felt trees.
3. For the fringed trees, trim the edges of colorful cupcake liners and attach to a tree form.