55 Christmas Centerpiece Ideas to Try in 2024

ELLE DECOR A-List Titan Kelly Wearstler ditched the traditional and went straight for the dramatic with this one. “When I host dinner parties this time of year, I hope to surprise my guests and give them a new experience,” she says. Consider us surprised, with that stunning choice of crackled glass table, barren branches, and dark charcoal taper candles.

Whoever said you need a vast dining table in order to have a joyous (and beautiful) holiday feast? This tiny, round one proves that sometimes less is more. If you’re setting the table for only two this year, all you really need is a nice set of dinnerware, a fresh garland, and some extra bits and bobs (candlesticks, chalices, leafy napkin rings). Voilà! Dinner is served.

Take a page from this lush green tablescape by extending what’s at the center of the table outward—in the form of branches hanging over the whole setup, yes, but most importantly the draping tablecloth. This strategic move really ties it all together and provides the perfect canvas for further accessorizing.

Want to spice up a boring white tablecloth? Place a bold table runner over it, like this red one that absolutely steals the show. High-contrast table linens are bound to capture your guests’ attention (after they calm down about how good your food is), while providing a smooth surface for all your centerpiece-related tchotchkes.

You don’t need a silver fork to enjoy good food, the saying holds, but a well-styled tabletop and an attention-grabbing centerpiece will certainly add sweetness to any bite. In this tabletop moment from Darryl Carter’s townhouse in Washington, D.C., marble plinths support a bounty of satsumas and French cheese. “This tablescape is decadent for decadence’s sake,” the ELLE DECOR A-List Titan explains. “The intention was to pile delicacies in a carefree and inviting manner to encourage guests to comfortably gather and help themselves.” Can we get an invite?

In this flamboyant, Victorian-esque scene at the legendary Claridges Hotel in London, the table is awash in exuberant textiles that make the case for maximalism love. “We wanted the table to feel beautifully warm and festive, classically British with reds and whites, but also design led by matching the napkins with the table linen and adding in contemporary ikat glassware,” Maison Margaux’s Louisa Preskett Mobbs explains.

And the centerpieces? Bubbled, amber tumblers line the table and are filled with sprigs of red berry branches. Interspersed between them are moody black candles that add a soft glow. “Candlelight is everything at Christmas, and we mixed some of our rental candlesticks with antique ones from Claridges,” she adds. It’s as riotous as it is lovely.

If you’re really getting into tablescaping for the long haul, think like a business—Preskett Mobbs’s business, in fact. “We have a huge range of accessories and little touches to rent,” she explains. You too can invest in a range of accessories each season that become beautiful forever pieces capable of being mixed and matched over the years. “We like to encourage our customers to ‘buy the classics and hire the seasonal trends.’” she adds. Case in point: This classic tartan display is made even more festive with an assemblage of mismatched crystal vases that, when combined, are seamlessly synchronized.

Forget the dream of a white Christmas and go for a safari-themed one: with a palette that lends itself to almost any botanical centerpiece. Here, Preskett Mobbs brought in sprigs of tree branches to add texture to the silver-vesseled candlesticks and complementary-colored yellow glasses. “We love going for the unexpected with festive tables,” she explains.

Whoever said having the blues was a bad thing? In this regal spread, a blue ceramic jar holds billowing hydrangeas that are layered with wispy white filler. The florals’ blue is further echoed in coordinating linens. “Match your napkins to your table linen for a beautiful pattern-on-pattern effect,” Preskett Mobbs explains. “Tie your napkins with velvet bows to make your table look and feel literally like a present for your guest. ’Tis the season for giving, after all!”

We can’t get enough of Preskett Mobbs’s spreads, clearly! This is a more understated approach (for Maison Margaux) to a holiday spread, which is both festive and jubilant. Here, an array of florals in more saturated hues ties in to the patterned tablecloth—all anchored by a simple fresh garland. Whatever the menu, we’ll have what they’re having!

Looking to go beyond the predictable holiday themes? “Sometimes an arrangement of moss and lichen from the yard can do the trick,” says designer Liz Williams. Zhuzh it up with a glass cloche and velvet ribbon, ensuring your guests feel right at home. We’re loving her use of vertical space in this airy dining setup, which makes room for the countless trays of food that are sure to come out of the kitchen. As for how to make space in your stomach… we’ll let you worry about that!

Here’s another winning tableau from Williams, who opted for a low-height arrangement that allows for easy eye contact. In this blue-toned dining room, a simple basket of seasonal fruits complements the corresponding green glassware. “Flowers are always nice, but for the holidays I like to use fruits and items from the yard to add texture and interest,” she explains. “The bright and unexpected pop of orange persimmons is not the traditional holiday color.” But it’s ever so lovely, all the same.

We at ELLE DECOR certainly have a special place in our hearts for pattern and frill, no doubt. But there’s something to be said for a pared-back look during the holidays that transforms home into a calm-inducing sanctuary. And nobody does it better than the Interior Collective’s Anastasia Casey, whose lake house dining table features a simple spray of garland, alongside rustic tapered candles that stand at varying heights. Tip: For a fun twist on an old classic, opt for thin tapered candles like these.

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Few things brighten up a room during the holidays like a classic tartan table linen, a festive favorite since Queen Victoria’s reign. Its versatile pattern complements a wide variety of centerpieces, from green botanicals to metallic candlestick holders (both embellish this happy dinnerware display, arranged by designer Phillip Thomas). As the Scots would say, pure dead brilliant!

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