A Christmas centerpiece sparkles with magic when illuminated with candles. The enchanting warmth of candlelight will fill your dinner guests of the wonderment of Christmas.
Designs for a Christmas Centerpiece With Candles
A candle centerpiece is the perfect way to complement your holiday décor with the beauty of candles. There are many types of designs for Christmas candle centerpieces, depending on the candles used, the style of the centerpiece arrangement, and decorative accents.
1. Foyer Table Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Try your hand at creating an artistic centerpiece like this one featuring round floating red tealights, two white pillar candles of different heights and white tapers in multi-colored candle holders. You'll need a white tray to hold the pillar candles and a few tealights. Add several pussy willow branches, two red rose blooms cushioned by eucalyptus sprigs and various greenery. Showcase your centerpiece on a foyer or front entrance table.
2. Ice and Snow Centerpiece
This striking centerpiece features a textured white pillar candle nestled in faux snow-covered pine boughs are decorated with cotton bolls, bundled cinnamon sticks, crystal teardrops, and mini white Christmas balls. Gold decorating wire is woven through the greenery. This makes a wonderful dinner table centerpiece for all your holiday meals.
3. Cranberry, Lime and Star Candle Centerpiece
Combine red and green with a bowl filled with cranberries and sliced limes. Top it off with white star candles sprinkled with gold glitter for a fun breakfast table centerpiece.
4. Candy Canes and Candle Dripped Bottles
You can create a budget friendly Christmas centerpiece with candles when you use empty glass bottles and taper candles that drip. Allow the candle wax to drip along the sides of the bottles. Be sure to use a glass coaster decorated with small gold beads for a cute candle holder. Add a jar filled with candy canes flanked with pine and berry sprigs. It's a great choice for every day dining during the holiday season.
5. Unexpected Black Candle Christmas Centerpiece
The unexpected is the theme for this Christmas centerpiece. Pine boughs dusted with snow are decorated with dried vines, white balls and dried lotus pods painted white. Black pillar candles are evenly spaced in the center of the arrangement for a stunning yet unexpected addition. Use this as a dramatic mantel centerpiece or for an elegant Christmas dinner party.
Finding Christmas Candles for Centerpieces
During the holiday season, most retailers will offer a range of decorative centerpieces with candles or candle holders. For centerpieces with fresh pine or flowers, online retailers offer good selections. Popular candle choices include:
- An Olde Christmas flameless flickering 4" x 6" pillar candle features colorful scenes from 1920s Christmas cards. Price is around $30 plus shipping calculated at checkout. Use this pillar candle for a Victorian Christmas theme or to create a nostalgic vignette in a foyer.
- A hand-poured square white candle features an engraved Christmas tree that is slowly illuminated as the candle burns down in the center of the block. The melting wax creates a tunnel that allows the engraved tree to become illuminated. By a few for a mantel centerpiece. Price is around $23 with free shipping on orders over $49.
- A big 7.85"H carved peppermint candle in a Baroque style is almost a centerpiece by itself. Be sure to use peppermint tealights (around $15 for 6) with in your centerpiece. Price is around $40 plus shipping calculated at checkout. You can use this amazing candle as part of a dining table centerpiece.
- A set of three hand painted unscented taper Christmas candles features stars, tree, wreaths, holly, and other holiday motifs in red, green and white. Price is around $28 with free shipping on order over $49. Add these to a traditional color themed centerpiece.
- An extra-large green Christmas tree candle that is 11"H x 5.5"D instantly becomes the focal point for any centerpiece. You can use smaller Christmas tree candles to create a forest of candle trees. Price is around $42 with free shipping. This makes a great mantel centerpiece addition.
Do-It-Yourself Holiday Candle Centerpieces
It is also easy to create your own Christmas candle centerpieces. These three projects are simple and can be made quickly and match any holiday décor.
Simple Candle Ring
This is perfect for placing on a buffet or brunch table.
- Choose a premade holiday candle ring with plain pine or holly accents.
- Choose a pillar candle that matches the size of the ring in a color that matches the décor of where the centerpiece will be placed.
- Add festive accents to the plain ring, such as silk poinsettia blooms, coordinating ribbon, or fake holiday candy.
- Insert the candle into the decorated ring.
Christmas Pillar Platter
Sturdy pillar candles are good to use when you know you'll be burning your centerpiece for a while.
- Select three pillar candles the same size.
- Wrap each pillar with wide decorative gold ribbon and secure with fabric adhesive.
- Select a tray or platter and arrange the three candles.
- Fill the tray/platter with various vine balls, painted wood curls and Christmas ornaments to your taste.
Gold or Bronze Taper Candle Bowl Centerpiece
Place this centerpiece on an end table or fireplace mantel.
- Use a brass advent 4-candle holder.
- Secure the candle holder in a gold or bronze bowl.
- Insert the gold or bronze taper candles in the candle holder.
- Add pine sprigs, pinecones, red berries, red ornament balls, cinnamon sticks, and florist greenery sprigs around the candles and holder until you've filled the bowl and the holder is camouflaged.
Tips for Christmas Centerpiece With Candles
There are many popular types of candles used in holiday centerpieces. Depending on the decoration style you want, you can choose the candles based on different characteristics.
Candle Shapes
Pillar and taper candles are the most popular for Christmas, but ball candles that can resemble ornaments are also suitable. Tea light and votive candles can be used in smaller centerpieces. Whimsical centerpieces may use molded or sculpted pillar candles shaped like snowflakes, snowmen, holly leaves, Santa Claus, reindeer, or other festive symbols.
Scented Candles
A scented candle centerpiece can turn an ordinary decoration into a stunning holiday accent. Gingerbread, vanilla, peppermint, cinnamon, cider, and pine scents are particularly popular for the holidays.
Candle Colors
Red and green are the obvious choices for candle colors for the holidays, but richer emerald and burgundy jewel tones can be elegant alternatives. Gold, silver, white, ivory, and ice blue are also popular candle colors, while mauve or purple candles are favorites for Advent candle centerpieces.
Candle Styles
The arrangement of candles in a centerpiece has a dramatic impact on its style and beauty. Christmas candle centerpiece ideas include:
- Single candles: One pillar or taper candle can be a stunning focal point of a centerpiece.
- Wreaths: Candle rings or wreaths are popular and easy designs for holiday centerpieces.
- Shields: A glass tube shielding a taper, votive, or pillar candle adds safety and elegance to a Christmas centerpiece with candles.
- Lines: Several candles arranged in a line along a plate or mirror can be an elegant centerpiece for large spaces.
- Bunches: Several candles of different heights or colors could be grouped together for a more substantial centerpiece.
- Elevated: A single beautiful candlestick can be a simple, understated centerpiece. A more elaborate design may include multiple levels.
Add Accents to Christmas Candle Centerpieces
You can use accents throughout your Christmas candle centerpieces. Choose a theme for your accent pieces for a consistent look, such as greenery accents of berries, poinsettias or pinecones. You can add sleigh bells, faux snow and ice, or Christmas icons and motifs, such as Santa Claus and elves.
Personalize Christmas Centerpieces With Candle Choices
A Christmas centerpiece with candles is an elegant addition to any holiday décor, and it could also be a beautiful holiday candle gift for a loved one or party hostess. As long as the centerpiece is well coordinated and safely used, it can add to seasonal cheer for many years.
