Christmas Table Centerpieces
Everyone loves the look of those traditional centerpieces! You cringe, however, at the high cost. You are lured in by beautiful photos of centerpieces packed with flowers - but are sometimes disappointed when the flowers arrived and you feel a little gypped because yours doesn't look as "full and lush" as the picture did when you ordered it.
Don't think that this is the fault of the local flower shop. They have to pay a percentage to the big name wire service to receive wire orders and then have to follow a "recipe" that tells them exactly how many stems of flowers go in a centerpiece. The description tells the shop that this is an "all around" piece - meaning the flowers have to be evenly distributed from all sides.
What they don't always tell you is that the professional photo from the advertised service sometimes has ALL the flowers crowded in one one side - maybe one or two of them peeping over the top edge!
If the customer complains - then it is usually the shop that has to provide the upgrade to satisfy the customer. I used to wish that the wire service had to present the photo from both the side AND top - so the customer would see exactly what they were buying!
Creating your own large centerpiece isn't as hard as it looks. Christmas greens fill in the overall design very quickly and even inexpensive flowers (such as carnations and chrysanthemums) give it a full, lush appearance. You can also use more expensive flowers like lilies and roses, but these will probably have to be replaced as they don't have the longevity of the Christmas greens.
Here is what you'll need:
- 1 low centerpiece tray or container
- Approximately 2/3 of a brick of Oasis florist foam
- Candle Stakes or Chimney Globe holder
- Optional: Waterproof Tape
- Assorted Bulk Greenery Evergreens: fir, yew, holly, pine, seeded eucalyptus, boxwood, spruce, seeded eucalyptus, etc. (Note: Christmas arrangements look better with a mix of greens rather than just one variety)
- Glass chimney, vase or globe
- Candle(s) (12" or taller preferred) (Note: never leave a burning candle unattended)
- Assorted bulk flowers: (Florists use flowers like chrysanthemum pomps, daisies, roses, standard carnations, miniature spray carnations, lilies, freesia, hydrangeas, hypericum berries, and more)
- A few glass Christmas ornaments
- Heavy florist wire : 21 - 22 gauge or similar
- Florist tape
- Leafshine or other greenery polish
- Finishing Touch flower sealant
