3 easy ways to style a Christmas candle centerpiece for a dining table.
I have my house decorated for Christmas, but my mind is always thinking up decorative ideas on how I can make my home look and feel the best for the way Ed and I live in it.
I also don’t have a lot of space and surfaces to try my ideas on, so I sometimes end up redoing something just to see how it will look.
This is what happened when I saw this image…
…on Pinterest. Now I can’t get the simplicity of the rustic wood candle holder out of my head.
While online, I also found this photo of a reclaimed wood votive holder at The Painted Fox.
Seeing these made me want to make a rustic candle holder to use as a dining table centerpiece. Problem is, I don’t have a dining room with a rectangular dining table anymore.
The only dining table I have in my house is my kitchen table and it is round. A plank centerpiece like these would be too long.
Even knowing this, I couldn’t get the wood plank style taper candle holder out of my head, plus I already have a Christmas candle centerpiece for my kitchen table.
A few weeks ago I bought this oversized Luminara 6″ x 6″ flicker flame battery-operated wax candle.
I turn it on every night. It looks so real, both the flame and the candle itself. (flame in photo is blurry, it doesn’t show how the flame flickers) I am getting spoiled with being able to turn it on and off with the touch of a button. :-)
I also have my collection of Kosta Boda glass Snowballs around it and lit when we eat dinner. I love the glow of both the battery-operated and the real flames.
Even with liking my current candle centerpiece, I still couldn’t get the idea of making a holder to hold many candles out of my head and found an old box of red taper candles.
I started experimenting to see how they would look massed together on the center of my table.
3 Ways to Style a Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Option 1:
If you have a collection of taper or colonial style candlesticks and a wreath, you can easily create a DIY Christmas centerpieces using candles in a few different ways.
Grouping the candles together will always add more impact to a table than only using one or two.
I gathered up 5 candle holders that were all the same height. I used these on my Christmas mantel last year.
I put a candle in each one and then placed them in the center of a cedar wreath.
Since I normally use pillar style candles to decorate, I forgot how fast and easy a Christmas candle centerpiece like this is to create.
The amount of candles you can place inside a wreath will depend on the diameter of the candle holders. I could fit 5 in mine.
Option 2:
Add rustic charm by placing a few glittered pine cones inside the wreath to cover up the candle holders.
Option 3:
For a more dressy look, place a collection of ball style ornaments to cover the candle holders.
Using the tapers in a circle, did remind me of an advent candle, which I guess isn’t a bad thing for a Christmas decoration. :-)
One More Christmas Candle Centerpiece Idea
While I was on a candle holding creating roll, I decided to go a step further.
I found a slice of tree trunk in my decor stash that I have used for many decorative purposes and drilled a few candle size holes evenly around it.
I made each hole approx. 3/4″ deep.
Drilling the holes took a little time, but I liked the outcome.
A few of the candles where too small for the holes, so I wrapped some tape around the bottom of the candles to create a snug fit.
I have no place to use this, but maybe I will swap it out with the battery-operated candle for Christmas dinner.
Once the holidays are over, I will use it with white candles.
If I can find a piece of aged barn wood, I may try to make a holder more like the wood plank candle holder, but a shorter version to fit on my round table.
My mind never rests, it is always in creating mode.
No matter how I style my candles for Christmas – all that is really needed though, is the candles and a simple holder as the glow from them is what creates the Christmas magic… and maybe a little cedar, pine. and a twinkle light or two. :-)
Jbrown. says
Love them all… You are so creative. Merry Christmas. Loved seeing the new pics of Zoe. She’s adorable.
Diane Henkler says
Hi Jaye – Thanks :-) The grandkiddies – XOXO Such a joy, right? Enjoy yours this Christmas.
Denise Morrison says
Hi Diane
I love all of your great ideas.
When I read that you put tape around your candles to make them fit, I thought I would share what I do in that instance. My mother taught me that when a taper candle base is too small for the holder, place a cotton ball over the holder’s hole (or more, depending on the snug factor required), insert candle, and voila! It fits. The cotton spreads out and fills in the space like insulation does. It works for me every time. If there is cotton overflowing, just tuck and finesse it out of sight. Hope you like this tip. Take care. Merry Christmas ?
Diane Henkler says
Hi Denise – Thank you for sharing your idea on keeping candles snug in their holder. I love ideas like this that are simple and use basic items we have in the house. Merry Christmas.
Holly says
I can see why you fell in love with that photo!! Love it. I too don’t have a lot of places for Xmas displays, which I love creating. But I also don’t like a lot of clutter either, so it’s quite the balancing act. I’m keeping winter decor up in January & possibly February, as winter lasts a long time here & also we are all home so much.
Kathy says
Diane I love your posts they are always so instructive. Like you I am always ready to enhance my Christmas decorations. What I have started thinking about is after I take down Christmas. I was thinking on a winter theme. As it is a long way before spring. I’m thinking of a gold theme to set up after Christmas. Any thoughts?
Diane Henkler says
Hi Kathy – Adding gold accents now until springs sounds perfect. Gold has a warmness to it that will help to keep things feeling cozy, yet bright. Add a few layers and textures using it and it will look very nice.
Jenny Young says
I think your version is beautiful! I love taking an inspiration picture & trying to copy it using only what I have.
A thought for the original though…do you have a mantle, a deep window sill or a coffee table you could place one on? I have eliminated most of my flat surfaces so I’ve had to streamline my decorating as well.
Gina says
I love those battery operated pillars. Mine have a timer, so they go on at the same time everyday, then off 5 hours later. It is wonderful to come home to cozy candle glow in the evenings! I got three of them at Wal-Mart for $10 and originally I did not like the orange-y glow, but they really do look like real candles.
Diane Henkler says
Hi Gina – The glow from the battery operated candles does run a little more orange yellow when you look up close, but from a distance they look so real. I am a fan after trying out a few brands. Thank you for mentioning how you use the timer that comes with the candles. Mine has a timer too, I will have to set that up to make using the candle even easier.
Merry Christmas
Merri Jo says
I like all of your centerpieces, but the pine cones & greens really got my creative ideas flowing. That would look great in our lake cottage! My husband refers to my candle “inventory”, & I just have no idea what he means! ;-)
Diane Henkler says
Hi Merri Jo – :-) I know exactly what he means. I have quite an inventory also. I hope you have a very merry candlelit Christmas.
Michele Hao says
Very pretty. I enjoy your blog. You always have such great ideas. Aloha from Hawaii.
Diane Henkler says
Thank you Michele – Mele Kalikimaka