Centerpieces

With its pipe-cleaner candles, this small fir recalls a time when Christmas trees were brightened with flame. Five "snowflakes" encircle a 12-inch spine of wrapped floral wire.

It's almost time to gather around the table and prepare for your delicious annual feast. Much of the holiday season is spent enjoying festive treats and mixed cocktails, but your tabletop matters, too. To elevate your tablescape, turn to elegant place settings, gleaming glassware, and, of course, beautiful holiday centerpieces. These focal points are essentially the glue that holds a holiday party together, marrying essential elements of dinner duties with style. You'll have ideas for sophisticated place settings, festive napkin folds, and gleaming china and serving sets at the ready—but these holiday centerpiece ideas will become the star of a fantastic spread.  Florals are always welcome for the holidays, and a classic is shown here: fresh paperwhites. But Christmas celebrations also give hosts a chance to play with more vibrant colors and materials that only come out once a year. From glowing candles and ornaments to edible candy displays, all of the following holiday centerpieces embrace some of the most creative tactics known to interior designers. Our editors share the very best holiday centerpieces and how you can nail the concept in your own home.