Halloween is the kick-off to fall holiday decorating. Start the season off right by creating autumn container gardens, evening luminaries and potted pumpkin topiaries. 

 

Dining and buffet tables become center of attention during fall and winter. That's because our three major holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas mean entertainment time. 

 

Impress your guests with simple centerpieces that are cost efficient, effective and easy. Each of the designs below can be customized for the individual holidays. These timely trios make for stylish, uncomplicated decorating that dazzle! 

 

Buffet Tree Trio

 

Materials

 

• Sturdy clear glass vase, approximately 14- to 16-inches tall with a 6- to 7-inch opening 

• Enough of the following materials to fill the tall vase half full- - Candy corn for Halloween, unshelled nuts for Thanksgiving, gold or white rocks for Christmas. 

• Dried or faux branches, approximately 26-inches tall. Buy enough branches to fill your tall vase and make sure you can re-use these same branches for each holiday. 

• (Optional) Appropriate ornaments for the coming holiday 

 

Directions

 

1. Fill the vase half full either candy corn, unshelled nuts or rocks. 

2. Insert the branches into the filler material. 

3. (Optional) Hang appropriate holiday ornaments off the branches. 

 

Planted Potted Trio

 

Materials for one vase:

(Note- this design looks even more impressive when 2 or 3 vases (for each holiday) are lined down the dining table.)

 

• One rectangular glass vase, 8-inch tall x 5-inches in diameter 

• Enough of the following materials to fill the vase half full- Candy corn for Halloween, unshelled nuts for Thanksgiving, gold or white rocks for Christmas. 

• 4-inch clay pot 

• Acrylic paint- yellow or orange for Halloween and Thanksgiving, red or gold for Christmas 

• (Optional)- Spray-on Varathane for a glossy painted pot finish 

• One 4-inch plant- yellow or orange chrysanthemum for Halloween and Thanksgiving, red cyclamen or poinsettia for Christmas 

 

Directions

 

1. Paint the clay pot the appropriate color for the selected holiday. Let dry. 

2. (Optional) When the paint is dry. Shine it up with one or two coats of Varathane. Let dry. 

3. Take the plant out of its original pot and transplant it into the painted pot. 

4. Now fill the vase half full with either candy corn, unshelled nuts or rocks. 

5. Finally, simply insert the painted pot with holiday plant inside the candy corn, nut or rock filled vase. Remember, two to three of these planters look awesome in the center of your holiday dining table. You may want to complete the mood by accessorizing with votive or short pillar candles. 

6. Trio-mendous Lily Centerpiece (This design makes a great hostess gift too)] 

 

Materials

 

• Small glass ice bucket or vase that is approximately 5-inches tall x 6-inches in diameter 

• 1 to 2 packages of fresh cranberries -enough to fill the glass ice bucket or vase. (For Halloween replace the cranberries with corn candy and for Thanksgiving use unshelled nuts.) 

• Approximately 3 to 5 stems of multi-bloom stargazer lilies- (For Halloween and Thanksgiving replace the stargazers with yellow or orange colored lilies.) 

• Water tubes, enough for each lily stem. (Water tubes are available wherever you buy your flowers or at craft stores.) 

• Flower food/preservative 

• Floral clippers 

 

Directions 

 

1. Fill the ice bucket or vase nearly to the top with cranberries. (Remember, for Halloween use corn candy and for Thanksgiving replace the cranberries with unshelled nuts.) 

2. Fill the water tubes with water that has been treated with flower food/preservative, and replace their plastic caps. 

3. Cut the lilies to approximately 3 to 4 inches in length and remove all the greens, except for the greens closest to the blooms. (Remember, for 

4. Halloween and Thanksgiving replace the stargazers with yellow or orange colored lilies.) 

5. Insert each lily into individual water tubes. 

6. Now plunge each lily (with water tube) deeply into the cranberry, corn candy or nut filled ice bucket or vase. The lilies should be evenly dispersed to fill the entire container.