“Eleventh Hour” Christmas Gift . . .

Trimmings from the Christmas tree can be used to create a table centerpiece.

When our children were in elementary school, I fixed the same arrangements for all their teachers. Christmas tree trimmings can be saved and cut up to be used for small centerpieces for gifts. Simple bowls, such as cereal bowls, are excellent containers for these centerpieces.

It is amazing to me the amount of greenery I can get from just a few Christmas Tree branches! The trick is to cut the limbs into smaller pieces. Look at each branch. Look for the thickest stem of the branch. Look for small clusters of limbs. Cut close to the thick stem of the branch to create these clusters.

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​As I cut each piece of greenery, I cut it at an angle. Cutting a stem on an angle gives a finished look. Remember, make the cuts close to the thick stem or at the base of clusters.

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I use a rose stripper to remove the needles and bark from the base of each cutting. This allows the greenery to drink water and simpler to place the stem into wet floral foam.
I make a bow effect in the arrangement by placing loops of ribbon throughout the arrangement. Place the loops on wood picks and secure with floral wrap tape. Place the picks in the floral foam. Add streamers to wood picks and place at the ends of the tray.
I used miniature carnations as the focal flowers for this arrangement. I used Snowflake Pom-poms as the filler flowers. Place these blooms lower than the miniature carnations. Remember to place the blooms at various heights, with no blooms touching each other. Be sure to place blooms of the pom-poms close to the floral foam. This gives the arrangement depth.