Last Minute 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. 

You will need :
          Small Bowl
          Floral Foam
          Floral Waterproof Tape
          Candle
          #3 Ribbon for Bows
          Flowers for Focal Flower
          Flowers for Filler Flower
          Rose Strippers
          Wooden Wood Picks
          Floral Wrap Tape
          Small Pieces of #22 Wire

Prepare the container by cutting a piece of floral foam to fit the bowl. Soak the floral foam overnight. Place the floral foam in the bowl and secure with the floral waterproof tape. Take the candle and secure 2 wooden picks to the base of the candle using floral wrap tape. Place the candle in the center of the floral foam.

​Make 2 small bows with #3 ribbon. Secure with pieces of wire wrapped with floral wrap tape. Place a wooden pick at the end of the wires. Secure with floral wrap tape. Make 2 small streamers by taking a piece of ribbon and folding in half. Place a wooden pick at the fold. Secure with floral wrap tape. Set these aside.

Take branches of the Christmas tree trimmings and cut into small pieces. Many pieces are created from just one branch. Make the cuttings depending on the size of the container. 

Take a cutting and remove the needles from the branch using the rose stripper. Place the cutting around the base of the bowl. Place cuttings around the candle, going no higher than halfway the height of the candle. Continue to fill in the center of the foam with more cuttings.
Place a bow in the greenery at the base of the candle. Place the other bow on the opposite side. Place the streamers between the two bows on the opposite sides.
I used miniature carnations as the focal flowers for this arrangement. Place larger blooms of the miniature carnation opposite the bows. Fill in the arrangement with smaller blooms. 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.
I did the school arrangements in assembly line fashion. One year, I fixed 12 arrangements for their teachers. It was a hit with the teachers!