Get into the holiday spirit and take your dinner table spread to the next level with this beautiful DIY Holiday Centrepiece created by Jasmine Baker.
Jasmine has always been a fan of holiday table décor that represents the local bounty of the season and can be set up well in advance. This way you can enjoy the beauty of a long-lasting decorated table well before or after your celebration.
The day before…
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200ºF (93ºC).
Step 2
Using a serrated knife, cut your oranges into approximately 1 cm-wide slices.
Step 3
Place a wire rack over a baking sheet, and lay your orange slices on the rack, leaving at least a centimetre between each; they need room to properly dehydrate. You may need 2 racks and 2 baking sheets.
Step 4
Bake in oven for 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Turn 2-3 times and keep checking on them. The smaller and thinner slices may be ready to come out earlier.
Step 5
Orange slices should dry and cool fully on a rack before using.
Make your centrepiece…
Step 6
Separate your cedar sprays and pull out the fullest ones to place in the centre of your table. Start with sprays end to end, then slide them together toward the centre of your table, weaving the base of the branch into the leaves on each side.
Step 7
Use wire to tie the base branches (which will form the underlayer of the centrepiece) to a handful or good-sized pinch of leaves on the spray above. Do this on each side to create a little height in the centre.
Step 8
Use your other sprays to fill in the other ends so your cedar bows stretch from one end of the table to the other, getting thicker and bulkier in the middle and tapering out towards the ends.
Step 9
You can trim leaves and smaller branches off anywhere you like and then insert them in any holes you see. Perhaps covering up your two wire ties if they are visible.
Step 10
Now insert your redberry or holly branches, again focusing on bulk in the middle, tapping out to the ends.
Step 11
Now begin inserting your fresh herbs, then placing the apples, pears, walnuts, chestnuts, cinnamon sticks and orange slices. At this point the how and where is really up to you! Choose spots that look good to you; it’s your table after all.