Poinsettias have long been associated with Christmas, but I don’t love the oversized awkwardness and the aluminum wrapped pots that make them hard to use on the table as centerpieces. Not wanting these beauties to go overlooked, I’m showing you how to transform the plants into a showstopping centerpiece.

This was bought at the local Harris Teeter, but of course you can use your white or pink varieties as well.

You’ll need “frogs” to support the cut stems. These can be purchased at craft or floral supply stores. They are actually quite handy and good to have on hand for any floral project.

Grab whatever vessel you’re using- could be a sterling silver bowl to a piece of pottery, or even a crystal bowl (put some moss in it to hide the frogs and stems), and place the frogs in the bottom. I needed 4 for this particular bowl. I do suggest keeping it a lower container since the stems, even after trimming, are a larger bloom.

Trim from the plant the fullest blooms or the ones with the nicest leaves and sturdiest stems. Be careful while trimming, as the stems do emit a white milky like substance, but this will stop after a minute or so after cutting. I do like to leave some of the top leaves on the stem, but strip many off them off towards the bottom.

Stick the stems into the frog prongs to keep them upright. Careful not to push too hard, as you’ll bend the stems and will cause a limp. I started with some of the smaller branches around the edges and then filled in the center with the taller more full stems.  Make sure to have some water in the bottom to keep the stems wet.

If you are doing a buffet or longer table piece, or are looking for a little bit more decor to add to your placesettings, I suggest saving the smaller leaves/branches and using small bud vases or vases of varying heights and sizes with just a simple stem in water to add some other arrangements.

Here we placed on each place setting for a nice greeting as guests found their seats.

Thank you to Lucy Cuneo Photography.