Fun and Colorful Tabletop Christmas Trees

This tabletop Christmas tree display feels like it's straight out of a snow globe with its icy decor and wandering polar bears. Cover a flocked tree with glass icicles and DIY snowflake ornaments. A sparkling forest of crafted and store-bought mini trees ups the cool factor, and a handmade paper snowflake crowns the scene. 

Our DIY felt candies look almost sweet enough to eat. Mix them with glass baubles filled with candy sprinkles on a tinsel tree, which gives the pastel palette some shine. 

This minimalist dowel rod tree looks sophisticated enough to display anywhere, but tiny teddy bear ornaments make it feel at home in a kid's room or play space. The toy bin (or the floor) is the place to start; small misfit toys and trinkets make great tree decor! DIY trimmings like the yarn-wrapped ornaments are super easy and inexpensive to make. Wrap the base of the tree with a chunky scarf and add miniature surrounding trees by wrapping yarn around paper or foam cones and securing with glue. 

Iconic moments from The Nutcracker and Swan Lake take center stage in this gorgeous Christmas tree display. Swans, soldiers and crafted gold lace crowns set off the deep blue, red and gold palette. Surround the main tree with assorted potted evergreens. Pretty paper extras like the gift tag ornaments. standing nutcrackers (they're greeting cards!) and wrapping paper gift crackers shine in the spotlight. We love the idea of placing cups or bowls around the base of the tree to hold yummy holiday treats during your next Christmas party. Our easy pattern and instructions make it so easy to create these adorable drum-theme cups yourself!

Stars can't have all the fun. Knit ornaments take center stage in this oh-so-cozy tabletop tree. Start with a colorful planter, then work your way up with woven ornaments. Wintry colors like red, blue, and gray let this tree bring warmth to your table long after Christmas.

This tabletop Christmas tree is truly a showstopper. Pretty felt flowers and leaves pop on a simple white tree shape. This elegant DIY holiday centerpiece is truly a statement piece. 

A forest of bottlebrush trees set the scene for a festive holiday table. This DIY centerpiece is made with trees, plastic reindeer figurines, and faux snow. Try adding fun accents like ruby red reindeer noses and gold antlers. 

Cheer up your front entryway with a little pattern play. These whimsical paper trees are super easy to make and require just a few materials: decorative cardstock, tape, and star-topped toothpicks. Glitter paper gives them extra sparkle without the mess!

Evergreen trees are like the emblem of Christmas. Go fresh or fake -- either way, these minis make lovely centerpieces. Tip: Be like Frosty and add a magic touch using fake snow, then pop them in colorful mini vases, available on the cheap at your local crafts store.

If it's tied in a bow, it's got to be good. Plant lemon cyprus trees in mini containers or soup cans, then using hot glue, wrap in burlap. A Santa-red bow makes them present-ation ready!

Make it mini! These DIY bottlebrush trees prove sometimes small is best. Make a bunch and scatter them with glass ornaments for a pretty Christmas centerpiece. 

No frosting here. These sweet trees call for a cone base, scissors, glue, and lots of cupcake liners. Alternate layers to help give the trees texture, then play with height for a more dramatic display.

Create a charming wintry look on your dining table with these woolen tabletop Christmas trees made from gently worn or cast-off sweaters.

To make the middle tree: Slide a paper-mache cone into one arm of a sweater with the cone base at the cuff. Pull the sleeve snugly around the cone, fitting the cuff around the cone base. Determine the placement of cutting lines so the sleeve slightly overlaps on the back of the cone. Mark straight cutting lines using a ruler and a water-soluble marking pen. Remove the sweater from the cone and cut along the lines; hot-glue the sweater to the cone. Glue assorted white buttons to the cone as desired.

To make the trees on the left and right: Cut the sweater back from side seam to side seam into approximately 2- to 3-1/2-inch-wide strips. Wrap each strip around the cones as shown, trimming strips as necessary for a slight overlap on the back. Hot-glue the overlaps to secure; if desired, glue buttons to each band.

The neutral shade of these easy-to-make tabletop Christmas trees will never go out of style. Draw a leaf pattern onto a piece of white paper; cut out. Trace the leaf shape onto thin cardboard and cut out enough pieces to completely cover a papier-mache cone (you'll need approximately 100 leaves to cover a 11-inch-tall cone and 150 leaves to cover a 13-inch-tall cone). Start at the base of the cone and hot-glue the cardboard leaves to the cone in rows, leaving the tips unglued. Alternate the spacing of the leaves so each tip extends between the two leaves in the row below it. Curl up the unglued tip of each leaf to give the tree dimension. Once you're done gluing, spray the tree with adhesive, then spray the tree with faux snow and shake off the excess.

Make your tabletop Christmas tree do double duty! A mini potted tree decked with pinecones and ornaments makes a festive holiday place setting. Simply add a nametag with rustic twine ribbon.

Instead of just one tabletop Christmas tree, place three side by side on a buffet table and elevate the center tree on a box hidden by black fabric for added presence. Decorate the classic evergreens however you'd like: We love an elegant statement of glittery snowflakes, red glass ornaments, white dove figurines, and a dazzling star topper.

Different-size pinecones dipped in green paint make for a stunning tabletop Christmas tree display. Dip the pinecones in latex paint; let dry for several hours. Once they’re ready to be showcased, stand them up inside white ceramic pots for a classic Christmas look.

The smallest Christmas tree is a just-right size for a simply decorated dining table. A color scheme of lime green and light blue adds warmth to the tiny evergreen display, and extra evergreen boughs strategically placed around the two pots showcase shimmery ornaments for a casual and stunning centerpiece.

Use our free template (available, below), to create your own cheap cardboard Christmas tree display. Outline the edges with satin ribbon for a pretty design you can be proud to display anywhere in your home.

Create a Christmas tree trio fit for a winter wonderland with this cozy idea. Cut leaf shapes from ivory felt. Use hot glue to attach the shapes to felt-covered cones, starting at the base and working your way up. Mimic the look of heavy snow-covered boughs by gluing on the felt leaves in an imprecise pattern as shown.

A faux white Christmas tree sports a special glow when decked out with strings of lights and a few glittery ornaments. Instead of a tree skirt, try a large wicker basket. The basket will hold the tree steady while lending a rustic look.

Rescue a few cut branches from your yard with this clever mini Christmas tree idea. Secure the branches in a container with florists foam and cover the top with moss. Trim your mini tree with spray-painted pinecones hot-glued to the branches, velvet (or real) acorns, silver star ornaments, and a pretty blue chiffon ribbon for a simply gorgeous garland.

For a fun (and no-mess) twist on the tabletop Christmas tree, cut thin pieces of wood veneer into Christmas tree shapes. Spray a layer of green chalkboard paint on the shapes; let dry. Write holiday-inspired messages on the trees with chalk, and "plant" them in small boxes filled with faux snow.

These crystallized-candy cones are a fun alternative to a traditional tabletop tree. To make the cones, pour three long horizontal rows of rock candy crystals in three or more colors on a baking sheet, placing the rows flush together. Pour the lightest color of crystals at the top of the baking sheet, the midrange color in the center, and the darkest color at the bottom. Wrap solid light-color cardstock around florist foam cones, slightly overlapping the paper at the back of the cone and securing it with hot glue. (Note: Do not apply the glue to the cone, which will melt. Large cones may need two sheets of paper to cover them completely.) Spread crafts glue on the cones and roll them in crystals; let dry. Repeat, if needed, to cover cones completely with crystals. Fill in small gaps using hot glue and hand-placed crystals.

Hit a sweet note with this crafty Christmas tree made from folded strips of vintage sheet music and patterned paper. To make, cut 1/2x4-inch strips from sheet music and patterned paper (about 150 sheet music strips and 40 paper strips). Fold a strip in half to make a loop; do not crease fold. Pin the ends of the loop to the bottom of a 9-inch tall foam cone.

Continue adding sheet music loops around the bottom of the cone, alternating with a few patterned-paper loops for accents. Pin another row of loops to the cone, placing the new loops between the first-row loops and low enough to cover the pins in the first row.

For the top row, fold the cut ends of the loops flat over the top of the cone; pin in place. Pin 5 inches of 1/4-inch wide lace trim around the top of the cone; cut excess. Hot-glue a small jingle bell to the top of the cone for a pretty tree topper.

Spruce up your holiday dining table with a trio of evergreen trees as the centerpiece. Stand three 12-inch tall yews, nestled among root balls and a bed of moss, in a galvanized tray. Anchor the trees with white and purple eggplants for an unexpected touch. 

Editor's Tip: Use out-of-the-ordinary vessels to make mini evergreens stand out. Try lanterns, galvanized mop buckets, watering cans, soup tureens, vintage bread boxes, or feed bags when looking for a good base for your tabletop Christmas tree.

This mini Christmas tree made from folded paper is a fun accent for a holiday dessert buffet. To make, start with two pieces of 12x12-inch red cardstock. Cut two 2-1/2x12-inch strips. Cut two 12-inch strips that are 1/8-inch narrower than the first strips, then cut two 12-inch strips 1/8-inch narrower than the second strips, continue cutting two progressively narrower strips until all cardstock has been trimmed. Lay a strip on a scoring board; score crosswise lines spaced 1/2-inch apart along the strip. Repeat with the other strips.

Punch one long edge of each strip with a scallop-edge punch; accordion-fold the strips on the scored lines. Use clear-drying glue to adhere the short edges of two strips together to make a medallion. Squeeze the medallion together to close the opening in the center and secure with hot glue. Repeat with the remaining strips.

To make the smaller medallions for the top third of the tree, shorten the strips before joining pairs. Hot-glue the folded medallions together to make the tree shape, starting with the largest medallion at the bottom and ending with the smallest medallion at the top. Hot-glue a ball ornament to the top of the tree.

Deck your holiday table in silver and gold with this timeless tabletop Christmas tree. A pint-size silver faux tree adorned with handmade ornaments created from cast-off materials stands in a small galvanized pot. Learn how to make the perfect ornaments for this tiny tree, below.

Create an old-fashioned look for a side table with a 3-foot-tall tabletop Christmas tree in a copper pot. Adorn the tree with simple paper ornaments and display next to a stack of old books for rustic character.

For a nontraditional tabletop Christmas tree, wrap potted lemon cypress trees in kraft paper, tie with twine, then dress them up with curled white paper ribbon. Place on either side of a holiday drink buffet for a fresh display.

These faux firs are made from folded circles of felt adhered to a foam cone base. Trace a 2-1/2-inch and a 3-inch circle onto tracing paper; cut out. Using the tracing paper, trace the circles onto lightweight cardboard and cut out. Using an iron on medium heat, press freezer paper, shiny side down, onto one or two shades of green felt. Trace the circles onto the freezer paper, cut out the circles with pinking shears, and peel off the freezer paper.

Fold a 3-inch circle in half, then in half again, pushing a straight pin through the point of the folded circle. Holding the folded felt above the pin, push the pin into the cone, beginning at the base. Add folded circles in rows around the cone, fluffing out the edges as you go and using the smaller circles are you near the top of the cone. Alternate felt colors and attach mini ornaments with pins if desired.

Editor's Tip: Depending on the colors of your other decorations, consider creating these trees with white felt and aqua or pink accents.

Buttons, buttons, and more buttons are all it takes to make this festive tree. Hot-glue new or vintage buttons to a foam cone, then display your masterpiece on a table or mantel.

Try this easy project that requires few materials and looks great sparkling from atop a mantel or buffet table.

Keep things simple with a white feather Christmas tree adorned with jingle bells hung from blue ribbon. Add to the wintry color scheme by displaying the tree in a galvanized pail; accent the display with a footed bowl of blue and silver ornaments nestled among a bit of greenery.

Conical shapes grow into a statuesque forest simply by rolling handmade papers into points and trimming the bottoms to keep them upright. For a pretty composition, vary the patterns and heights, then glue a gold bead to the top of each cone.

A large glass vase is all it takes to transform a mini pine tree into a stunning winter terrarium. Simply fill the bottom with sugar and place in a mini tree or greenery branch. Add to a tray with bright ornaments and sprigs of in-season berries. 

This year, keep the color scheme simple. A white tree pops when topped with red ornaments and a dark garland. Keep the theme going with simple wrapped gifts in one or two colors.