Faux evergreen placemats are very popular for holiday tablescapes, but can often be expensive. Let me show you how to make cedar placemats for a fraction of the price!

Cedar placemats can be very beautiful when creating a holiday tablescape. After not finding the ones I wanted online, I decided to make some. I shopped for faux pine sticks but they too were expensive. I wondered if I could make them from fresh cedar?

I found 25 feet of cedar garland from Costco for $12. You can check your local nursery as well. Here is a quick tutorial on how to make these yourself!

Supplies

• Cedar Garland
• Zip Ties or Floral Wire
• PVC Cutters
• Wire Cutters (optional)
• Scissors

Here are the simples steps I did to make my Cedar Placemats for my holiday tablescape.

Soak Your Garland

Since this is a fresh cedar garland, it will eventually die. One way to prolong its life is to water it. I soaked my garland overnight to give it a good drink of water.

Make sure to water your cedar garland and let dry before the next step. Now you are ready to create your cedar garland placemats.

Measure Your Garland

I would do this step outside since the garland is messy. I measured roughly 2 feet sections on my garland and made my cuts. The PVC pipe cutter worked great because the mouth opens so wide and gets around the large branches.

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There also was string connecting the branches and I used normal scissors to cut this.

Create Your Cedar Placemat

You will take your 2 foot cedar garland sections and round them into a circle. It will take a little bit of bending to make this look like a true circle.

Then attach the ends together. I tried rope and it was hard to do on my own, so I settled on zip ties. If you are outside and its cold, they snap easily so use them gently. Otherwise you can use craft wire.

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I made six cedar placemats and had plenty of cedar left to create a table centerpiece out of.

Create Your Tablescape

Now it is time to set your table. I shopped at my local home decor store called Rodworks for some fun pieces, including All Wrapped Up wrapping paper (use my code 20citygirl for a discount on their website here).

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I decided upon reindeer and tree decor. The gold and champaign bronze look was simple and matched the greenery.

Wrapping Paper Table Runner

I used the wrapping paper as a table runner. I cut it longer than the table and then taped it underneath. This way I can throw it all away when the season is over. Additionally with the tape it holds still onto the table.

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You can use wrapping paper in some many ways on a tablescape. Try it as a placemat or a centerpiece base!

Cedar Garland Centerpiece

Next up was the cedar garland centerpiece. I took some extra pieces from the 25 foot strip and cut it down to size for the middle of the table.

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After cutting my first strip, I realized I needed it shorter. I used the PVC pipe cutters to do this.

Add Your Placesettings

I love round jute placemats and I used these as a base layer. Then I laid the cedar placemats on top for a layered look, followed by my plates.

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The cedar placemats do raise up the plates a little. This didn’t bother me at all. If you plate is tilted just maneuver the cedar placemat. Here are some round placemats that I like:

You can even make round placemats on your own or find some at the Dollar Tree if you are lucky!

Table Center Piece

I added the beautiful pieces I snagged from Rodworks to the center, moving the cedar garland around them. If you nestle the pieces into the branches, they will be more steady.

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I added the gold leaf garland to the cedar garland by intertwining the leaves together. Then I added the reindeer and trees.

Napkin Holders

Finally I added the beautiful napkins as the final piece. I folded them into a square, and then pulled the tip through an ornament ring. The burlap ribbon tied the whole thing off. Simple and easy.

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You can add some twinkle lights as well to the trees and garland for a nighttime glow. This was a fun way to decorate my table for the holidays using a cedar garland and I love it.

Make sure to soak the placemats every few days to lengthen the life of the cedar. Enjoy!

Want a few more holiday decor ideas? Check out more Christmas posts here.