Holiday Decorating With Cranberries

Bend bits of wire as hooks for cranberry "ornaments" on mini trees.

Start with cylinders of varying heights. Place red flowers, such as roses and amaryllises, and greenery in a metal flower frog. Attach the frog inside the cylinder using double-sided florist's tape. Cover the flowers with water, float cranberries on top and place a floating candle amid the berries. Change water daily. The piece should last up to seven days.

Freeze cranberries with just enough water to cover them, then add pieces to your ice bucket.

These trees require foam cones, fresh cranberries, pearl-topped pins, silver rope and beads—and a bit of time.

Begin with rigid foam cones 16, 12 and 10 inches tall, each with 4-inch bases. Insert pearl-headed pins through the long axis of fresh cranberries. On the first cone, begin pinning cranberries to the top, alternating silver cording with rows of cranberries. Establish a back side and attach the cord with dots of hot glue or pins. Fill a second cone exclusively with pinned cranberries, starting at the top. (Each of these cones takes two bags of cranberries.) Wrap the third cone with strands of silver beads secured with hot glue.

It's easier to make than it looks. Start with an 8-inch-square clear glass vase. Cut a piece of floral foam to a size that lets a layer of cranberries fit between the foam and the vase. Cover with water. Into the foam, insert red roses, striped 'Hocus Pocus' roses, red tulips and gold-tipped cedar (all available from florists) and silvery ornaments. Thread cranberries on thin florist's wire to loop above the arrangement.

Another easy, impressive centerpiece idea: Pour water into a watertight container. Add cranberries, rosemary and citrus for color. Submerge cans to make indentations for votives, and freeze.

Wide candles take shelter inside glass vases one-quarter full of artificial snow and topped with cranberries.

Wire redtwig dogwood stems into a circle, letting some stems stick out. Pop fresh cranberries on the tips. Thread cranberries on a long string, looping it around the wreath. Finishing touches: silver ball ornaments and greenery.

Spruce up your mantel with evergreen garlands topped with silver ornaments and clear glass containers. Try cylinders with cranberries and candles or votives atop vases holding floating cranberries or silver ornaments.

Drop cranberries inside the hollow stems of graduated and stacked cake plates. Silver ornaments, spray-painted silver nuts and greens line the plates; a trio of tiny trees rests on the top layer.

Crafts supply stores carry small bags to stuff with equal parts yogurt-covered raisins, dried cranberries and honey-roasted peanuts.

Wire-and-cranberry garlands loop through hanging fixtures dressed with evergreens.

Make this simple fruit arrangement using stick pins to attach cranberries to oranges, limes and lemons.

Sort cranberries before using them, removing any that are mushy or soft. Let them air dry.

Cranberries float. If you expect to keep them under water, cover them with something to weigh them down.

Change the water used with cranberries if it becomes murky or clouded. In water, cranberries should last about two weeks.

Cranberries will tarnish real silver; use stainless steel or another silver look-alike.