The Smells of Christmas

by Deb Swingholm

One of my favorite things about Christmas-time is the way it smells.  Think about pine branches, peppermint candy canes, pumpkin pie and other sweet delights, and you quickly understand the power and allure of scent.  Here are a few simple ideas for creating festive fragrance in your home using natural sources:

Candles

Candles lend a feeling of warmth and romance and are a perfect way to add scent.  I love pure beeswax candles for their naturally rich, sweet aroma.  Or, you can buy soy candles scented with essential oils, or get them unscented and add your own essential oil to the melted wax pool. Use a few drops of spruce, cedar or peppermint, for example.  For health reasons, avoid candles that have a metal core in the wick and candles that are perfumed with synthetic fragrances. 

Baking

There is nothing like the smell of warm apples and cinnamon to spice up the whole house!  Cookies, cakes, pies and gingerbread all smell delicious and make the house feel just a bit more cozy.  For the baking challenged among us, there are always ready-made options that can be warmed up at home.  Or, buy rolls of refrigerated cookie dough that can be popped in the oven. 

Personalized Potpourri

Make your own scent-laden sachets (small cloth bags or tied cloth bundles) or fill decorative bowls with your own handcrafted potpourri overflowing with wintery spices like dried apple, dried orange peel, cinnamon stick, peppermint leaf, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, bay leaf or cardamom.  Or, combine the resins of frankincense and myrrh with other herbs such as rosemary, thyme, cedar or even lavender.  Blend 3-5 ingredients together in a mixing bowl and crush gently with a wooden spoon.  Do this one item at a time, smelling as you go and using your intuition to choose the herbs and spices.  You can also add your finished mixtures to a pot of water and simmer on the stove over low heat.  Replenish the water as needed.

Room Misters

Create your own room spritzers using pure essential oils.  Fill a clean glass spray bottle with spring water.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of brandy (as a preservative) and 10-15 drops of essential oil.  Peppermint, orange, pine, rosemary and lavender are easily found at any health food store, as are the spray bottles.

Try out various scent combinations to see which ones appeal to your senses and delight your spirit!

© Deb Swingholm 2009. All rights reserved.

Tags: aromatherapy, Deb Swingholm