It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… well, at least where I am in Minnesota! We got a little over an inch of snow last night and a chill is in the air.
When the weather outside is frightful, I like to make my home smell delightful. But I don’t always want to be baking cookies, breads, or anything else (and my clothes don’t want me to, either).
I love scented candles and have them all over my house. Occasionally my soul needs something a bit more…rustic. I feel like my muse is about 150 years old and she doesn’t always enjoy all things contemporary. That being said, I’ll give you an alternative “today” option below.
Before we moved into our current house, we had a wonderful wood stove. I would put things like this together in an old pot and set it on top. As the heat powered thermal fan blew heat through my house, it also wafted wonderful scents, orange, cinnamon, during cold season I would even put oils in there that are supposed to help you breathe easier.
Last night, I was feeling in such a nostalgic mood that I made my own potpourri once again. While the recipes for this everywhere often call it “old time” Christmas fragrance, I really can’t see pioneers wasting food simply to create a nice, smelling home. Especially spices which would’ve been expensive for them. BUT, I do think that when they baked, they enjoyed the scents just as much as we do today and if you read my fruitcake recipe last month, you’ll see many of the same ingredients this month…things that make you go…hmm.
For my Scent of Christmas potpourri, I use about a cup of cranberries, 1 sliced orange (I don’t bother to dry it), a stick of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon cloves, a sprig of rosemary (or a tablespoon dried) and anise if you have it. You’ll also need to add 2 cups of water and you’ll need to keep adding water if you cook it on the stove.
This is mine, it’s not gorgeous (not ugly though, either) but smells fantastic.
For the readers who like things a bit more contemporary, you can put the same ingredients in your crock pot on low or even on your keep warm setting and it will just send a lovely fragrance through your house all day. I like this option because everything in the recipe is food-grade, so I don’t need any special warmer.
How about you? Do you do anything special to make your home smell like the holidays?