Christmas Gems

The Scent of Christmas

The scent of Christmas is a powerful trigger that can conjure up images of Christmas of the past.  The memories of the scent of Christmas can be the smell of pine or the scent of baking home made cakes and biscuits. Many of the younger generation will not be familiar with the smell of burning orange peel in an open fire as they were brought up in centrally heated houses.  The scent of oranges and spices has long been associated with Christmas, left over from the days when oranges could only be had at Christmas time and spiced cakes and biscuits were a winter food.

Here are a few tips for recreating the scent of an old fashioned Christmas:

Take a few medium sized, firm oranges and insert a handful of whole cloves into the oranges.  If you have an artistic bent you could make patterns of bands and stars with the cloves.  The scent of the cloves will mingle with the orange scent to make a wonderful, natural room scenter.

 Cut cinnamon stocks to about half the height of a candle and then place them side by side, like a collar around the candle, using florists wire to hold them in place.  Tie a festive ribbon around the cinnamon sticks.

Put a collar of whole star anis around the bottom of a candle - this can be held in place with double-sided tape.  Place bowls of vanilla and cinnamon scented pot-pourree in each room.  If you have a real Christmas Tree the scent of the pine will mingle with the vanilla and cinnamon - the unforgettable scent of Christmas.