Plug-ins, sprays and all those other popular air fresheners are a quick and easy way to give your home a burst of cinnamon, apple and vanilla, but they smell like, well, air fresheners! To give your home those authentic aromas of the holiday season, why not choose more natural, healthier alternatives and just skip those synthetic fragrances?
Candles, fruits, spices and, of course, fresh-baked cakes and other goodies can fill your home with aromas that truly say ‘the holidays are here.’ Certain scents conjure up thoughts of happy times, cozy family get-togethers and holiday cheer and can make any house smell like home. Unless you keep that oven cranking out delicious-smelling dishes all through the holidays, you’re going to need a little help with your aromatic endeavors.
Create Holiday Fragrances and a Welcoming Glow With Candles
Most of us are familiar with how candles can spruce up our holiday decor, add a little warmth and light and fill the air with pleasant aromas. But you don’t have to go out and buy scented candles; you can make your own right in the kitchen and make it a fun family event for the whole family. Making candles isn’t a complicated project, and when you choose the DIY alternative, you can create scents that are uniquely yours with natural, healthy ingredients.
All you need to get your home smelling like the holidays with candles is some beeswax, wicks, coconut oil and your spice or other ingredients of choice. Ginger, clove, cinnamon and vanilla are all terrific scents for making your home smell like fall and the holiday season. The fun part is experimenting and coming up with different blends of scents. You already know what aromas you find most pleasing, so start with those and let your creative juices flow.
Besides the fun and creative expression you’ll enjoy, making homemade scented candles gives you a chance to add some decorative elements along with the awesome aromas. From decorating your candle jars with colors and texture to using unusual containers like small metal flower pots or canning jars, you can create one-of-a-kind candles that can stand on their own or work with more elaborate arrangements.
Use Essential Oils for Unforgettable Holiday Aromas
Essential oils are increasingly popular because of their natural ingredients, reported health benefits and most of all, for the many ways they can be used as an aromatic, non-synthetic air freshener and additive. From perfumes to cleaning products, there’s a whole lot of people making their own concoctions with the seemingly unlimited scents of essential oils. Holiday staples like orange, eucalyptus, vanilla, peppermint and many others can be mixed and matched to create blends that give your home that just-right scent for the holidays.
Creating with essential oils is an easy-to-learn skill that can open a whole world of possibilities for creating an aromatic atmosphere. Pine, cedarwood, nutmeg and frankincense are just some of the holiday scents that can be used alone or in blended recipes. There are plenty of field-tested recipes for getting started with blending essential oils that can fill the air in your home with the aromas of a winter forest, Spiced Chai and even pumpkin pie. Using proven recipes is a great way to get familiar with combinations, but the real fun comes from experimenting and trying out different scents for your home.
Another smart way to use essential oils for holiday scents that also creatives a beautiful and natural decorating element, these cinnamon scented pine cones are easy to make. You can use these scented pine cones in a decorative bowl or as part of a table centerpiece. Your holiday guests will wonder where all that rich aroma is coming from.You can keep it as your little secret and leave them wondering how you did it.
Stovetop Scents for the Holidays
Of course, your stove top and oven are going to do their part creating rich, delicious smelling holiday scents as you cook up your favorite meals and desserts. The warm whiff of apple and pumpkin pies and the aromatic, mouth-watering smell of baking turkeys and hams certainly fill the air with their unmistakable holiday scents. But you can also use that stove top to ‘cook up’ some enticing bouquets using fruit, spices and other natural ingredients.
All you need to fill your home with holiday aromas all through the fall and winter is a pot and some fruits and spices. Fill the pot with water and your other ingredients and bring it to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let everything simmer. Be sure to top off with more water while it’s simmering to keep the ingredients submerged. You can use just about anything you like for this homemade concoction. Just like with candles and essential oils, you can have a lot of fun finding that perfect blend.
You can’t go wrong with some basics like cinnamon sticks, apple pieces, vanilla and cloves. But don’t stop there! Play around with different combinations of ingredients like pine needles, mint, bay leaves and, of course, essential oils. This holiday brew will fill your home with the sweet smell of fall and winter throughout the short days and longer evenings. Just make sure no one mistakes your stove top creation for one of your delicious recipes – it sure smells good, but we bet it tastes awful!
More Ways to Make Your Home Smell Like the Holidays
Potpourri
Set out some fall or winter potpourri with dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon sticks and other natural ingredients for a subtle aroma for any room in the house. Remember that potpourri does double-duty as a decorating accent, so make sure you get some color in there. A simple green, red or orange glass bowl makes for an attractive display.
Homemade Soap
You can make this quick and easy Apple Pie Soap and enjoy the smell of freshly baked apple pie in the kitchen and bathroom. Every time you wash your hands, you’ll get a dose of holiday home cooking aromas, and the soap even puts off a mild scent when not in use.
Rosemary Wreaths
Rosemary isn’t just for cooking. One of the most aromatic of herbs, Rosemary evokes the atmosphere of walking through the forest in winter. The beautiful green color works great with holiday decor, and the sprigs can be tied up with decorative fabric or sting to make small wreaths that you can use all over the house.
Scented Scouring Powder
You’re going to be cleaning the house throughout the holidays, so why not mix up some aromatherapy elements and baking soda for a dual-purpose solution. Baking soda is a natural antibacterial cleaner and ground up herbs and spices give this homemade cleaning solution that wonderful holiday smell.