One of the most memorable things about this time of year is the smells we associate with it. Whether that be fresh pine, cinnamon, clementine or vanilla, you can be sure that when that familiar smell is around it will take you straight back to your childhood and your favourite festive memories. Here are a few ways to induce those much-loved yuletide aromas!
1. Festive Simmer Pots
Simmer pots are simple to make and will create a warming welcome for guests over the festive period. This pot from Half Baked Harvest uses spices, tangerines, and cranberries; you can tailor your pots with your favourite ingredients and scents.
2. Roasted Chestnuts
So good even Nat King Cole couldn’t help singing about them! The smell of roasting chestnuts is sure to get your guests’ taste buds tingling so it may be worth buying a few extra as I’m sure these will be in high demand. We love this simple recipe from The Framed Table.
3. Mulled Wine
Nothing quite says Christmas like a warming cup of mulled wine. Most fruits are perfect for adding to mulled wine so you can be as inventive as you like with the recipe (although this one from the Taste Food Blog is particularly good). If wines not your thing, why not try spiced apple juice or cider?
4. Homemade Orange Candles
This idea is slightly trickier than the others and will take a little bit of practice to perfect, but once you do theses cute little candles are really effective for creating both a lovely ambience and a gorgeous smell. For any that fail along the way, simply follow Delia Creates advice and add a tea light to the centre instead to create a similar effect!
This is a great activity to do on a cold winter’s day and even better if you have children around to keep entertained. This tutorial from 5 Orange Potatoes uses cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to create these pomanders as well as some sweet little ‘acorns’ to hang on the tree.
Every family has their own traditions at Christmas and trying some of these ideas could be a great way to start some new ones! If you have any great ideas on how to make your home smell like Christmas please share with us in a comment below
