Homemade Holiday Potpourri

Although I wrote this post last year, a reader suggested I repost it for this holiday season. I thought it was a great idea! Nothing smells more heavenly than the scent of the holidays!

It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas everywhere I go! I love every single thing about Christmas, but, especially the aromatic scents of different spices. The holidays have unique fragrances and every time we smell them, we’re taken back to an endearing memory. I’m very fond of the scent of cloves. My grandmother always brewed a few pieces of cloves in a tiny pot on her stove every holiday season. The aroma was heavenly. Cloves are a beautiful scent that’s symbolic of the Christmas season. Homemade potpourri is a great way to make your home smell divine during the festive season and maybe start a new yearly tradition.

Making your own holiday potpourri is as simple as choosing your own ingredients. There really are no right or wrong choices. It’s the scents that best represents Christmas to you. I simmered a big pot of potpourri with ingredients I had on hand this morning. Orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon, anise, cranberries, and ginger. You’d think I’d have cloves on hand, but I do not.

Other ingredients that reflect the holiday season are pine, vanilla, peppermint, Frankincense, Myrrh, nutmeg, balsam, spruce, sage, all citrus, cardamom, orange peels, and rosemary sprigs. But, you’re not limited to these specific scents. You might have another spice, herb, or essential oil that represents the holidays to you.

You can also create customized gift bags of potpourri for friends, family, co-workers, or maybe your favorite neighbor. Pick up some dried ingredients or make your own. If you have a dehydrator, you can slice some oranges, apples, and pears. You can also dry some cranberries on the same tray. Finish off your gifts with some small burlap gift bag, a roll of holiday-inspired ribbon, and some festive gift tags. Store them in the fridge until you are ready to hand out these aromatic homemade gifts. Christmas is a time for giving! Happy Holidays!