The Old-Fashioned (And Super Affordable) Way To Make Your Home Smell Like The Holidays

Spiced smells abound during the winter holidays, making oranges studded with cloves one of the nostalgic Christmas trends or traditions that are dear to the hearts of many. Also called pomanders, these decorative combinations of citrus and spice create a strong fragrance that recalls memories of holidays past for many of us. In addition to an old-fashioned scent, this handcrafted decoration also adds a splash of earthy orange and brown to the traditional Christmas color palette of green and red.

While cloves have been used since the Middle Ages to scent homes, and pomanders were originally sachets of herbs or spices worn like perfume, citrus fruits were first pierced with spices to create scented baubles during the Victorian period. These days, making sweet-smelling pomanders is a fun Christmastime activity that can include young kids, as well as the young at heart. To make this holiday project, all you need is a couple of inexpensive items from the grocery store. For an even more affordable craft, buy a bulk bag of the required spice — and be sure to buy whole cloves, not ground ones.

If you'd like to add this affordable, old-fashioned craft to your list of creative Christmas decorations you can make at home, here are some tips. You don't have to use oranges to create these fragrant objects — clementines will also do the job for the same distinctive smell. To add the cloves to the fruit, first poke your design on the fruit with a toothpick or nail before adding the spice. You can evenly add the cloves all over the orange or create a pattern. Choose a holiday-themed pattern that looks lovely on the fruit, such as a star, or make your own design. Decorating the citrus fruit with swirls, circles, and clusters are all lovely options. Another variation is to use a channel knife to add grooves between your spice designs by digging down to the pith of the citrus fruit.

To hang your scented pomander, or simply make it even more decorative, you can tie it with ribbon or string secured with a pin. Arrange a group of several clove-studded oranges in a wooden or ceramic bowl for a decorative, scented centerpiece on your holiday table. Or you might want to hang them on your Christmas tree or add them to garlands and wreaths. Enjoy your pomanders freshly made, but you can also allow them to dry and keep them as long-lasting holiday ornaments. For storing your homemade decorations from year to year, wait until they have completely dried out, then wrap them in paper. Want more variety in your scented baubles? Try using other citrus fruits like grapefruits, limes, or lemons.