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6 tips for making your home smell like the holidays, according to experts
A scent to behold! Fragrance pros share tips and aromatic finds that you and your guests can enjoy this season — and beyond.
There's no place like home, especially during the holidays. And what better way to immerse your space in the season than with fragrant projects and products that conjure up peace, love or joy — or all three! — with every whiff? It's no secret that certain scents have the power to uplift your mood, and there's nothing like the smell of fresh citrus or spruce to get yourself — and guests — in the holiday spirit.
From simmering cinnamon sticks to stringing citrus garlands, here are experts' favorite ways to capture the essence of the holidays. We also rounded up practical product picks — many of them also serve as decor — for a festive, aromatic home you can enjoy during Christmas, New Year's and well beyond. Last time we checked, most of these finds were available with expedited shipping to ensure they get there in time.
More for hosting and gifting:
Tips for making your home smell like Christmas
1. Simmer cinnamon sticks.
"Simmering cinnamon sticks in water is a simple yet elegant way to infuse your home with a captivating aroma," says Alina Gliwinska, a perfumer at Lush. "You can also combine cinnamon sticks with other aromatic ingredients, like dried orange peel, cloves and star anise. The gentle heat releases the essential oils, creating a soothing and inviting atmosphere."
The method is as straightforward as it sounds: Just fill a pot with water (about 1/2-3/4), toss in some cinnamon sticks (the more sticks, the more potent), turn the burner on low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. This bag of cinnamon sticks from Spicy World has enough for several batches or projects.
As Gliwinska suggests, adding fruits and spices can add spice and depth to your simmer. Throw in a few pieces of star anise, a spice made from the fruit of the Chinese evergreen tree, Illicium Verum, to bring your brew to life and add a festive touch (may contain nuts).
For a (practically) ready-made alternative, "Try steeping spiced or other aromatic tea sachets on a (supervised) stovetop," recommends Greta Pagel, fragrance director and perfume expert at Illume and Good Chemistry. "There are many delicious varieties of seasonal and limited edition tea and spice blends out there that can deliver a similar traditional holiday-spiced scent."
Harney & Sons' bestselling Hot Cinnamon Spice tea comes as sachets, as well as tea bags and loose leaves. Pagel's favorite is Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset, a version with orange peel and cloves that's the perfect mix of spicy and sweet.
2. Make a citrus garland (or potpourri)
"For the craft-inclined, a homemade citrus garland hung over a hearth or threshold looks charming and welcomes guests with a bright and cheerful, spicy aroma," says Pagel. As Gliwinska notes, all you need is dried citrus slices and cinnamon sticks (perhaps leftover from your stovetop simmer), some string or ribbon and a needle. Alternate threading the string through holes in the citrus slices with wrapping the string around the cinnamon sticks.
Each bag of dehydrated orange contains 23 to 37 slices, easily enough for a long garland (for, say, your mantel or tree). Use any extras for brightening up simmer pots, mulled wines and potpourris.
Once you string your dried orange slices together, consider studding them with whole cloves. With this package, you should have some left over for your simmer pot (or potpourri).
More of a "buy it, don't DIY it" person? This festive readymade garland comes complete with cinnamon and star anise for less than $15 with expedited shipping. There are also orange- and grapefruit-only versions for those who like the effect, but don't want the spices to compete with other scents.
If you don't have anywhere to hang garland, Hope Freeman, senior director of scent design at Pura, recommends a "display of natural pine cones, cinnamon sticks and cloves" with orange and/or apple slices, to sprinkle some sweetness and spice throughout the home.
These kits make it easy — add them to a simmer pot, bowl or mason jar with a perforated lid. Available in packs of four or eight, they're also great for gifting!
3. Add fresh greenery.
"There’s nothing like bringing greenery indoors to naturally infuse the home with that signature scent of the winter holidays," says Pagel. Garlands and wreaths are easy ways to get that enchanted woodland feel without ever having to yell "timberrrrrr!" (Though, should you be so inclined, this mini chainsaw, a Yahoo reader favorite, should work on small branches just fine).
This fresh white pine garland, which has a near-perfect rating and can arrive by the weekend, is versatile — and flexible — enough to be used as tablescapes, mantel decor, wreaths ... you name it. And because the branches are so fresh, all you need is a sharp pair of scissors or gardening shears to prune it.
These real pine leaf branches can be placed in a vase as-is, or cut into smaller pieces that can be arranged throughout the home. We also like the idea of hanging them from shower heads as a way to turn the bathroom into a winter spa.
1-800 Flowers
For a ready-made wreath that's sure to give guests a warm and fragrant welcome, we're loving this festive arrangement. It features fresh fir and cedar evergreen, along with gold bells, red ornaments and faux red berries. There are also LED lights for a glow.
If you have a fresh tree, Aimee Majoros, fragrance expert and founder of Aimee is Beauty, suggests collecting pine needles, preferably from a balsam fir and filling a decorative bowl, particularly appealing in an entryway where guests get their first impression of the home.
She adds, "Balsam sachets and pillows are another great, unexpected way to bring the ultimate scent of Christmas indoors." This three-pack is heavy on the balsam, while these smaller sachets also integrate another favorite of Majores's (pinecones).
4. Diffuse festive oils.
Diffusers offer a quick, easy and flameless way to fill a room with fragrance. "Diffuse stronger fragrances in the living room and the lighter ones in the dining room and kitchen so you can be sure to smell your holiday meal," advises Freeman. "Where possible, set timers for your fragrances to have them diffuse whenever you’re in the space."
For a budget-friendly option, it doesn't hurt to have a few Febreze diffuser pods lying around. We like the Cranberry Crumble and Sea Salt Caramel & Maple for kitchen and dining areas (guests will think you were just baking) and the Winter Spruce and Cozy Campfire for around the tree and mantel in the living room. (You can also scoop up corresponding sprays for adding an extra scent boost.)
This classic scent from Nest New York features an intoxicating blend of pomegranate, mandarin orange and pine, along with a dash of spice and sweetness, for a festive scent that, as I can personally attest, is merry and bright.
"No holiday is complete without it," adds Freeman. "It smells amazing and, when diffused using the Pura Plus, fills up the whole room in minutes." (More Pura-specific pods and pod/diffuser sets here.)
Freeman likes Illume's Winter White, available as a standalone or pod diffuser, as "another classic that brings the outside inside with its beautiful snowy feel," as well as Studio McGee Winter Bayberry or Anthropologie's Blood Orange and Conifer for more of a sweet-spicy appeal.
"If you have an artificial Christmas tree, placing a balsam scented reed diffuser at the base or close by will emulate having a real tree in the home," says Majores. A few of our experts noted Thymes' Frasier Fir, available as a standalone or pod diffuser, as being a holiday staple.
5. Light