An Easy (and Cheap) Way to Make it Smell like Christmas

With the unpredictable nature of Southern Illinois in December, I can't always count on the weather outside to make it feel like the holidays. Take today for instance. It's November and 68 degrees outside.

So, I have one solution to make the house feel like Christmas. To put myself in the mood for holiday decorating and baking and wrapping, I start with potpourri on the stove.

The warm inviting scent makes the house feel warmer on chilly days and calls to mind the winter holidays when the sun is shining brightly outside. And, the key ingredient is water and a little bit of spice, so the expense is minimal, an important consideration at holiday time.

To make this wonderful smelling concoction to fill my home, I use a sauce pan on the stove. You could also use a small crockpot or a burner intended for liquid potpourri.

First, slice or quarter two oranges. The juicier these oranges are, the better. So, if you want to play catch with them for awhile first, or have had them in the fridge for a couple weeks waiting to be used, so much the better.

Next, put in a pot and cover with water. Be sure to leave a little room at the top of the pan so this doesn't boil over and leave a brown mess on your stovetop.

Finally, add two teaspoons each of cloves and cinnamon. You can make the whole thing stronger scented by adding more of these spices. Or, change it up altogether by adding spices that make you think of the holidays. Apple pie spice is also a good addition for making the scent more wrmr and cozy.

Now, bring the whole mess to a boil just to get the scent started and then turn it down to simmer. Keep an eye on the water level throughout the day and add water as needed to keep the oranges from scorching.
Usually, I can make this combo last, and contribute warm scents to my home, for about two days. After that, the oranges are too mushy and need to be replaced.

Then, it goes down the garbage disposal to keep the disposal smelling fresh for the holidays as well.
Now granted, you can get the same effect with some scented candles, but I have yet to find one that mixes the orange and spice to the degree I am happy with. And, I can't put candles down the garbage disposal when I'm done.
Add to that the difference in price between a couple oranges and enough scented candles to fill the house, and the potpourri is a winner every time.