Over the next few days leading up to Christmas, Tribune columnist Loretta Gillespie will be sharing Christmas tips with our readers. They will include recipes, craft projects, unique home decorating ideas and more.
Our countdown has included a feast for the palette, for the eyes, and now we will bring to your holiday home the scent of Christmas by using some of the greenery that you gathered for your centerpieces and wreaths.
After you’ve finished your arrangements, don’t trash the clippings you’ll find on the floor! Instead, use them to fill your home with the special scents associated with the season.
You’ll want to include things like cinnamon powder, oil or sticks, which can be found in the spice section of your grocery store, or at a craft store, and while you are there, purchase some peppermint oil.
In addition, you might want to add the following to a pan of gently simmering water, about 4 quarts if you want it to last more than a couple of hours:
Clippings from aromatic evergreens- cedar, juniper and pines, cryptomeria and other evergreens that have a scent, pine cones are also wonderful, along with your fruit peelings: orange, apple, lemon and lime, whole nutmeg (lightly grated), allspice, ginger root (lightly grated), coconut oil, vanilla or almond flavoring and any other scented spices, oils, cranberries or nuts that you might have on hand.
One trick I have used to makes this concoction smell even more enticing is an envelope of your favorite flavor gelatin, like strawberry or lemon. Just don’t get the idea that this is to eat, it’s strictly for scenting your home.
You can put this on the stove eye or in your crockpot, on low, for several hours, or you can microwave it for instant effect, but only for a few seconds – remember, you aren’t cooking, you are creating scent. I have also done other flavors, such as coffee bean and brown sugar, laced with a little almond oil or Amaretto. This is good for any winter’s day, when the cold keeps you inside and the house starts to smell a little stale.
If you are heating your potpourri on the stovetop, remember to check the water level periodically.
Never leave anything on the stove unattended!
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