I realize that many of my friends and loyal readers live outside of the US and thus either celebrate their own Thanksgiving on a different date or do not celebrate it at all. I grew up not even knowing about that holiday: somehow, it wasn’t a part of pop culture or a well-known fact about a foreign country. But Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays since I moved to the US. So, with the upcoming week being Thanksgiving week here, I want to somehow connect this Saturday Question to the topic of being thankful.
Saturday Question #140:
What Are You Thankful For Perfume-wise?
It can be very precise or completely generic, something that has happened recently or in general – as long as you consider it a positive thing.
My Answer
There are many things that I could mention, but I do not want to hog all the possible answers, so I’ll keep it short – and then join you in the comments section. You could do the same: name one or two most relevant points and concur with others’ comments.
- I’m thankful to all of the perfumistas who shared, swapped or just gifted me with samples and decants: it allowed me to try many more perfumes than I would have been able to try otherwise.
- I’m thankful that Covid-19 strand that I had did not impair my sense of smell: not counting possible serious health complications, that was my worst fear.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
Hi Undina, Great question! I’m grateful for this loose community of perfume friends I’ve found. I think it’s cool that we have, possibly, nothing in common but our love for perfumes, but have forged a bond through this. I am also grateful for the couple of perfumers who always share their new perfume creations with me, even though I am not a widely followed instagrammer or influencer who can directly influence their sales. I hope everyone who celebrates has a happy Thanksgiving!
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I’m sure there are many other things in common, just probably not as unified: many perfume people are avid readers, love cats or dogs, good at photography, love traveling, etc. But probably it’s not unique for just this hobby but is rather indicative of life: think about how different are people whose passion is cooking, people who study the same major at a university, work at the same company, sing together in the choir or play the same sport. But it’s always great to find things in common; and the more those “commons” we find in someone, the closer it gets us.
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I agree that people who love scent, also seem to love other pleasures of the senses, be it taste, music, sound. And yes, animals!
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I am also grateful for perfume friends on the blogosphere and that covid did not take away my sense of smell. Grateful for the freedom to wear perfume at home and most places I go without causing anyone distress. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
I’m grateful for finding your blog with its unique prospective on our common subject.
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I got very sick this summer and almost died from whooping cough and mumps. I didn’t wear much perfume. I started junk journaling while locked in my house sick for three months. That fulfills me now. Grateful I haven’t bought any perfume in a long time and that I honestly don’t think about it much. Instead of wearing perfume 3 times per day I might wear it every two to three days. A waste of all these bottles, but different priorities. Doesn’t seem important anymore. I was having so much trouble breathing that I now just want to breathe air.
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I’m glad that you feel better now. Our health is so much more important than most of the things we think or worry about when we’re healthy.
Enjoy your perfumes when you feel like it and don’t even think about them when you don’t.
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I’m so glad you are better now. Being very ill does change one’s priorities.
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Excellent question, and Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.
I’m with you and Cynthia: I love the people who write about perfume. They seem to be so kind-I’ve never had a bad perfume related conversation, online. I’m thinking about a really fantastic person I met who passed away in 2019-we never met in real life but she was the essence of kindness and I’ll never forget her. This community you built is fantastic too: I read your blog for ages but never really commented, but once I started to write more people also responded to me, and that feels fantastic. Thank you for this.
I’m also thankful for a couple of brands whose scents really suit me: they make me feel like the best version of myself. They give me confidence, if needed, or comfort. I bought Je Reviens recently: it was my mom’s scent and I needed that touch of elegance to remind me of her in a particular way. I’m lucky : it worked-maybe the scent has changed but I’m satisfied with it as it is now.
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Carole, I’m glad that you started commenting! You have a very positive energy about you, so it’s always a pleasure to read your comments.
People we meet during our fragrant journey is definitely the most precious outcome from it.
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A Happy & Grateful Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!
I echo your thanks to those who shared both samples & knowledge when I first joined Basenotes. I am forever in their debt.
I am currently grateful for Shalimar Millisime Tonka for making me fall in love with Shalimar again. Still cannot tolerate the EdP but the cologne & EdT are enjoyable again & SMT has become such a frequent wear I snagged a second bottle.
I’m also grateful for a recent article on the history of Thanksgiving & the dishes served to celebrate it recommended on Scents and Sensibilities that has sent my research brain down a rabbit hole. Recipes & cooking are another of my happy places
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Suddenly, I started hearing about SMT from everywhere! I suspect there were some splits I missed :) Since I’m not a Shalimar fan, I missed the initial excitement of its launch. I’m glad that you’re enjoying it though.
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Well done Undina! Love the Thanksgiving of it all.
My favourite thing about perfume is the worldwide friends I’ve made. Many of whom have taken time from their busy lives to meet. Some have become incredibly close.
Next is the way fragrance can shunt aside a fast approaching depression cycle, just by derailing my train of thought and giving me another focus. Still an effective weapon in my armoury, even after all these years.
So many of you have also made excellent points and I mostly concur.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Portia xx
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Thank you, dear Portia!
I will try your recipe for the anti-depression perfume use :)
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My No.1 thanks is to you and the other bloggers who keep this perfume community informed and entertained. So giving of your time and experience. Perfume people really are the best!
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Thank you, cassieflower.
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I’m grateful to all the bloggers and perfumistas who have shared their knowledge, passion and samples with me over the past 20 years of my perfume journey. I have a fabulous collection that I will be able to enjoy for the rest of my life even if I never bought another bottle.
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I’m with you on everything, but the idea of never buying another bottle of perfume scares me :)
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I’m thankful that my sense of smell hasn’t been affected by my current bout of COVID! (Also thankful that I’ve had a mild case, which I credit to the three boosters I’ve had so far). Like others here, I’m very thankful for the kind, interesting perfume blog community, writers and readers, who have brought me so much joy since I went down the rabbit-hole. I’m also thankful for my family’s patience with my hobby, from willingly sniffing my wrist upon request to refraining from criticism of the growing collection. In fact, my dear husband is a perfume enabler, for which I am also thankful! I’m thankful for the opportunities I have to engage in “perfume tourism”, often on his work trips which I try to join when my own work allows. Planning one to Barcelona this spring!
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I was thinking about my vSO’s patience both with me collecting perfumes and sniffing anything and everything on our trips.
Barcelona is a wonderful place in general and as a perfume tourism destination.
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I also wanted to mention my gratitude to several indie perfumers like Hiram Green, Andy Tauer and Sarah McCartney who communicate directly with their customers and share their passion.
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I’m grateful for you and all the other bloggers who host the wonderful online perfume community. I love being part of this community and having others with whom to share my perfume passion. Also grateful to have escaped Covid so that my sense of smell has remained intact.
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Thank you, rickyrebarco. I like our community and grateful for all people who keep it going.
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Lovely theme, dear Undina. Without being too s(c)entimental, I love how technology has allowed me to connect with so many passionate and knowledgeable perfume-lovers around the world.
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Yes!!! Who could have thought 25-30 years ago that we will be discussing perfumes with people from around the globe.
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The bright side to tech.
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Scentimental– Love it!
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Thank you, dear Ricky!
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I immediately thought of the first point you are thankful for, namely the gifts and shared scents from fellow perfumistas. And the friendships that have flowed from that. And that I have had sufficient funds down the years to obtain as many perfumes and samples as I have – too many indeed!
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