Yes, it is December. Thanksgiving is behind us. Let’s decorate. Even if you do not have any holiday to celebrate this month or do not feel in the mood, let’s find something positive and worth looking forward to. Lights, scents and festive food usually help.
Saturday Question #242:
Do You Scent Your Home For Holidays?
Do you have any special ways to introduce holidays-related or holidays-inspired aromas into your home?
A bonus question: do you plan to decorate your space for any of the upcoming holidays?
My Answer
I love-love-love winter holidays! If the weather permits, we might put on outdoor lights this weekend. Since our tree is artificial, we can put it up at any time. I’m not sure when we will though. Probably not this weekend, but maybe next. But since it is artificial, I miss the smell of fir and resin that a natural tree brings. And to rectify that, over years, I introduced different sprays (one was very naturally smelling… but it had something headache-inducing, so I had to get rid of it), fir-scented candles (so far, I haven’t found the one I would like to re-purchase – any advice?) and, the most successful product, Frasier Fir hand wash from Thymes (I have a little left from the previous year, but I haven’t checked yet if it’s still good, and I need to get a refill soon).
Additionally, this year I decided to get a small natural wreath… but hang it inside – just for the smell. I found just what I was looking for at Trader Joe’s and hanged it on one of the walls using a sheet of foil wrap as a backdrop to prevent damage to the wall behind in case the branches used in the wreath still have any sap or resin left. I know it’s unorthodox, but once I got that idea in my head, I just had to do it.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
Yes, I do! Here in the UK The White Company sells Winter which smells of cinnamon, clove and orange and I have been buying it (pot pourri, oil, candle, diffuser and spray) – and now …. handwash!) every Christmas for over 20 years. It’s different to all other “Christmassy” spicy/orangey lines as it smells realistic and the orange is juicy and tangy.
In order to get the smell of the tree, my favourite is Goutal’s Foret d’Or (used to be called Noel). It is like a breath of fresh air scented with pine (not at all like toilet cleaner) and a hint of tangerine peel. I have tried so many others and have been disappointed with how nose-rasping or sweet they are – and some have an artificial woodiness that makes me feel sick! I have an Acqua di Parma diffuser radiating in the hall right now but I will have to give it to someone else as it is really nauseating. Such a shame.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Until today, I didn’t even know Goutal had candles! While they were more present in the US, those stores that carried the line never had any candles. And now it is mostly gone from the market. So, buying a $60+ candle unsniffed online seems risky. But maybe one day when I travel to Europe I’ll visit a boutique.
LikeLike
Yes, that’s very spendy for a candle. So I haunt online auction sites! Or see if there are any at reduced prices in the sales after Christmas – the fragrance keeps well. I have had the room mist for five years and that’s still good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Early on I was super gung ho. We were going to put the faux tree up this weekend. It didn’t happen and now I’m pretty sure it doesn’t matter. So this year is a no.
There is a Trudon Christmas Candle here that I might open for the season.
In other news, all the cards have been organised and go out tomorrow. So while I’m not decorating at home the cards will decorate homes globally.
Portia xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Decorating for holidays must bring joy on its own. If for any reason it doesn’t go naturally, maybe a low-key approach would serve the purpose.
Cards! I should try to send some this year! I’ll see tomorrow what I can do – thank you for the reminder!
LikeLike
Yeah, decorating needs to be full of fun and love.
I do have the received cards on cornice strings around the living room. It looks festive enough already.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I often get a real tree, but since I have a kitten who likes to climb I can’t see that happening. I put real wreaths on all the doors, and I might go to the woods today to get some greenery for the planters. I have enormous bows to use, too. When I try to do outside lights – well, I’m just not good at them. But I will try cause there are lots of little kids on my street, and I bet they don’t judge.
Inside: I have some of the Guerlain candles with black wax. They make a very special atmosphere. I have a Goutal Christmas candle, and a L’artisan winter candle from ten years ago.
A friend makes beautiful cards on an old fashioned letter press. I had plans to send out lots of cards but the post office is on strike here. I might still write them, and wait for things to settle down.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was amazing to read about your post office strike. I am not sure, but I always thought that this service is considered essential, and as such, isn’t allowed to do a strike. But I might be mistaken. I hope, the situation will resolve soon.
I’ve never seen black wax candles. They must look gorgeous! I’m not sure I would be able to bring myself to burning them though :)
LikeLike
My holiday decorating has certainly been dialed down over the years. I guess you could call it simplifying. I also put up a Christmas tree, artificial, and usually two weeks before the holiday itself. It comes down just after New Year’s Day. I feel that’s plenty of time to enjoy it.
As you mentioned, the missing component is the smell of a real tree. Over the years I’ve tried many different candles and room sprays, and found that Silver Spruce by Greenleaf fits both the budget and areas of use. They offer a candle, room spray, sachet, reed diffuser and foaming hand soap in this scent. A few of the sachet packet tucked away in the interior of the artificial tree is very convincing. The scent is based on Siberian fir, cedarwood and sandalwood. The best part is that their product are very budget friendly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the recommendation! I will check out Silver Spruce.
Our tree usually stays up until January 14th – a NY day according to the “old calendar” (a tradition from my native country).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely! Christmas candles are my favorite. We don’t have a real tree, but I love the smell of the Thymes Frasier Fir you already mentioned. Nest Holiday has remained my absolute favorite, because it encompasses so many scents that mean Christmas to me, and it really fills the room with scent. I always give others a try, but these two remain my favorite. This year I’ve tried a couple from a local candlemaker here in DFW area called Jackson Vaughn. I really love Kinfolk and Tradition (2 different candles) and their container is beautiful. I’m leaving for Vienna at the end of the week to visit my son and family which includes my only three grandkids, so very excited!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Vienna and always hoped to visit it at Christmas time. It must be wonderful. I wish you a great trip and a wonderful time with your family!
LikeLike
We still get a real tree. It does smell great; at least for a while. We also burn candles, I like to find small makers to try (my latest is Dirt Road Candle Co from a small town in my home state of Iowa).
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s interesting that these days even small local brands have online presence. I just visited that DRCC’s site. The Christmas Tree candle sounds attractive.
LikeLike
We used to decorate when the children lived here even though one of us would be working for part of the festive period.
We realised our decorating days of tree, baubles & tinsel would be put on hold when Mr Jarvis Cockapoo turned out to be a destructive thief of epic proportions! Everything he can reach is fair game & the damage festive decor is a risk we aren’t prepared to take!
I have half a gingerbread candle from last year that I may light nearer the holidays themselves & a mini candle of Succulent by Bougee Bougies who’s green smell will give just enough tree vibe
LikeLiked by 1 person
That rascally Jarvis! My doggies never bothered anything on the tree, but they always managed to pee on any live tree once just to ‘claim’ it as their own. LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jarvis is a stretcher & doesn’t mark items. Thievery? I’m sure Ali Baba had 40 thieves & 1 dog who taught them!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
For several years we decorated our trees by plastic, wood and metal ornaments because of Rusty (he didn’t try to climb the tree but would play with ornaments). Then he grew up, and we went back to regular ornaments leaving those unbreakable ones on the bottom branches. This year we plan to decorate the tree again with just “cat-safe” ornaments in Rusty’s memory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t scent my space differently for the holidays as I can usually get those smells outside, in shops, etc. We just put up some small trees made of different materials – wood, glass, ceramic…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do you get new/additional trees, or do you use the same ones every year? Do you place them differently or at the same locations?
LikeLike
Every year we’ve been gifted a new one, so we bring them all out. Location might vary depending on what space is available! Shelves, windowsills, all fair game.
LikeLike
Yes, I burn candles with incense, woods fi,r and pine notes during the holidays. My favorites are Frederic Malle’s Noel candles. They mesh well with CDG Avignon and Heeley Cardinal. The Cire Trudon Gloria candles are very nice, too. I got a very good deal on some Ormonde Jayne holiday candles so I’ll be trying those also.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know OJ had holiday candles. Please let me know how you liked them when you try.
LikeLike
I just lit one of the OJ candles called “Etoile.” It has a floral woody scent, very nice, and it’s in a white porcelain candle jar with pretty green ornaments decorating the jar. It’s a big 280 gram candle so it should last about 60 hours. I’ll post photos of them on Insta.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like you’re wonderfully prepared, dear Undina. I haven’t got anything with this much olfactory appeal planned, especially as
I’m in a particularly low-key Christmas mood this year.
LikeLike
This tends to be the time of year I finally light scented candles, and I also have a tiny little carved wooden tree that I spray with Fille en Aiguilles. I have an artificial tree but a natural wreath on the front door.
LikeLike