The Smell of Christmas in the Air

Christmas Home Fragrance Oil

* 2 drops of each Cinnamon and Clove oil
* 1 drop of Neroli oil
* 1 drop of Juniper Berry oil
* 2 drops each frankincense and Myrrh oil.

Christmas Potpourri

* 5 cinnamon sticks
* 2 whole allspice
* 6 bay leaves
* 1/4 c. whole cloves
* 1/2 lemon cut in two pieces (unpeeled)
* 1/2 orange in two or three pieces (unpeeled)
* 2 quarts water

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer as long as desired. Be sure to check often and add water as needed. Mixture may be stored in refrigerator several days and reused.
Christmas Potpourri Ornaments

* 1 quart of fir needles
* 1 cup dried mixed citrus peels; grapefruit, lemon, orange, lime, coarsely broken (whirl in blender);
* 1 cup whole rosemary
* 1/2 cup dried whole basil
* 2 to 4 whole bay leaves coarsely crumbled
* 2 cups coarse kosher salt.

Mix all ingredients together and use to stuff fabric tree ornaments. Warmth brings out the fragrance. If fir needles are not available, the potpourri will be deliciously fragrant without them, just double the other ingredients to make up for lost volume.

To prepare citrus peels, remove membrane, cut into strips, dry in a warm place till very crisp and brittle.. Break into small pieces and store in plastic bags tightly sealed. Coarse salt is a fixative to help hold fragrance.

Use cookie cutters or pictures printed from coloring books to cut pairs of matching shapes (stockings, santa hats, stars, pine trees, gingerbread men, etc.) out of fabric remnants or felt. I used an old red corduroy shirt last time I did this. Either sew the halves together or use a glue gun leaving a small opening about an inch wide. To make filling the shapes easier, I use a tube I make with a little cardboard and tape, but a spoon works just as well. These are great drawer sachets or you can add a litle loop of ribbon and hang them on the tree.
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