What, When, Where: Holiday Home Scent Round-Up

By Catie Parrish

Freshly-cut Christmas tree, gingerbread warm out of the oven, a crackling fire. We all know the signature scents of the holidays. Since smell is the sense that’s most closely tied to memory, it’s no surprise we crave these reminders more than ever during the season of nostalgia and tradition.

It’s also the season for entertaining, and when prepping our homes for guests, sometimes we need a little boost in the scent department. Clean should always be the primary aroma (or lack of aroma), but a subtle something extra is a yummy way to freshen your home in a flash.  It could be as simple as lighting a candle or a quick spritz post-cleaning session.

Here are a handful of great smelling options.

Clockwise, from top left: Tubereuse Rouge Candle, Diptyque; Fig & Wood Room Spray, Esteban; Myrrh Musk & Cypress Single Wick Candle, Molton Brown; Lounge Black Amber Room Spray, Ex Voto Paris; Blue Spruce & Elderberry Reed Diffuser, Bliss Home & Design; Birchwood Pine Candle, Nest Fragrances; Holiday Classic Toile Diffuseur Set, Seda France. 

If you’d prefer something homemade, try combining orange slices, a cinnamon stick, and a few cloves with a couple cups of water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low over the stove until your home is filled with a warm and spicy scent. You can also add a few drops of vanilla for a sweeter scent.

What’s your favorite fragrance to scent your home?