Scent-sational

Breathe in. . . 1. . . 2. . . 3. . . 4. . . breathe out

Now tell me. . .

What does Christmas smell like to you?

Perhaps its the fresh woody scent of a real Christmas tree. . .

or the aroma of Christmas baking. . .

and warm gingerbread straight from the oven.

Could it be the smell of peppermint candy canes?

For me, I think of Christmas when I smell a bouquet of Christmas spices. . .

cinnamon, citrus fruits, star anise, bay leaves and cloves.

Today I’m making lots of scented things . . . starting with my Simmering Pot Pourri.

Here’s my recipe:

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 lemon slices, fresh or 2 tablespoons dried lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons orange peel or dried orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 litre water.

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat and add more water as needed.

After that I’ll be making a gingerbread man wreath, cinnamon ornaments and dried citrus fruits (my recipes are here at Simply Christmas 2010) . . . which for us has become a Christmas tradition that infuses our house with the

scent of Christmas