Fresh [Orange, Clove, Basil]

Welcome to the second post of the 25 days of Christmas gifting! There is nothing better during the holidays than a fresh smelling home, especially if it starts to smell like the holidays- cinnamon, greenery, herbs, candle wax, etc... In my house it isn't the holiday season until we make clove oranges and greenery centerpieces out of the last of our herb garden. So here is a little gift to yourself, housemates, and guests.

Clove Oranges:

You need: 

Whole cloves

Mini oranges (cuties work well)

a peeler (like for potatoes) 

ribbon

It's pretty simple, all you do is clean the cutie with warm water and some mild soap (cleans off the surface germs and helps it last longer, plus releases some of that yummy citrus smell) and press the sharp end of the whole clove into the skin of the orange. When you're done tie a ribbon around it and hang. 

 You can get creative with your clove designs (it doesn't take a lot and gives off a wonderful smell) and they look great grouped together. If you want to get really fancy you can also peel designs into the orange itself. 

You can also draw on the orange to guide where you'll put your cloves- I like to make them for friends and do initials. They make great party favors and can make a room smell festive. 

Greenery centerpieces: 

I love the smell of fresh cut basil along with other green herbs, even more so as the days become shorter. So to keep the smell of summer a little longer I like to clip herbs I grow indoors and create simple centerpieces out of them for my coffee table and little cafe dining table. I also like to play with height. This little piece is currently centered on my coffee table:

It's so simple but makes such a lovely impact- take a small white curricle and fill with a 1/4" with water. Pluck or trim fresh basil leaves from the plant (also works well with chives, rosemary, thyme, etc. for taller arrangements). This small piece makes my entire apartment smell like fresh cut basil for up to a week before the leaves start to wilt. It's also fun to put cinnamon sticks in with the herbs if you have any left over from cooking.

What are some of your favorite Christmas smells?

XOXO